New Delhi: Privatisation-bound Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) today said it has tied up with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for an electrolyzer technology for green hydrogen as it looks to achieve net-ze1 emissions by 2040.

BPCL Chairman AK Singh said the oil refining and fuel marketing company plans to scale up indigenous alkaline electrolyzer technology for use in refineries via collaboration with BARC.

An electrolyzer splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity. For green hydrogen, renewable energy is used for electrolysis.

Electrolyzer plants are presently imported and the collaboration is to "scale-up alkaline electrolyzer technology for green hydrogen production", a company statement said.

"This is a first-of-its-kind initiative to support the country's commitment to achieve renewable energy targets and reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

India has set a target to reach net-zero emissions by 2070 and towards that objective it is looking to raise the share of renewables in its energy mix to 50 percent by 2030 from 38 percent currently.

Refineries use large quantities of hydrogen for de-sulfurization to make petrol, diesel, and other chemicals. Currently, hydrogen is made at the refinery using steam reforming of natural gas, but this results in high CO2 emissions.

Therefore, refiners are set ting up with large-scale electrolyzers to produce green hydrogen from water and thereby decarbonize hydrogen production.

Singh said BPCL is fully committed to environment protection and ensuring greener planer.

Source - PTI