Hoshiarpur: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari asserted on Wednesday that hydrogen is the fuel of the future, advocating for Punjab to become an international hub for the production of this green fuel.
During the inauguration and foundation stone laying of 29 national highway projects worth Rs 4,000 crore in Punjab, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways urged farmers not to burn stubble, emphasizing its potential use in producing ethanol, hydrogen, and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for various applications as fuel.
Gadkari highlighted that green hydrogen can be derived from crop residues such as wheat straw, paddy straw, and bagasse, and efforts are underway to ensure that the cost of 1 kg of hydrogen remains below USD 1.
Addressing the gathering, Gadkari stated, “Hydrogen is the fuel of the future. Our country imports energy, and in the coming time, the country should become an energy exporter.”
He revealed that during a recent meeting, he urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to transform the state into an international hub for producing green hydrogen, leveraging its abundance of stubble and biomass resources. Gadkari outlined the versatile applications of hydrogen, including its use in railway engines, airplanes, trucks, buses, and cars.
The Union minister underscored the importance of making farmers in Punjab ‘Urjadaata’ (energy providers) and discouraged the burning of stubble. He mentioned a technology to convert stubble into bitumen and announced a project in Haryana to produce one lakh liters of ethanol and 150 tonnes of bitumen from one lakh tonnes of paddy stubble.
Gadkari also highlighted developments in ethanol-powered vehicles, with companies introducing ethanol-powered bikes and auto-rickshaws. Indian Oil is set to establish 300 ethanol pumps across the country, he added.
Reflecting on the infrastructure priorities of the government since 2014, Gadkari emphasized the essential role of robust infrastructure in the progress of a nation.
