UP Budget: Focus on green hydrogen, too

Uttar Pradesh allocates ₹25 crore for green hydrogen research under the UP Green Hydrogen Policy, aiming for 1 million metric tonnes by 2028.

Uttar Pradesh has allocated ₹25 crore for research, development and innovation in green hydrogen.

(For representation)

The state budget, tabled by finance minister Suresh Khanna, proposed the funds “for new and renewed energy, research, design and development in renewable energy and establishment of green hydrogen projects and research and development in the state under the UP Green Hydrogen Policy, 2024”.

The Policy has set a per annum target of one million metric tonnes of green hydrogen production by 2028. Produced through the electrolysis of water, the carbon-neutral fuel can be used for purposes like petroleum refinery, manufacturing of ammonia, heavy duty mobility, etc.

The budget also proposed ₹5 crore for organising conferences, workshops and expos on renewable energy.

An environment expert and the head of the geology department at Lucknow University, Prof. Dhruvsen Singh praised the budgetary push to green hydrogen. “Climate change is a major problem. While many of the factors that cause it are beyond our control, anthropogenic forces can be mitigated. Global warming due to emission of greenhouse gases can be controlled through a shift in energy from non-renewable to renewable sources… major push to green energy in any form will help in minimising carbon footprints,” said Singh.

Also, under the science and technology head, the state government has proposed ₹10 crore for development of satellite payload for lightning forecast.