Deputy CM M. Bhatti Vikramarka and others at a green hydrogen plant in Japan on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: By Arrangement
HYDERABAD
Deputy Chief Minister M. Bhatti Vikramarka has announced plans to set up large scale solar and green hydrogen plants across the State, stating that Telangana would be at the forefront of the energy transition in the country as the it moves towards renewable energy as an alternative to thermal power.
During a visit to the research and development centre of Yamanashi Green Hydrogen Company located 100 km away from Tokyo, Mr. Vikramarka observed the company’s cutting-edge green hydrogen production first hand. He was apprised that Japan’s pioneering Power-to-Gas company, Yamanashi, was playing a key role in developing innovative energy solutions in Japan.
The Deputy Chief Minister interacted with scientists and executives at the centre and learnt about the production processes of green hydrogen, battery energy storage systems and other renewable energy technologies. He was accompanied by Special Chief Secretary (Finance) K. Ramakrishna Rao, Secretary (Energy) Ronald Rose and Chairman and Managing Director of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd N. Balaram and others.
According to the officials accompanying the Deputy Chief Minister, Yamanashi’s technology leverages solar energy to electrolyse water, splitting it into hydrogen and oxygen. The resulting hydrogen is then used as fuel in racing cars, for fuel cells in supermarkets and to provide heat for industrial boilers, as explained by Chief Engineer of Yamanaishi, Kunigi. Since solar energy powers the entire process, the end product is referred to as “Green Hydrogen”.
Mr. Vikramarka instructed the authorities concerned, who were accompanying him, to call for immediate preparations to establish similar Green Hydrogen plants in Telangana. He stated that ample water resources in the State and ideal locations for solar plants make it a prime candidate for green hydrogen production.
He expressed hope that Telangana would emerge as the leading hub for green hydrogen in the country and instructed his team to draft proposals promptly. The green hydrogen produced in Telangana could be supplied to fertilizer companies, State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) and other industries, significantly boosting eco-friendly initiatives, he suggested.
Later, the Deputy Chief Minister visited the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) unit developed by Yamanashi’s Research and Development wing. The innovative batteries store excess power generated from solar plants during the day. Due to lack of effective storage systems now, surplus solar energy often goes waste.
He noted that the technology would greatly benefit Singareni’s existing 245 MW solar plants as well as the planned expansion of solar capacity by an additional 1,000 MW. During his discussions with Yamanashi officials, he proposed a joint venture to introduce green hydrogen plants and BESS technology in Telangana.
Published – October 02, 2024 04:40 am IST
