The Hydrogen Stream: NTPC, Indian Army join hands for round-the-clock power supply using green hydrogen

NTPC has partnered with the Indian Army to establish a solar hydrogen-based microgrid at Chushul, Ladakh, for stable power supply in off-grid Army locations.

NTPC has designed the solar hydrogen-based microgrid system to operate independently, using PV power generation system and hydrogen as an energy storage medium to supply 200kW of power round-the-clock throughout the year. This system will replace existing diesel gensets at off-grid Army locations, providing a sustainable power supply despite harsh winter conditions, where temperatures drop to -30°C at an altitude of 4,400 meters. NTPC will maintain the project for 25 years, aiming to support Indian soldiers stationed in these strategically significant tough terrains and challenging climate.

The solar-hydrogen microgrid is set to replace existing diesel generators currently in use at off-grid Army locations. “These systems offer numerous advantages, including the integration of renewable energy sources, a stable power supply under adverse conditions, reduced carbon emissions, and the promotion of a cleaner and sustainable energy ecosystem as they are highly scalable and suitable for various applications. Moreover, these systems combine the reliability of battery storage with the extended energy storage capability of hydrogen, ensuring a consistent power supply,” stated NTPC.

Additionally, NTPC started a trial run of a hydrogen bus in Leh recently towards achieving its renewable energy targets and carbon neutrality in Ladakh. The company is further setting up a hydrogen fuelling station and solar plant along with five fuel cell buses for operation on intracity routes in Leh.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers are studying a rift running from beneath Lake Superior through parts of Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas to determine how best to access the trapped geologic hydrogen. “To test the viability of hydrogen production in the rift, a test well was drilled in Nebraska five years ago,” said the researchers. “So far, the data is promising. Scientists believe it is possible the geomechanical and biogeochemical conditions in the rift limit the loss and consumption of this naturally generated hydrogen, which could leave trapped hydrogen at an economically meaningful scale in the mid-continent subsurface.” Other subsurface rifts in France, Germany, Russia, and Africa could also produce hydrogen, according to Seunghee Kim, Charles J. Vranek Associate Professor of civil engineering. The university of Nebraska-Lincoln said hydrogen renews underground when water interacts with volcanic rock, unlike oil and gas.

Dutch researchers have developed a measurement method for low-level in-situ (semi)-continuous H2 emissions from industrial installations, using an active AirCore sampler and a GC-PDHID analysis system. “Our emission estimates indicate current loss rates up to 4.2% of the estimated production and storage in these facilities,” said the researchers in “First detection of industrial hydrogen emissions using high precision mobile measurements in ambient air,” which was recently published in Scientific Reports. “This is sufficiently large to urgently flag the need for monitoring and verification of H2 emissions for the purpose of understanding our climate change trajectory in the 21st century.” They applied their methodology, which analyzes the entire hydrogen value chain, at a chemical park in Groningen, the Netherlands, where several hydrogen production and storage facilities are concentrated. The loss is relative to the estimated daily production.

The Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) has announced a new request for ionformation (RFI) for potential clean hydrogen projects. “We are seeking innovative proposals to add to our portfolio that demonstrate excellence in hydrogen production, processing, delivery, storage, and/or end-use,” said in an emailed note the collaborative initiative between the US Department of Energy, private industry, state and local governments, academic institutions, technology partners, and non-profit organizations.

The Italian government has said that the country expects to play a role in shipping hydrogen from outside Europe into the European Union. “We are in a crucial geographical location,” the country’s minister of the environment and energy security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, reportedly said during a recent conference in Venice.

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