G-20 Summit in Delhi: Global leaders to discuss ‘green hydrogen’ manufacturing and supply

livemint.com:

Alliance launched the Green Hydrogen Innovation Centre earlier this year, and India itself approved $2.3 billion for the production, use and export of green hydrogen. Global cooperation on green hydrogen manufacturing and supply is expected to be discussed by G-20 leaders at this week's summit in New Delhi. WHAT IS GREEN HYDROGEN? Hydrogen is produced by separating that element from others in molecules where hydrogen occurs.

For example, water — well known by its chemical symbol of H20, or two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom — can be split into those component atoms through electrolysis. Hydrogen has been produced and used at scale for over a century, primarily to make fertilizers and plastics and to refine oil. It has mostly been produced using fossil fuels, especially natural gas.

But when the production is powered by renewable energy, the resulting hydrogen is green hydrogen. The global market for green hydrogen is expected to reach $410 billion by 2030, according to analysts, which would more than double its current market size. However, critics say the fuel is not always viable at scale and its ‘green’ credentials are determined by the source of energy used to produce it.

WHAT CAN GREEN HYDROGEN BE USED FOR? Green hydrogen can have a variety of uses in industries such as steelmaking, concrete production and manufacturing chemicals and fertilizers. It can also be used to generate electricity, as a fuel for transport and to heat homes and offices. Today, hydrogen is primarily used in refining petrol and manufacturing fertilizers.