As technological innovation continues to reach unprecedented heights, companies have the ability to pursue more and more ambitious projects. Interestingly, even poorer nations are able to invest in renewable energy projects, which they feel will benefit their population. In the latest news, it is Kerala’s Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT) that has captivated people as it calls for bids on pilot projects using biomass to produce green hydrogen.
Back to basics: Breaking down how biomass is used to produce green hydrogen
Whilst the standout detail in India’s upcoming project is its commitment toward reducing fossil fuel emissions, it is still worth analyzing how it hopes to go about doing so. Simply put, biomass produces green hydrogen through thermochemical conversion. In the process, materials like agricultural waste are heated to extremely high temperatures.
The key methods of converting biomass to hydrogen include the following:
- Gasification: A process where biomass is heated with limited oxygen to eventually produce hydrogen.
- Pyrolysis: Where biomass is heated in the total absence of oxygen.
- Biomass electrolysis: Using biomass to reduce the energy required for hydrogen separation.
There are a lot of technical terms that are associated with the procedure, but for the sake of India’s energy project, the focus is on the number of people that the development is meant to serve.
ANERT calls for bids: Assessing India’s commitment toward hydrogen production
A lot has been made about India’s desire to generate hydrogen, but what people are missing is that the Asian nation is on a quest to diversify its entire energy portfolio. The country has the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which lays out the objectives that India has. Despite some of the financial challenges, it is still good to notice that India is playing its part in executing its plans rather than just theoretically laying them out and not following up.
Kerala intends to centralize pilot projects that convert biomass to green hydrogen. Biomass can entail things such as waste and renewable carbon-neutral materials.
An analysis of what exactly ANERT’s bids are calling for
One of the most integral facets of the Kerala agency’s initiative was to lay out the exact criteria for pilot developers clearly. These are what are labelled eligible projects. Under the requirements of eligible projects are things like: they must be sited within Kerala, they must use biomass, and they must be technologically adept, showing Technology Readiness Level 5 and above.
It is impressive to see that the initiative has been carefully and meticulously planned to eliminate randomness from being the driving factor. An appropriate or suitable pilot will effectively establish a foundation for executing the biomass-based hydrogen generation on an even grander scale than the current one.
Money talks: Understanding how ANERT has invested in the project
As seen throughout the years, finances have the ability to either break or make energy projects. Thus, ANERT has demonstrated a desire to financially support the pilots by dedicating a total funding pool of INR 30 crore, inclusive of INR 25 crore from the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council and INR 5 crore from ANERT. The developers who receive the privilege of being selected will be expected to provide consistent progress reports throughout the pilot phase and design and develop a working pilot plant.
India is most certainly the dark horse nation that can have a significant impact on the energy industry in 2026 and in the next 5 years. The Asian country is a clear example that committing to clean energy is something that comes from the heart rather than just finances. The upcoming green hydrogen project takes the hydrogen production level to even greater heights than the other ones in the current landscape.
