Exploring the Option of Producing Hydrogen Energy from Renewable Energy Resources

Converting electrical energy obtained from renewable energy sources to produce hydrogen via electrolysis process may contribute to transformation in power sector in several ways like reducing renewable energy curtailment, long-term energy storage, providing grid-balancing services via the electrolyser, using clean hydrogen as fuel in other sectors etc. Further, Government of India on 08.03.2019 declared ‘Large Hydropower projects’ as Renewable Energy source (earlier only hydropower projects less than 25MW were categorized as Renewable Energy). Most of the hydro power plants installed in India may not have pumped hydro storage facility, in this respect it is worthwhile to say that the power from these plants may be utilized for hydrogen production via electrolysis process and thereafter one can store the produced hydrogen for its future use. As per International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA, 2019) report, Innovation landscape brief: Renewable Power-to-Hydrogen, 4% of global hydrogen supply is produced via electrolysis process (and the rest being from fossil fuels).