Roundtables fostered deeper international collaborations, says MNRE
A Letter of Intent (LoI) was signed between Chane Terminal from Netherlands and ACME Cleantech from India for Ammonia import terminals at the International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH-2024).
It highlighted India’s intent to address the green regulations of EU to boost exports, said the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy at the conclusion of the conference on 12 Sept.
Two Country Roundtables on Singapore & South Korea, an industry roundtable for the India-US Hydrogen Taskforce, and a breakthrough roundtable on Hydrogen, have fostered deeper international collaboration and strategic dialogues as the ICGH-2024 concluded on 12 Sept.
As ICGH-2024 progresses, it continues to be a significant platform for driving forward green hydrogen technologies and establishing vital partnerships for a sustainable future, said the Ministry.
The conference’s second day witnessed the announcement of India’s exclusive partnership with the European Hydrogen Week, scheduled to be held in November 2024.
The event also saw sessions bringing out the perspectives of the EU, Australia, and the Netherlands about the scope and challenges in the Green Hydrogen sector. The EU session chaired by Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, with Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe, focused on the role of green hydrogen as a crucial component in global decarbonization efforts.
The discussion highlighted that the EU is focused on reforming its Emission Trading System (ETS) to help price carbon effectively, to encourage the scaling up of hydrogen as a competitor to fossil fuels.
Following this, Pankaj Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, spoke to Dr Patrick Hartley, Leader of the CSIRO Hydrogen Industry Mission, and shared that collaboration, both domestically and internationally, is essential, particularly with countries like India, to drive industry scale-up, technology advancement, and workforce development.
“Regulatory frameworks, storage solutions, and large-scale renewable energy access remain critical challenges for the hydrogen sector,” noted the ministry.
The Netherlands session chaired by Dr Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, provided an in-depth overview of the Netherlands’ comprehensive strategy for advancing global hydrogen advancements.
The session was attended by Han Feenstra, Coordinator of the Hydrogen International Programme and Senior Policy Advisor at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy; Mark-Simon Benjamins, Business Manager at Havenbedrijf Rotterdam N.V; and Marisa Gerards, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
In addition to the plenary sessions, the day featured a range of engaging activities, with the Youth Session being a highlight. Ajay Yadav, Secretary of MNRE, delivered a welcome address emphasizing the role of energy in empowering economies and societies.
He encouraged the youth to innovate and take leadership roles in the green hydrogen sector, highlighting their potential to shape India’s energy future.
Professor Ajay K. Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, noted in his remarks, “As we look toward the future, the green hydrogen sector stands out as a key driver of progress, with projections indicating that it will create over four crore jobs by 2050.
“This remarkable growth not only highlights the sector’s potential to significantly advance environmental sustainability but also underscores its crucial role in fueling economic development and innovation.”
In his address, MNRE Secretary Bhupinder S. Bhalla inspired the audience by saying, “Our goal is to ignite a passion for sustainability and innovation among the youth. By working together and embracing new technologies, we can drive meaningful change and build a brighter, greener future for all.”
Echoing this commitment, Nishaanth Balashanmugam, Director of GH2 India, highlighted the transformative potential of green hydrogen, noting, “Green hydrogen is the only solution to almost 18% to 20% of the world’s carbon emissions. Together, we should all work towards a cleaner future, and you can contribute by playing your role in this.”
These remarks reflect a unified dedication to advancing sustainable practices and engaging youth in the global effort against climate change.
In parallel to this, a GH2Thon Hackathon was also organized, where participants presented their innovative solutions for advancing green hydrogen technology.
Secretary Yadav remarked that “GH2THON is a visionary initiative, harnessing the innovation of startups, researchers, and technical experts to shape the future of hydrogen technology.
“As a first-of-its-kind event, it reflects our commitment to the Green Hydrogen Mission, empowering the next generation to lead India’s transition toward a sustainable, green energy future,” he said. Fiinews.com
