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The Vice Chair of the 23-nation International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE), Dr Noe Van Hulst, has said that the participating countries of IPHE are impressed by India's National Green Hydrogen Mission, its ambitious targets and the policies and regulatory framework being implemented to achieve it, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said on Friday.

Hulst said that if India achieves these targets, it will put the country at the forefront of global hydrogen development.

IPHE meeting is being hosted by India in New Delhi during March 18-22, 2024, organised Stakeholders’ Consultation Day, as part of the Industry Outreach Programme of the Steering Committee Meeting aimed to foster collaboration and dialogue among key stakeholders to advance the development of clean and green hydrogen technologies.

The IPHE meeting is being attended by delegates from advanced countries including France, the European Commission, Japan, Germany, Netherlands, the UAE, the UK, the US, Singapore, South Korea, Austria and Chile.

The Stakeholders’ Consultation Day emphasised the need for the commitment of stakeholders to drive the transition towards sustainable energy solutions through collaboration and innovation.

Addressing the gathering at the inaugural session of the Industry Outreach Programme, Special Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, P. Kumaran, said that Green Hydrogen is emerging globally as a solution for the journey towards Clean Energy transition, as it is well-placed to contribute more effectively than other options, in hard-to-abate sectors, long-term energy storage and mobility.

Given India’s abundant renewable resources and a favourable ecosystem, Green Hydrogen has the potential to drastically alter the structure of the nation’s energy supply chain over the next 20 years, with a substantial positive impact on the economy, he added.

Joint Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy Ajay Yadav listed out the various projects in the Green Hydrogen space in India and informed that a Green Hydrogen ecosystem is gradually developing in all parts of the country.

Chairperson, CII Taskforce on Green Hydrogen and Chairperson, Avaada Group, Shri Vineet Mittal lauded the role of IPHE in promoting the Hydrogen economy. He added that the WTO and the UN need to play a supporting role to facilitate the adoption of Green Hydrogen. He stressed that India needs policy autonomy to pursue the path of decarbonisation.

Various technical panel discussions were also held at the meeting. In a deliberation on safety, panellists were of the consensus view that safety is paramount, considering the unforeseen hazards posed by these new technologies and deliberated on making present and future green hydrogen technologies safe, along with adequate measures during emergencies.

A discussion on International Trade Policies in the clean/Green Hydrogen market, emphasised the importance of collaboration among partnering countries to create trade policies that facilitate the export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives. The session focused on achieving supply-chain resilience for raw materials and implementing best practices through joint efforts.