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India plans to use energy source from hydrogen by 2010
Friday, 12 December 2003, 20:30 IST
NEW DELIH: India has set 2010 as the target year to bring about use of hydrogen as an energy source to reduce dependence on imported crude oil.
Petroleum Minister Ram Naik Thursday called upon the scientific community "to formulate an action plan so that energy source from hydrogen is used commercially in the country by the year 2010".
Inaugurating a workshop here on hydrogen energy, organised by oil refining and marketing major Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Naik said availability of finances should not be a handicap, as the government would provide all support in this direction.
India has already spent 
100 billion in refineries and is planning further investment of 300 billion to produce cleaner fuels by 2010, Naik said.
He emphasised that a breakthrough in hydrogen would provide freedom from pollution, as hydrogen is a source of clean fuel.
"This would also provide a solution to the heavy import dependence of the country as during 2002-03 India imported 69 percent of its crude oil requirement of 115 million tonnes at a cost of 840 billion," the minister said.
Sumitra Mahajan, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, said most of the developed countries like the US, the EU countries, Japan, Australia and Canada had committed programme to develop hydrogen infrastructure, fuel cell and hybrid vehicle technology.
"In India too a strong hydrogen energy group at the Banaras Hindu University has already worked on storage of hydrogen and also demonstrated its utilisation in motorbikes," she said.
Another group at Chennai is exploring biological production of hydrogen, which could be cost-effective, said Mahajan.
Recently, India joined a global initiative, called by the US, to find solutions to use of hydrogen as a viable alternative to hydrocarbon fuels.
Source: IANS
100 billion in refineries and is planning further investment of 300 billion to produce cleaner fuels by 2010, Naik said.
He emphasised that a breakthrough in hydrogen would provide freedom from pollution, as hydrogen is a source of clean fuel.
"This would also provide a solution to the heavy import dependence of the country as during 2002-03 India imported 69 percent of its crude oil requirement of 115 million tonnes at a cost of 840 billion," the minister said.
Sumitra Mahajan, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, said most of the developed countries like the US, the EU countries, Japan, Australia and Canada had committed programme to develop hydrogen infrastructure, fuel cell and hybrid vehicle technology.
"In India too a strong hydrogen energy group at the Banaras Hindu University has already worked on storage of hydrogen and also demonstrated its utilisation in motorbikes," she said.
Another group at Chennai is exploring biological production of hydrogen, which could be cost-effective, said Mahajan.
Recently, India joined a global initiative, called by the US, to find solutions to use of hydrogen as a viable alternative to hydrocarbon fuels.
Source: IANS