Adoption & cost economics of Green Hydrogen in the Textile Industry

19 September 2022, Mumbai:

Fossil fuel-based conventional chemical processes cannot be sustained. Green reactions are easier to utilize, stable under ambient circumstances, more efficient fewer stages, fewer materials, and less waste, and environmentally benign (non-hazardous solvents and less hazardous waste. Twelve criteria are used to evaluate them, with the quantity of trash produced ranking highest.

The textile sector is regarded as the one that harms the environment the most globally. Unfortunately, very few textile industries have understood the maths of apprehending those energy-intensive tactics to make valuable energy-saving expenses.

Many actions have recently been taken to make textile processes more environmentally friendly. These include using greener fiber, dyes, and auxiliaries, greener solvents, eco-friendly, optimal, and efficient processing, bioprocessing, recycling textiles, water, and chemicals, and avoiding the use of dangerous chemicals.

Green chemistry

Green hydrogen as a concept is hydrogen produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen more necessarily using renewable electricity. Due to the significance of chemistry in the modern world and the potential effects, it might have on the environment, green chemistry examines pollution prevention on a molecular level. The green chemistry program encourages the development of more eco-friendly chemical processes that lessen or perhaps completely stop the production of harmful materials. Although there is rising awareness of the negative consequences of pollution in emerging nations, a technique in the chemical sector has to be developed further to support the ongoing development of environmentally friendly goods.

Promising Future for Green Hydrogen

With several industrial applications, hydrogen has become a rapidly growing industry worldwide. Green hydrogen is shown as a light in the tunnel expected to play a pivotal role in the drive to achieve decarbonization, especially in heavy industries. Companies from all across the world are now investigating green hydrogen.

One of the cleanest sources of energy on the planet is green hydrogen. It is considered to be the best way to attain net zero emissions. Water, a sizable electrolyzer, and power are all required to make hydrogen through the electrolysis process. The water is subsequently separated into its two constituents, hydrogen and oxygen, by the electric current. Since the sole byproduct of this process is oxygen, there will be no discharge of greenhouse gases. Furthermore, the process is entirely emission-free if the power is generated from renewable resources.

Nurturing Green Hydrogen

India's hydrogen consumption was estimated by TERI to be 6 million Tons (MT) annually in 2020. 2 However, research has indicated a considerable potential for development in this field. The price of hydrogen is anticipated to decrease by 50% by 2030. 3 By 2050, there will be a 5-fold increase in hydrogen consumption, reaching 28 MT, with 80 percent of that demand anticipated to be environmentally friendly. 4 A lot of Indian businesses have already begun advertising their intentions to dabble in the green energy market.

Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL), India's largest oil and gas corporation, has revealed its aspirations to go green. The business has disclosed its goals to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2035. To construct a 5000-acre green energy complex in Jamnagar, Gujarat, RIL aims to invest INR 600 billion. 5 A green hydrogen electrolyzer plant will be housed in the facility.

India's date with Green Hydrogen

In India, the use of unconventional technology is widespread. The Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) GAIL (India) has announced a tender to buy an electrolyzer. One of the most extensive facilities revealed thus far, a 10 MW facility, is being finalized, and locations are being considered. 6 GAIL has advanced and has even begun experimenting with blending hydrogen with natural gas in one of the cities.

Similarly, NTPC has also expressed interest in commercially producing green hydrogen. They have declared a 5 MW7 plant and stated their intention to accomplish the same from their 4.75 GW park in the Rann of Kutch. The firm is now operating a pilot in its Vindhyanchal division.

The road ahead for renewable energy

Post-Russian invasion of Ukraine the spotlight is shifted to the twin benefits of renewable energy: which helps reduce emissions and provides energy security. India has taken a ground-breaking approach to the green hydrogen industry. Ohmium International has sent its first-ever electrolyzer unit to the United States, establishing India as an important center for the production of green hydrogen. India's first green hydrogen electrolyzer Gigafactory, Ohmium's Bengaluru plant, where the electrolyzer was made.

The textile sector continues to have a high cost of manufacturing V/s Chinas of the world. Considering, the rising demand, improved technology, and strong government backing by way of PM Mitra, PLI for textile schemes, etc., hopefully, it will soon achieve economies of scale that will lower costs. The textile industry offers enormous potential for development and investment in accordance with India's Make in India strategy and its net zero emission ambitions.

The article has dug in to figure out how textile companies be energy-efficient using per unit of output at manufacturing plants perking up profitability using renewable inputs such as solar, hydroelectric, landfill gas (LFG), and geothermal besides discovering green hydrogen usage. This is to be borne in mind that the initiative earns carbon credit thus making such projects economically viable from standpoint of green funding too.

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