When did PM Narendra Modi announce National Hydrogen Mission to generate hydrogen from green energy sources?

The correct answer is August 2021.

Key Points

• National Hydrogen Mission (NHM)
  • Prime Minister launched the National Hydrogen Mission on India’s 75th Independence Day i.e. 15th August 2021.
  • The Mission aims to aid the government in meeting its climate targets and making India a green hydrogen hub.
  • This will help in meeting the target of production of 5 million tonnes of Green hydrogen by 2030 and the related development of renewable energy capacity.
  • Hydrogen and Ammonia are envisaged to be the future fuels to replace fossil fuels.
  • Production of these fuels by using power from renewable energy termed green hydrogen and green ammonia is one of the major requirements for the environmentally sustainable energy security of the nation.
  • The government of India is taking various measures to facilitate the transition from fossil fuel-based feedstocks to green hydrogen / green ammonia.
  • This policy is one of the major steps in this endeavor.
• Significance of the National Hydrogen Mission
  1. This will reduce dependence on fossil fuels and also reduce crude oil imports.
  2. The objective also is for our country to emerge as an export Hub for Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia. 
  3. The implementation of this Policy will provide clean fuel to the common people of the country.
  4. The production of renewable energy (RE) in the form of RE will be the basic ingredient in making green hydrogen.
  5. This in turn will help in meeting the international commitments for clean energy.

Additional Information

• Type of Hydrogen
  • Grey Hydrogen: It is extracted from hydrocarbons (fossil fuels, natural gas).
  • Blue Hydrogen: It is manufactured from natural gas
  • Brown Hydrogen: It is manufactured using Coal without carbon sequestration.
  • Green Hydrogen: Generated from renewable energy (like Solar, Wind).