Indian Army to deploy hydrogen microgrid for off-grid power in the Himalayas

The Indian Army is set to employ a hydrogen microgrid to provide off-grid and self-sufficient power at a base in the Himalayas.

State-owned NTPC has partnered with the Indian army to build a solar-hydrogen microgrid in Chushul, Ladakh.

Designed to operate independently of the grid, solar energy will produce hydrogen, which will be used as an energy storage medium. When combined with batteries, it will supply 200kW of power “round-the-clock” throughout the year.

Set to replace existing diesel gensets at off-grid army locations, NTPC has said it will maintain the microgrid project for 25 years.

The village Chushul is located in the Himalayas bordering China. At an altitude of over 4,000 metres, temperatures can drop to -30^oC during the winter.

Aside from reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the new microgrid has been slated to offer a stable power supply in adverse conditions, while reducing reliance on fuel logistics and enhancing self-sufficiency in remote areas.

Various militaries around the world have been exploring the use of hydrogen for off-grid power applications.

Speaking to H2 View in August, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), said that using hydrogen in overseas defence applications could reduce the military’s exposure to contested logistics while complementing operational output.

Read more: UK MOD: Hydrogen can reduce exposure to contested defence logistics

“Whether it’s in the UK or, importantly, overseas, because every time you use diesel you have to establish a supply chain for that diesel,” Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Richard Griffiths, Project Lead for the MOD’s Strategic Command, told H2 View.

“So, if we can actually make fuel ourselves, we become less dependent on supply chains which can become difficult in times of conflict with the goal to become self-sufficient.”