12-14 September, 2011, Lucknow - Earth Science India

National Conference on Science of Climate Change and Earth’s Sustainability: Issues and Challenges ‘A Scientist-People Partnership’
12-14 September, 2011, Lucknow
HYDROGEN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY AND
CHALLENGES
Y.K. Vijay
University of Rajasthan, Jaipur
India has drawn a national hydrogen energy road map which has been approved
by national hydrogen board in 2006. Road map visualizes commercial production of
one million hydrogen fuel vehicles (mostly 2 and 3 wheelers) and establishment of 1000
MW aggregate hydrogen based power generation capacity. Required investment has
been suggested for infrastructure development by hydrogen economy programmed. We
have experienced that when technologically complex programmers with huge
investment has to be realized in a time bound manner, it is necessary to identified
number of milestones and real time corrective mechanisms to keep the programmed.
Similarly, a large number of private, public sector and academic institutions are
working on the development of fuel cells in which hydrogen and oxygen combine to
produce electricity and water. IOC R&D has introduced hydrogen-CNG blend as fuel in
vehicles, created a hydrogen dispensing station and hydrogen fueling station. From the
analysis of this experience, we can see that we are yet to reach to common man.
Meanwhile, there has been some progress in developing large scale production of
hydrogen through gasification of coal and biomass, thermo-chemical splitting of water
and solar assisted hydrogen production.
In India, R& D efforts are in progress with support from the MNRE Govt. of
India, and many institutions like BHU has developed hydrogen motorcycles by
converting existing petrol driven motorcycles to operate with hydrogen, IIT Delhi has
worked on developing 2.5 KVA output alternator by coupling a 5hp engine using
hydrogen as the fuel. Similarly, a large number of private, public sector and academic
institutions are working on the development of fuel cells in which hydrogen and oxygen
combine to produce electricity and water. IOC R&D has introduced hydrogen-CNG
blend as fuel in vehicles, created.
In the University of Rajasthan, considerable efforts have been made to teach
different aspects of Hydrogen production, storage, purification and ecological aspects at
research level and PG teaching level. The talk will cover the innovative methods of
hydrogen production through multi electrodes cell as conceptual on-board fuel
production for vehicles, purification by polymer membranes and hydrogen storage in
thin films and bulk metal hydrides as safe storage.
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