Huddle Global 2024: experts highlight Kerala’s potential as leader in clean energy and green hydrogen

Kerala is finalising its Green Hydrogen Policy which aims to position the State as a hub of green hydrogen production and use, says scientist

Experts at Kerala’s flagship start-up festival, Huddle Global 2024, highlighted the State’s potential to lead the nation in clean energy adoption and achieving net-zero emissions.

They pointed to the State’s vision outlined in the 2022-23 Budget, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

The experts were speaking during tech talks at the conclave, organised by the Kerala Startup Mission, covering topics such as green hydrogen, graphene, and renewable energy.

Sharing his insights on the topic ‘Green Hydrogen - Fuelling the Future with Clean Energy in AI Era,’ K. Premkumar, scientist, Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT), said Kerala is finalising its Green Hydrogen Policy which aims to position the State as a hub of green hydrogen production and use. The draft policy envisages reducing the cost of hydrogen to ₹200/kg by 2030.

“As a carbon-free energy carrier, hydrogen is the only alternative to carbon sources in sectors such as transport, refineries, fertilizer industry, and steel. Thousands of tonnes of hydrogen are being used in Kerala now, but they are all from natural gas conversion,” he noted.

Highlighting that only three or four States have already announced Green Hydrogen Policy, Mr. Premkumar said there will be special incentives for projects commissioned before June 30, 2025, and about ₹50 crore has been earmarked for the first entity that sets up Green Hydrogen Hub in the State.

Observing that high-rise buildings account for 20% of energy consumption, P.V. Unnikrishnan, member secretary, Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC), said the average consumption per year of a high-rise building is 1.5MkWh (million kilowatt hour) . High-rise buildings, he pointed out, can reduce consumption by 30% through energy-efficient designs.

Speaking on ‘Graphene: Unlocking the Future of Technology and Industry,’ Alex James, Dean, External Linkage and Projects, Digital University Kerala, said graphene 2D structures can be integrated into the existing materials like composites, semiconductors and polymers, besides enhancing their properties. Dr. James said China, the U.S.A., and South Korea are the leading players of using graphene, which has many applications in transducer, super capacitors, automotive sensors, semiconductors, and aerospace industry.

Published - November 28, 2024 09:25 pm IST