Transforming Gas Infrastructure for Hydrogen

Repurposing existing gas infrastructure for hydrogen is a crucial step towards a low-carbon future, but it requires careful planning and execution to overcome technical and regulatory challenges.

Here’s the article posted in Wood PLC.

According to the article,

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• Gas Infrastructure Repurposing:
  • Evaluating the feasibility of adapting existing gas infrastructure for hydrogen.
  • Cost-effective approach to leverage established networks.
• Challenges and Opportunities:
  • Identifying obstacles such as material compatibility and safety concerns.
  • Opportunities lie in repurposing pipelines, storage facilities, and distribution networks.

In India, steps have been taken to incorporate hydrogen into our infrastructure through hydrogen blending in City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks, which is a crucial initiative to decarbonize the gas grid and support the transition to a low-carbon economy. Here are some key features of it:

1. Blending Percentages: Several CGD entities in India have started pilot projects to blend hydrogen into their networks:
   • GAIL Limited has successfully blended 2% hydrogen into the CNG network and 5% into the PNG network at Avantika Gas Limited (AGL) City Gas Station in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
   • NTPC Limited has blended up to 8% hydrogen into the PNG network at NTPC Kawas Township, Surat, Gujarat, starting in January 2023.
   • Torrent Gas has started a pilot project in Gorakhpur to blend ~2.5% green hydrogen into their CGD network.
2. Regulatory Support: The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has taken several initiatives to promote hydrogen blending in CGD networks:
   • PNGRB has issued permission to three CGD entities for trial blending projects, with hydrogen injection up to 5% vol in natural gas achieved in low-pressure MDPE networks.
   • PNGRB, in collaboration with the World Bank, has initiated a study to develop pathways for hydrogen transmission in natural gas pipelines and CGD networks.
3. Future Plans: The National Green Hydrogen Mission aims to establish India as a major hub for green hydrogen production, use, and export, with a target of producing 5 MMTPA of green hydrogen by 2030.

These initiatives demonstrate India’s commitment to incorporating hydrogen into its energy mix and leveraging existing gas infrastructure to support the transition to a cleaner and more sustainable future.