Syllabus

GS 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Context: 

Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has launched the Green Hydrogen Certification scheme under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme

The scheme aims to create a robust framework for certifying green hydrogen production. 

The Certification ensures:

• Hydrogen qualifies as truly "green".
• Prevention of greenwashing.
• Global credibility and export-readiness.

The implementation of the certification ensures that India’s green hydrogen will be recognized for its quality and authenticity, enhancing its global appeal and making it suitable for international trade.

The scheme also formalised guidelines for emission offset claims under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), allowing producers to benefit from carbon market mechanisms.

So far, emissions targets under CCTS apply only to sectors like aluminium, chlor-alkali, pulp and paper, and cement, where the potential of green hydrogen is limited. 

While CCTS does not yet include sectors like steel, refineries, and shipping, where there is a use case for switching to green hydrogen, the latest guidelines will provide industry greater clarity on compliance before the ambit of CCTS eventually widens.

Nodal agency: BEE is designated as the nodal agency for implementing and monitoring the certification scheme. It is also responsible for:

• Establishing an offset mechanism for hard-to-abate sectors.
• Enabling these sectors to earn and trade carbon credits under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). 
• The certification process will be conducted by Accredited Carbon Verification (ACV) Agencies listed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). 
• Once India’s carbon market is launched in 2026, the green hydrogen certificates will also become tradable assets within the market.

National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) 

• India launched the (NGHM) in January 2023 to make India the Global Hub for the production, usage, and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.
• Initiated by the Union Cabinet on January 4, 2022, this mission aims to achieve a targeted production capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum of Green Hydrogen by 2030. 
• It aims to make India self-reliant with clean energy, decarbonize the economy, reduce fossil fuel dependence, and lead in Green Hydrogen.
• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is the nodal ministry for the mission.
• Under this initiative, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) introduced the SIGHT Programme – Component II to incentivize green ammonia production.

UPSC Mains practice question

Q. Discuss the significance of the Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme in advancing India’s clean energy transition. How does it complement the objectives of the National Green Hydrogen Mission?