Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) has commenced India’s first-of-it’s-kind project of mixing hydrogen into natural gas system at Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
- The hydrogen blended natural gas will be supplied to Avantika Gas Limited, one of GAIL’s Joint Venture (JV) Company with HPCL, operating in Indore.
- In line with the National Hydrogen Mission, GAIL has started hydrogen blending as a pilot project to establish the techno-commercial feasibility of blending hydrogen in City Gas Distribution (CGD) network.
- This project marks the stepping stone of India’s journey towards hydrogen based and carbon neutral future.
Transporting gaseous hydrogen
- Gaseous hydrogen can be transported through pipelines much the way natural gas is today.
- Transporting gaseous hydrogen via existing pipelines is a low-cost option for delivering large volumes of hydrogen.
- Hydrogen increases the reactivity of natural gas fuels, showing increased flame velocity, flame temperatures, different autoigniton behavior, and a wider range of flammability.
- The Government of India is planning to blend 15 per cent green hydrogen with piped natural gas (PNG) for domestic, commercial and industrial consumption.
Benefits of Hydrogen Energy
- Hydrogen is a flexible energy carrier and can be used for many energy applications like integration of renewables and transportation.
- It is produced using RE and electrolysis to split water and is distinct from grey hydrogen, which is produced from methane and releases greenhouse gases.
- Energy can be extracted from hydrogen through combustion or through fuel cells, which emit only water as a by-product.
Disadvantages
- On the pipeline front, hydrogen embrittlement can weaken metal or polyethylene pipes and increase leakage risks, particularly in high-pressure pipes.
- Hydrogen embrittlement is a situation when the metal (pipeline) becomes brittle due to diffusion of hydrogen into the material.
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