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Electrification is Key to Net-Zero Economy
- Achieving a net-zero economy requires massive electrification of end uses of energy.
- Fossil fuels are used not just for power but also to provide heat and molecular inputs in industries:
- Carbon (from coal) for reducing iron ore in steel production.
- Hydrogen (from natural gas) for ammonia used in fertilizers.
- In a net-zero future, hydrogen must replace fossil-derived feedstocks, and electricity must power end uses.
Sharp Rise in Power Demand Expected
- India will face a steep increase in electricity demand to decarbonize its economy.
- Solar, wind, hydro alone are insufficient—nuclear power must be a key component.
- The Indian government has set a target of 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047.
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Expansion of Nuclear Capacity
- NPCIL’s PHWR programme:
- Currently operational: 700 MW reactors in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- Upcoming projects in Haryana and others from a fleet of 20 new reactors.
- Introduction of Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) for captive use (220 MW).
- India has domestic manufacturing capability for all PHWR components.
Low-Carbon Electricity Mix and Grid Balancing Challenges
- Low-carbon sources (nuclear, solar, wind, hydro) will dominate India’s future energy mix.
- Nuclear = base load, solar/wind = intermittent, leading to balancing challenges.
- Presently, coal plants are flexed to manage variability—reduces emissions when solar/wind dominate.
Flexing Nuclear Is Technically and Economically Inefficient
- Flexing nuclear plants is costly and technically challenging:
- High capital cost makes part-load operation uneconomical.
- Load-following nuclear tech is under development, not yet scalable.
Hydrogen as a Demand-Shaping and Industrial Solution
- Use electrolysers to produce hydrogen during times of electricity surplus.
- Hydrogen is not reconverted to power but used directly in industry (steel, fertilizer, etc.).
- This approach:
- Avoids flexing base load plants.
- Reduces dependence on expensive electricity storage.
- Improves system economics using existing, mature technologies.
Redefining Green Hydrogen: Include Nuclear as Low-Carbon Source
- Current definition: Green hydrogen = electrolysis using solar/wind.
- Proposal: Shift to low-carbon hydrogen taxonomy based on emissions threshold (e.g., ≤2 kg CO₂/kg H₂).
- Nuclear hydrogen has comparable life-cycle emissions to renewables.
- Enables nuclear inclusion in India’s hydrogen strategy.
Synergy Between Hydrogen and Energy Storage
- Hydrogen production and battery storage should be integrated, not siloed.
- Case studies show combined systems are more cost-effective than isolated ones.
Policy Recommendations
- Redefine “green hydrogen” to “low-carbon hydrogen” to include nuclear-based hydrogen.
- Integrate hydrogen production with electricity storage in policy and planning for economic efficiency and grid resilience.
