New Delhi, 26 September (IANS). Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday launched India’s first hydrogen highway, which will promote the initiative of Green Hydrogen in the country.
The project involves setting up a hydrogen fueling station with major national highway corridors to support long -range hydrogen -powered freight.
Union Minister Gadkari said in the program, “Hydrogen is a future fuel. We have now launched the world’s first large-scale hydrogen truck trial. Five consortiums have been allocated a budget of Rs 500 crore with 37 vehicles on ten routes.”
He further said, “Nine hydrogen refueling stations will be set up to support these trials. These corridors will serve as India’s first hydrogen highway, which will prepares ecosystem for clean, long distance movement.”
He said that India should reduce its dependence on crude oil imports as soon as possible, which is 87 percent of the demand and the country has to bear about 22 lakh crore rupees annually.
The launch was made at the first World Hydrogen India Summit organized by S&P Global Commodity Insights.
To create a sustainable hydrogen ecosystem, policy makers, industry leaders and global experts discussed regulatory structures, financeing models and business corridors at the event.
The discussion included topics such as how chemical companies can use hydrogen for clean production processes, how to adopt emerging innovation and apply strategies for sustainable industrial changes.
In addition, policy makers and experts discussed ways to replace gray hydrogen with green options in fertilizer production.
The panel reviewed economic viability, cooperation model and supply chain partnership to ensure the availability of green hydrogen for the manufacture of ammonia and urea.
Sushil Kumar Singh, Chairman of Mumbai Port Authority and Deendayal Port Authority, discussed the importance of international certification requirements, dedicated shipping corridors and logistics infrastructure development and India’s importance of strategies of India’s hydrogen exports to global cost and quality standards.
-IANS
SKT/
