Lok Sabha Question No. 1212 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-09
Subject: Green Fuels
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Prataprao  Jadhav, Sudheer Gupta, Shrirang Appa Barne, Bidyut Baran Mahato

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1212 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2022

## GREEN FUELS

1212.   SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ǒव£ान और Ĥौƭोिगकȧ

मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  signed  any  joint  research  and development  agreement  with  Denmark  on  green  fuels  including  green hydrogen during the recent science and technology meet between the two countries;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  terms  and  conditions thereto;
- (c) whether the Government also proposes to sign such an agreement with other countries and if so, the details thereof, country-wise;
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  considering  to  give  any  special incentives  to  attract  investments  in  green  research,  technology  and innovation;
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (f) the details of other measures taken/being taken by the Government to promote green fuel in the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY & EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

ǒव£ान और Ĥौƭोिगकȧ तथा पृØवी ǒव£ान मंğालय क े राÏय मंğी ( èवतंğ Ĥभार) ( डॉ. ǔजतɅġ िसंह )

- (a) & (b) Recently the Government has not signed any specific joint research and development agreement with Denmark on green fuels including green hydrogen. However, under the existing India-Denmark Science, Technology and Innovation Agreement signed in 2018, Joint Committee  meeting  held  on  14 th   January  2022  agreed  to  invite  joint research proposals in the area of green fuels including green hydrogen. This call for proposals is aligned to the Green Strategic Partnership Action Plan 2020-2025, as agreed by the two Prime Ministers.

Further,  the  Ministry  of  New  and  Renewable  Energy  had  signed MoUs with Denmark on 06.02.2008, 06.03.2019 and a letter of intent on 06.03.2019 for cooperation in the areas of renewable energy. National Institute of Wind Energy, an autonomous institute under the aegis of this Ministry has also signed a MoU with Denmark Technical University on 17.12.2018 for cooperation in the field of wind energy and wind solar hybrid system.

- (c)  As  on  date  no  such  proposal  is  under  consideration,  however presently 48 Nos. of active bilateral Memorandum of Understanding with foreign countries in various field of green energy viz Solar Energy, Small Hydro  Projects,  Wind  Energy,  Biomass/Bio-energy  etc.  covering  areas like exchange of scientific personnel, exchange of scientific information, transfer of equipment and technology, development of joint research etc. are in existence.
- (d), (e) and (f) The Government of India has taken various initiatives to promote green research, technology and innovation in the country. Gist of  the  initiatives  taken  by  the  Department  of  Science  &  Technology (DST),  Department  of  Biotechnology  (DBT),  Council  of  Scientific  and Industrial  Research  (CSIR),  Ministry  of  New  and  Renewable  Energy (MNRE) and Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) is at Annex-I:

1. The  Department  of  Science  &  Technology  (DST)  has  taken  up development of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in mission mode at national level. DST has supported 30 national research projects under Hydrogen  and  Fuel  Cell  (HFC)  program  to  develop  transformational technologies that reduce the cost of hydrogen production, distribution & Storage,  diversify  the  feedstock  available  for  economic  hydrogen production,  enhance  the  flexibility  of  the  power  grid,  and  reduce emissions through novel uses of low-cost hydrogen.
2. 1.1 Advanced Hydrogen and Fuel Cell (AHFC) programme was launched by DST in 2021, to promote and support activities related to indigenous development of new and existing material in large quantities, catalysts, membrane, components for fuel cells, electrolysers, hydrogen storage materials, materials for type IV cylinders and prototypes for implementation of various applications of hydrogen and fuel cell in the country.  A  total  of  11  projects  have  been  supported  for  funding  with specific  areas  like  Hydrogen  Production,  New  Material  Development, Hydrogen  &  Fuel  Cell,  Hydrogen  Utilization  &  Refuelling,  and  Policy Frameworks & Hydrogen Safety.
2. The Department of Biotechnology is promoting Research, Development & Demonstration projects for the development of Green Fuels  such  as  ethanol,  algae  based  biodiesel,  biogas,  biohydrogen, sustainable aviation biofuels from organic municipal waste, agricultural waste,  vegetable  market  waste  etc.  Biomass  to  advance  biofuel technologies being supported at lab scale and potential leads need to test at pilot scale.
4. 2.1 Under Mission Innovation (MI) program, India was the first country to  set  up  an  International  Incubator,  under  its  Mission  Innovation commitment, to support start-ups ecosystem with clean energy innovations in their lab-to-market journey in partnership with the Indian private  sector.  Working  with  MI  partners,  Clean  Energy  International Incubation Centre (CEIIC), which is a joint initiative of Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of  India  and  Tata  Trusts,  anchored  by  Social  Alpha  (a  non-profit incubation, acceleration and investment platform for startups), and is supported by DBT's Public Sector Undertaking, BIRAC and Tata Power.

- 2.2 Under Mission Innovation 2.0, the Department of Biotechnology is implementing  Zero-emission  shipping  mission.  India,  Denmark,  the United States, Norway, Global Maritime Forum and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller  Center for  Zero Carbon  Shipping  are  taking  the lead on implementing a Zero-Emission Shipping Mission that aims to focus on the  entire  value  chain:  the  ship,  the  fuel  production  and  the  fuel infrastructure.
3. Council  of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  (CSIR)  has  also recently launched two Missions to address the future energy needs and environmental  concerns.  These  are  on  i)  Green  Hydrogen  Mission: Production, Utilization, Storage and Conversion; and ii) Carbon Capture, Conversion, Storage and Utilization Mission.
4. The  Ministry  of  New  and  Renewable  Energy  (MNRE)  supports  a scheme  'Renewable  Energy  Research  and  Technology  Development Programme' to enable indigenous technology development and manufacture for wide spread applications of new and renewable energy in efficient and cost effective manner across the country. The Ministry encourages research and technology development proposals in collaboration with the industry and provides upto 100% financial support to Government/non-profit research organizations and upto 50 to 70%% to Industry, Start-ups & Private Institutes.

## 4. 1 Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has been implementing the following Bioenergy schemes:

- i. Waste to Energy programme: Programme on Energy from Urban, Industrial, Agricultural Wastes/Residues and Municipal Solid Waste.
2. Biogas programme: Biogas based Power Generation (Off-grid) and Thermal energy application Programme (BPGTP)" during 2020-21 (11-06-2020). New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme (NNBOMP)" beyond 31.03.2020 and during the years 2020-21-reg
- ii. (11-06-2020).
- iii. Biomass  Power  Programme:  Scheme  to  Support  Promotion  of Biomass Based Cogeneration in Sugar Mills and Other Industries in The Country
5. 4.2 Ministry of New and Renewable Energy also issues Certificates for availing concessional custom  duty for import of machinery and components  which  are  required  for  initial  setting  up  of  projects  for generation  of  Bio-CNG  and  power  from  non-  conventional  materials

namely agricultural, forestry, agro-industrial, industrial, municipal and urban waste, bio waste or poultry litter and Municipal Solid Waste.

5. The  Ministry  of  Heavy  Industries  formulated  a  Scheme  Faster Adoption  and  Manufacturing  of  (Hybrid  &)  Electric  Vehicles  in  India (FAME India) in 2015 to promote adoption of electric/ hybrid vehicles (xEVs) in the country. At present, Phase-II of FAME India Scheme is being implemented for a period of 5 years w.e.f. 01st April, 2019 with a total budgetary support of Rs. 10,000 crores.
2. 5.1 Further, following steps have been taken by the Government for adoption of electric vehicles in the country:
- i. The  demand  incentive  for  electric  two  wheelers  has  been increased  to  Rs.  15,000/KWh  from  Rs.  10,000/KWh  with  an increase in cap from 20% to 40% of the cost of vehicle from 11 th June, 2021, thus enabling cost of Electric two wheelers at par with that of ICE two wheeler vehicles.
- ii. The  Government  on  12th  May,  2021  approved  a  Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for manufacturing of Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) in the country in order to bring down prices of battery in the country. Drop in battery price will result in cost reduction of electric vehicles.
- iii. Electric Vehicles are covered under Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Automobile and Auto Components, which was approved on 15 th  September 2021 with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 25,938 crore for a period of five years.
- iv. GST on electric vehicles has been reduced from 12% to 5%; GST on  chargers/  charging  stations  for  electric  vehicles  has  been reduced from 18% to 5%.
- v. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) announced that battery-operated vehicles will be given green license plates and be exempted from permit requirements.
- vi. MoRTH issued a notification advising states to waive road tax on EVs, which in turn will help reduce the initial cost of EVs.

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