CONTENTS

1. Green Hydrogen
2. Central Plantation Crops Research Institute

Green Hydrogen

Context:

41st Steering Committee of International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy deliberates on deployment of Green Hydrogen and its Derivatives

Relevance:

GS III: Infrastructure

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What is Green hydrogen?
2. What is the National Green Hydrogen Mission?

What is Green hydrogen?

• A colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-toxic and highly combustible gaseous substance, hydrogen is the lightest, simplest and most abundant member of the family of chemical elements in the universe.
• But a colour — green — prefixed to it makes hydrogen the “fuel of the future”.
• The ‘green’ depends on how the electricity is generated to obtain the hydrogen, which does not emit greenhouse gas when burned.
• Green hydrogen is produced through electrolysis using renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind or hydel power.
• Hydrogen can be ‘grey’ and ‘blue’ too.
  • Grey hydrogen is generated through fossil fuels such as coal and gas and currently accounts for 95% of the total production in South Asia.
  • Blue hydrogen, too, is produced using electricity generated by burning fossil fuels but with technologies to prevent the carbon released in the process from entering the atmosphere.

Green Hydrogen Importance

• Hydrogen is being used across the United States, Russia, China, France and Germany. Countries like Japan desire to become a hydrogen economy in future.
• Green hydrogen can in future be used for
  • Electricity and drinking water generation, energy storage, transportation etc. 
  • Green hydrogen can be used to provide water to the crew members in space stations.
  • Energy storage- Compressed hydrogen tanks can store the energy longer and are easier to handle than lithium-ion batteries as they are lighter.
  • Transport and mobility- Hydrogen can be used in heavy transport, aviation and maritime transport.

What is the National Green Hydrogen Mission?

• The intent of the mission is to incentivise the commercial production of green hydrogen and make India a net exporter of the fuel.
•  The mission has laid out a target to develop green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonne) per annum.
• This is alongside adding renewable energy capacity of about 125 GW (gigawatt) in the country.
  • This will entail the decarbonisation of the industrial, mobility and energy sectors; reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and feedstock; developing indigenous manufacturing capabilities; creating employment opportunities; and developing new technologies such as efficient fuel cells.
• By 2030, the Centre hopes its investments will bring in investments worth ₹8 trillion and create over six lakh jobs. Moreover, about 50 MMT per annum of CO2 emissions are expected to be averted by 2030.
• As per its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, India has committed to reduce emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030, from 2005 levels.

Advantages:

• The National Green Hydrogen Mission will make India a leading producer and supplier of Green Hydrogen in the world.
• It would result in attractive investment and business opportunities for the industry.
• Will contribute significantly to India’s efforts for decarbonization and energy independence.
• Will create opportunities for employment and economic development.
• The Mission will drive the development of the Green Hydrogen ecosystem in the country.
•  The targeted production capacity will bring over ₹8 lakh crore in total investments and will result in creation of over 6 lakh clean jobs.
• The Mission will support pilot projects in other hard-to-abate sectors.
•  The Mission will also support R&D projects.

Central Plantation Crops Research Institute

Context:

The Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare recently inaugurated the Krishi Sammelan (Farmer’s Meet), organised by the ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute.

Relevance:

GS III: Agriculture

About Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI):

• Establishment: The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) was originally established by the Government of Madras in 1916 with a focus on coconut research. It was later acquired by the Indian Central Coconut Committee in 1947.
• Incorporation: In 1970, the CPCRI was formally established as one of the agricultural research institutes in the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• Headquarters: The institute is headquartered in Kasaragod, Kerala.

Mandate:

• Initial Mandate: Initially, the institute was tasked with conducting research on coconut, arecanut, cocoa, cashew, oil palm, and spices.
• Expansion and Delinking: Over time, the research on cashew, oil palm, and spices was separated from CPCRI to form individual institutes. In 2023, a new mandate crop, Palmyra Palm, was added to the institute’s research portfolio.
• Research Divisions: The research programmes of the institute are organized under five divisions: Crop Improvement, Crop Production, Crop Protection, Physiology, Biochemistry and Post Harvest Technology, and Social Sciences.
• International Coconut Gene Bank: CPCRI hosts the International Coconut Gene Bank for South Asia, located at Kidu in Karnataka.
• Coordinated Research Project: The institute serves as the headquarters of the All-India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Palms, furthering research efforts in this field