Hydrogen Economy and Energy Transition: India's Green Hydrogen Challenges and Opportunities

This opinion piece by Prof. Ganapati D. Yadav examines the role of green hydrogen in the global energy transition, with a focus on India. It covers hydrogen's potential to decarbonize steel, cement, chemicals, and heavy transport, as well as its use in long-duration storage and CO2 utilization. The article is clear that green hydrogen is still a tiny share of global production and that cost and infrastructure remain major barriers. For India, the piece highlights advantages like abundant solar and wind, a large domestic fertilizer and chemical market, and strong chemical engineering capabilities. It also argues that current policy support under the National Green Hydrogen Mission is insufficient, pointing to the need for offtake guarantees, carbon pricing, and long-term infrastructure planning. A useful read for anyone tracking hydrogen deployment in emerging markets.