Black & Veatch proposes hydrogen as sustainable alternative fuel for transport

Kualalumpur: Here is the text of news released by official news agency Bernama on its website:

Black & Veatch, a global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company has highlighted the use of hydrogen as a sustainable alternative fuel for transport at the Hydrogen India Summit 2023.

Black & Veatch’s Country Manager and Managing Director India, Ruturaj Govilkar proposed that electric vehicles (EVs) and vehicles powered by hydrogen, in particular commercial fleets are an alternate form of transportation that may eventually be more cost-effective, compared to the rising cost of fossil fuels.

With India’s reliance on imported crude oil, opportunities exist to plan for and grow the use of green hydrogen as a zero-emissions fuel source for the country’s transport sector, including commercial fleets and aviation.

Govilkar said the commercial credibility of hydrogen development was absolutely key, particularly around securing viable off-takers for the product.

“There are a few emerging business models that are being studied and developed more closely in India, for domestic consumption and export.

“This includes the use of hydrogen for transport fleets, the use of hydrogen derivatives as an aviation fuel and the production of green ammonia,” added Govilkar in a statement.

India serves as an integral part of Black & Veatch’s innovation network exploring and providing hydrogen and other emerging sustainable solutions for clients globally.

Countries continue to announce new decarbonisation and hydrogen strategies, and India recently approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an initial outlay of Rs.19,744 crore (US$2.3 billion). (US$1=RM4.327)

The Mission aims to make India a global hub for production, utilisation and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives.

Other promising commercial models include the production of green ammonia for export whereby importing countries could substitute ammonia directly for natural gas and use it for critical applications like power generation or the use of ammonia as a fuel for shipping.