India Hosts 41st Steering Committee Meeting of IPHE to Advance Green Hydrogen Agenda

New Delhi: The 41st Steering Committee Meeting of the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE), hosted by India, commenced its formal proceedings on March 19, 2024, in New Delhi. The meeting, scheduled from March 18 to 22, 2024, is being held at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi, with the second and third days reserved for the formal proceedings of the Steering Committee.

The opening day of the Steering Committee saw Dr. Noe Van Hulst, Vice Chair of IPHE, expressing appreciation for India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission and commending the country for extending warm hospitality to IPHE delegates.

Addressing the gathering, Ajay Yadav, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, underscored the importance of utilizing Green Hydrogen to decarbonize the economy and emphasized the necessity for collaborative efforts in this endeavor.

Delegates from Austria, Chile, France, the European Commission, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, UAE, UK, US, Singapore, South Korea, and host country India participated in the meeting. They discussed various issues related to the deployment of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives, focusing on international initiatives such as the Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda, Hydrogen Energy Ministerial, Clean Energy Ministerial, and others. The discussions aimed to explore opportunities for collaboration to achieve IPHE’s goals of transitioning to clean and efficient energy and mobility systems using hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

The committee reviewed the progress made by various working groups (WGs) and task forces (TFs) within IPHE and offered suggestions to strengthen their work further. WGs such as “Regulations, Codes, Standards & Safety (RCSS)” and “Education & Outreach,” along with TFs covering areas like “Hydrogen Skills” and “Hydrogen Trade Rules,” were discussed. Additionally, the role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework in facilitating international trade in hydrogen was highlighted.

The proceedings also included a review of IPHE’s vision and roadmap for work in the short and medium term. The meeting will continue its deliberations on March 20, 2024, focusing on advancing the global agenda for Green Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.