India’s hydrogen cell technology will be the cheapest given the low cost of solar power in the country, said VK Singh, the minister of state for road transport and highways on Friday.
Speaking at the national conference on electric mobility organised by Assocham, Singh said the government is supporting the growth in the manufacturing of several alternative sources of energy.
“Where hydrogen cell is concerned we have been pretty well off…India is gifted because solar prices being what they in India, our hydrogen cell technology will be the cheapest when it comes to the market,” he said.
Hydrogen can be produced from solar energy water electrolysis using solar generated electricity or direct solar water splitting.
The minister also said that in the space of EVs all stakeholders should work together and India has the capability to become the supplier of EVs globally
“We must work on developing the ecosystem, nothing can come up in isolation. We have the capability, the market for e-mobility is taking off globally. The earlier we start realizing our capabilities, the better it is for us. We can become the supplier right at the beginning rather than playing catch-up”, he said.
Singh further said: “The government supports the transition to electric mobility. We need to look at possibilities and in intra-city travel we can concentrate on electric mobility. We need a public transport system that is not only cheaper but is better and attractive enough for people to opt for it. Longer travel on inter-city routes is restrictive right now due to concerns of battery range and availability of charging infrastructure.”
Addressing the event, Tarun Kapoor, advisor to the prime minister said that both India’s energy needs and the transportation will grow. Noting that the transport sector accounts for 30-35% of energy consumption he said that it contributes about 17% to the greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: PTI
