Union Minister R K Singh on Thursday assured stakeholders that if required, additional funds will be allocated under the National Green Hydrogen Mission for the decarbonisation of the transport sector.
Chairing a meeting of government and industry stakeholders from the transport sector in the national capital, he emphasised the government's commitment to energy transition and India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) commitment to reduce emissions intensity.
The minister said that, if necessary, the government would be ready to allocate additional funds beyond the already earmarked ₹ 496 crore for the transport sector under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, according to an official statement.
There should be a concerted series of trials for identifying the potential of green hydrogen in the transport sector so that a national roadmap for the decarbonisation of the sector through use of green hydrogen can be formulated, he said.
The roadmap should include details of pilot projects, technological advancements, and the potential for cost reduction through localized manufacturing and scaling processes, he added.
Pitching for the use of green hydrogen in pilot projects, the minister called for a comprehensive comparison of technology and cost between hydrogen-powered vehicles and battery-electric vehicles.
He also emphasised the need for developing an indigenous technology for integrating hydrogen into the transport sector.
Industry representatives expressed concerns about challenges related to the higher cost of green hydrogen, fuel cells and hydrogen storage cylinders.
Singh assured the industry that costs will naturally come down, with progress in scaling up and development of indigenous manufacturing.
Officials from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and representatives from the transport sector, including those from hydrogen dispensing entities, storage and transport agencies, component manufacturers, testing agencies and standard making bodies, attended the meeting.