In a bid to make Punjab a front-runner state in green & clean energy production across the country, New and Renewable Energy Sources Minister Mr. Aman Arora on Friday said that Punjab Green Hydrogen Policy drafted by Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), will help to convert the agriculture residues, which is now considered as a liability, into green energy assets.
Presiding over a half-day Open-House Session on the Draft Green Hydrogen Policy for the State of Punjab organized here at CII, Mr. Aman Arora said that the Policy aims to make Punjab a Green Hydrogen/Ammonia producer with a production capacity of 100 Kilo tons per annum by the year 2030, besides, developing innovative manufacturing capacities of producing Hydrogen such as biomass gasification, steam methane reforming, electrolysis of waste water, Hydrogen fuel blending etc.
This initiative will pave a way to explore the technologies for producing green hydrogen from biomass as Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has been making concerted efforts to make the state no.1 in production of clean and green energy. Punjab has been mainly focusing on the production of green hydrogen from biomass, which is an attractive option for the transition to a zero-carbon future as 20 million tons of paddy straw is being generated annually in the State, he added.
Emphasising on the significance of Green Hydrogen and its applications, Chairman PEDA Mr. H.S. Hanspal said that this draft policy is not just a set of goals but a testament to our commitment to a sustainable future for the state. Chief Executive Officer PEDA Dr. Amarpal Singh said that Punjab is committed to be leaders in the country to contribute towards green fuel for the future which will not only bring prosperity but will also ensure the energy security of the country.
He also highlighted the various incentives now being planned to be provided under the Green Hydrogen Policy of the state. Director PEDA Mr. M.P. Singh shared the various initiatives of PEDA which are based on a strategy for utilization of the paddy straw for conversion into useful fuel /energy for meeting the requirements of the State.
Chair of Interdisciplinary Centre for Energy & Research, IISC, Bangalore Prof. Dr. S. Dasappa and Director General National Institute of Bio-Energy, MNRE, GoI Dr. G. Sridhar appreciated the initiatives taken by PEDA in promotion of green and clean energy. Dr. S. Dasappa delivered a presentation on an innovative technology to produce hydrogen from biomass.
Mr. Rohit Kumar from PEDA also gave a presentation on the salient features of Draft Green Hydrogen Policy for the State of Punjab. Representatives from Industries including NLT, HMEL, HPCL, GAIL, Indian Oil, NFL, Vardhman, Sportking, Nahar Group & Industrial associations, consultancy firms, Academic Institutes, Energy Auditors / Managers also participated in the session.