Speaking from the historic Red Fort ramparts on the occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a target of attaining self-reliance in energy by 2047.
Thus, he formally announced the commencement of the National Hydrogen Mission that aims to expedite plans to produce carbon-free fuel from renewables.
PM Modi stated that a combination of the gas-based economy and the mixing of ethanol extracted from sugarcane in petrol and electric mobility could help the country achieve self-reliance in energy.
The leader said that currently, India is 85 per cent dependent on imports for meeting out oil necessities, and the nation even spends Rs 12 lakh crore on the same annually.
“For India to progress, for Atmanirbhar Bharat, energy independence is necessary. India has to take a pledge that it will be energy independent by the year we celebrate 100th year of Independence,” PM Modi quoted by The Economic Times.
The Prime Minister mentioned that the country had met its 100 GW of renewable energy target ahead of the set deadline. The enhanced usage of natural gas in the economy should be our aim in the future, he said.
For this, measures such as establishing a network for the delivery of piped natural gas and CNG along with the 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol and diesel are essential.
As of now, hydrogen used in India is derived from fossil fuels, but about three-fourths of it will be produced through renewable electricity and electrolysis by 2050. PM Modi declared that green hydrogen would enable India to take a quantum jump in achieving its targets.