India, US prioritise, support each others' hydrogen missions: US India Strategic and Partnership Forum

Washington: Noting the emergence of India and the US as committed front-runners for the global energy transition, the head of a top India-centric American strategic and business advocacy group said the two countries have made it a priority to support each other’s national hydrogen missions.

As the two largest democracies in the world, the US and India are uniquely positioned to lead the global charge in addressing climate change through innovative clean energy solutions where hydrogen is a key element, US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) said on Tuesday on the occasion of Hydrogen Day.

“The United States and India have emerged as committed front-runners for the global energy transition. Through the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership, we have witnessed increased collaboration pertaining to clean energy supply chains, financing, investments, and research and development,” said Mukesh Aghi, the president and CEO of USISPF. Washington and New Delhi emphasised the hydrogen economy and hydrogen as a critical energy source for global decarbonisation, he said.

“The US and India have made it a priority to support each others' national hydrogen missions. Over time, with increased public-private sector collaboration and reverse trade missions, we will be able to build a strong hydrogen economy in India, with ample employment opportunities,” Aghi said.

Ajay Yadav, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), said the Hydrogen Day celebration was an opportunity to reflect on the inspiring dialogue and innovation showcased at the International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH 2024) in New Delhi, with the US as a partner country.

“This landmark event reaffirmed the commitment to advancing the global green hydrogen ecosystem. Through the National Green Hydrogen Mission, we are taking decisive steps towards a cleaner, greener future—positioning India as a global hub for green hydrogen production and technology. Together, we are accelerating toward our goal of reducing carbon emissions and achieving a sustainable energy transition,” Yadav said.

“Today, in honour of Hydrogen Day, I’m pleased to thank my colleagues for all their dedication and leadership. We still have significant work to do to accelerate research, development, and deployment of clean hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and I look forward to collaboration on concrete actions to meet our goals,” said Dr. Sunita Satyapal, Director, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, US Department of Energy.

In June 2021, the US Department of Energy and India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), along with the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), launched the US-India Hydrogen Task Force under the aegis of the US-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP).

The task force brings together over fifty leading industry players, research institutions, and academia from both countries and aims to accelerate the development and deployment of clean hydrogen technologies, focusing on private sector input to integrate the latest innovations and business models that drive clean energy advancements and accelerate deployment.

“The partnership focuses on facilitating cooperation across industry and research institutions in the US and India, fostering the exchange of knowledge, resources, and technology to unlock the potential of hydrogen as a clean energy solution,” USISPF said.

Last month, MNRE organised the 2nd International Green Hydrogen Conference in Delhi with the US DOE as a key partner – over 8,500 attendees participated, and the Task Force held a round table and panel with both US and Indian hydrogen companies to discuss challenges and opportunities.

Future work includes accelerating collaboration on safety, standards, as well as the Hydrogen Energy Earthshot, to enable USD 1 for 1 kilogram of clean hydrogen within a decade.

National labs through the Renewable Energy Technology Partnership (RETAP) will also play a key role in collaborating on research, development, and analysis to reduce the cost of hydrogen and improve technology performance, USISPF said.