Hydrogen Energy: Bloom Power in the Hydrogen Economy –Challenges & Opportunities | Dr. Sauhard Singh

Bloom Power in Hydrogen Economy: Challenges and Opportunities (Dr. Sauhard Singh)
Key Themes and Summary: Dr. Singh's presentation framed India's hydrogen initiatives within the national ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, emphasizing the integration of advanced technologies, such as those from Bloom Energy, to address challenges in the hydrogen economy. He highlighted the need for hydrogen adoption to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors, particularly in refining and transportation, where IOCL plays a pivotal role.
The talk began with India's rationale for net zero, noting that achieving it by 2070 requires offsetting emissions through strategies such as reforestation (limited scalability), efficiency improvements (e.g., boosting boiler/reactor efficiency from 40% to 60%), biofuel blending, and hydrogen integration. For refiners like IOCL, this involves targeting Scope 1 (direct emissions from refining, 96% of total) and Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased energy, 4%) to reach zero emissions. Dr. Singh clarified the definition of green hydrogen under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE): well-to-gate emissions not exceeding 2 kg CO2 equivalent per kg H2, achievable via electrolysis with renewables or biomass gasification.
A key focus was sulphur reduction in fuels, with Indian refiners investing ₹75,000 crore to lower sulphur from 50 ppm (BS4) to 10 ppm (BS6) using De-Hydro-Desulfurization (DHDD) plants that react hydrogen with sulphur to produce H2S. This underscores hydrogen's critical role in cleaner fuels.
Dr. Singh detailed IOCL's mobility initiatives, blending technologies for practical adoption. These include H2-CNG (HCNG) blending in a Delhi pilot on 50 DTC buses, reducing CO by ~70% and HC by ~25% to meet BS6-equivalent norms on BS4 vehicles. Fuel Cell Electric Bus (FCEB) trials involve 15 buses from Tata Motors, handed over to the Indian Navy and Army, with four operating between Vadodara and the Statue of Unity. H2-ICE retrofitting with Reliance aims to convert 500 trucks, extending vehicle life by 5-10 years and improving fuel economy. Light vehicles like the Toyota Mirai (used by Minister Nitin Gadkari) achieve ~140 km/kg H2, with running costs at ~₹4/km versus ₹10/km for gasoline.
Hydrogen locomotives are in development with Indian Railways, featuring a 1 MW PEM electrolyzer in Haryana.
On costs and production, biomass gasification is the cheapest at ₹130/kg (using ₹10/kg biomass), while IOCL offers refinery-produced hydrogen at ₹385/kg. Safety was addressed: hydrogen is safer than gasoline as it's 14 times lighter and dissipates quickly, per Suncor Energy tests. Dispensing requires high pressure (350-700 bar) and T-20 chillers to manage the reverse Joule-Thomson effect. IOCL is also developing 1-5 kW fuel cell systems for remote power, like telecom towers.
Dr. Singh integrated Bloom Energy's solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) as a "Bloom Power" solution in the hydrogen economy, noting their ability to use hydrogen for data centers and power generation, supporting India's growing economy. Challenges include high costs, infrastructure gaps, and scaling electrolyzers, but opportunities lie in Bloom's gas-compatible tech for transitioning to green hydrogen.
The way forward includes policy pushes like MoPNG's PNG blending with H2 for domestic/industrial use, and state subsidies in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh for green hydrogen production. Emphasis remains on heavy-duty transport and industries like refining, fertilizers, and steel.
Notable Quotes and Insights:
• On net-zero strategies: "Achieving Net Zero means emission offsetting. For a major refiner like IOCL, this means re-forestation, efficiency improvements, biofuels blending, and hydrogen adoption." (Highlighting multifaceted approaches.)
• On green hydrogen: "Only electrolysis (using renewable energy) and biomass gasification meet this standard." (Emphasizing compliant methods.)
• On HCNG benefits: "Reduced CO by ∼70% and HC by ∼25%." (Demonstrating emission reductions.)
• On Mirai efficiency: "Achieves ∼140 km/kg of H2, making the running cost much lower than gasoline cars (e.g., ∼₹4/km vs. ∼₹10/km)." (Cost advantages.)
• On safety: "Hydrogen is safer than gasoline because it is 14 times lighter than air and dissipates quickly." (Addressing misconceptions.)
• On Bloom Energy: "Bloom’s electrolyzer produces green hydrogen from solar and wind... supporting India's data center growth." (Opportunities in integration.)