EV-Lithium – Can we skip to the good part?

Leaping forward in the direction of Green Future, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has partnered with Larsen & Toubro and ReNew Power to develop green hydrogen assets in India. To limit the global temperature to between 1.5 to 2 degrees above the pre-industrial level, countries are in a race to adopt green sources of energy. The Indian automobile sector which forms 40% of the carbon emission in the country has decided to shift from fossils sources of energy to electric ones. The source of electric power in vehicles is divided into two parts, one is hydrogen-based fuel cells and the other is Lithium-based batteries.

The efficiency, range, storage and availability of Hydrogen based cells are more than the Lithium-based batteries. Hydrogen fuels provide energy to weigh to a ratio ten times greater than lithium-based batteries. The use of Lithium will bring us back to square one as the availability of Lithium is limited on earth, and demand will further affect self-reliance. Although, the lithium-based battery is a cleaner source of energy self-life of its battery is less than the Hydrogen fuel cell.

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Aatmanirbhar in Green Hydrogen

The creation of the ‘Green Hydrogen Alliance’ by these three companies will be a game-changer in India’s effort to decrease its carbon footprint. The idea is to catalyse the Green Economy in India making the country Aatmanirbhar in the renewable energy sector.

Moreover, focused indigenous development of the production and value chain supply of green hydrogen will give a big boost to the Make in India initiative. As dependent on the world for its energy need is very costly due to variation in the values of the currencies. Further, it has a great impact on the foreign policy of India, as the country can not afford to upset any energy exporting country.

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Green Hydrogen Policy

In the light of India’s commitment under the Earth Summit to reduce global warming, In February 2022, the Government of India released its Green Hydrogen Policy under the National Hydrogen Mission. The aim is to facilitate the transition from fossil fuel to Green Hydrogen as energy carriers.

The following provisions have been made in the policy:-

• A Hydrogen produced by way of electrolysis of water using renewable energy will be called Green Hydrogen.
• Waiver in inter-state charges for 25 years
• Connectivity shall be granted on a priority level for the generation and manufacturing of Green Hydrogen
• Land in Renewable Energy Parks can be allotted for the purpose
• Government will propose to set up Manufacturing Zones
• Single Portal for all statutory clearances

Read More: What India needs at this point in time is a push toward alternative energy and not an overnight transition to electric vehicles

The revolutionary change brought through Clean Energy Mission in the energy sector will ultimately make the renewable energy market very competitive. Moreover, it will help in reducing the cost of production. However, the lithium-based battery will not be replaced fully but definitely, the hydrogen-based fuel cell will run parallelly.