India’s Path to a Hydrogen-Powered Future
Authot: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
To reduce emissions, India must prioritize small steps towards decarbonization that yield rapid improvements without excessive capital expenditures. Success will position the country to tackle deeper emissions challenges and pave a path to net zero.On August 12, 2021 India accounts for 6.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. High-cost-driven imports including crude oil, natural gas and coal comprise over 80% of its total energy mix. And liquefied natural gas imports are forecast to triple by 2040. While the government’s policy-backed clean energy ambitions promise to reduce India’s reliance on emissions-intensive sources, achieving them will take time. “India, Indonesia and most ASEAN countries are at the very beginning of the energy transition journey and still rely heavily on thermal power from oil and coal,” Yoshiyuki Hanasawa, Executive Vice President, Chief Regional Officer for Asia Pacific and India at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) wrote in an article, noting that there is a need in the short and medium term to “start the switch from coal to gas–and particularly liquid natural gas.”