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Q60 (IAS/2023) Science & Technology › New Materials, Energy & Environment-linked Tech › Hydrogen energy technologies Official Key

With reference to green hydrogen, consider the following statements : 1. It can be used directly as a fuel for internal combustion. 2. It can be blended with natural gas and used as fuel for heat or power generation. 3. It can be used in the hydrogen fuel cell to run vehicles. How many of the above statements are correct?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 3 (All three). Green hydrogen, produced through water electrolysis using renewable energy, is a versatile energy carrier with diverse applications as explained below:

  • Statement 1 is correct: Hydrogen can be used directly in Internal Combustion Engines (H2-ICE). Unlike fuel cells, H2-ICEs burn hydrogen in a manner similar to gasoline or diesel, producing near-zero carbon emissions, making it a viable solution for heavy-duty transport.
  • Statement 2 is correct: Hydrogen blending with natural gas is a proven technology. This mixture can be transported through existing pipeline infrastructure to be used for heating or in gas turbines for power generation, effectively reducing the carbon footprint of natural gas consumption.
  • Statement 3 is correct: In Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), hydrogen undergoes an electrochemical reaction with oxygen to produce electricity, which powers an electric motor. This is a highly efficient, zero-emission application for decarbonizing the transport sector.

Since all three statements accurately describe the functional applications of green hydrogen, Option 3 is the correct choice.

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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. With reference to green hydrogen, consider the following statements : 1. It can be used directly as a fuel for internal combustion. 2. …
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 3.3/10 · 6.7/10
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This is a classic 'Applied Science' question. While standard books (Shankar/NCERT) define Green Hydrogen and Fuel Cells (Statement 3), the specific applications (ICE and Blending) require awareness of pilot projects like Delhi's H-CNG buses. The strategy is to map every new energy source to its potential end-uses: Power, Transport (ICE vs EV), and Industrial Feedstock.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Can green hydrogen be used directly as a fuel in internal combustion engines?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Hydrogen engines burn hydrogen in an internal combustion engine, in just the same way gasoline is used in an engine."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states that hydrogen engines burn hydrogen in an internal combustion engine, analogous to gasoline.
  • Says hydrogen internal combustion engines are nearly identical to traditional spark-ignition engines, supporting direct use of hydrogen as fuel.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"From this work it appears that hydrogen can be satisfactorily used as a fuel for internal combustion engine."
Why this source?
  • Summarizes historical and recent investigations concluding hydrogen can be used as a vehicle fuel.
  • Directly concludes that "hydrogen can be satisfactorily used as a fuel for internal combustion engine."
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"hydrogen can be satisfactorily used as a fuel for internal combustion engines (hence transportation) with reasonable development work. However, the problems of distribut-ing the hydrogen and carrying it on board the vehicle have not been satisfactorily solved."
Why this source?
  • Affirms hydrogen can be used for internal combustion engines but adds important caveats about practical challenges.
  • Specifically notes distribution and on-board storage (high-pressure gas or cryogenic liquid) are major technical, economic, and safety obstacles to direct use.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 22: Renewable Energy > Types Of Hydrogen Based On Extraction Methods > p. 298
Strength: 4/5
“zz,to,z, Types Of Hydrogen Based On Extraction Methods Depending on the nature of its extraction, hydrogen is categorized into three categories, namely, grey, blue and green. • Grey Hydrogen: it is produced via coal or lignite gasification {black orbrown}, or via a process called steam methane reformation (SMR) of natural gas or methane (grey). These tend to be mostly carbon-intensive processes. • Blue Hydrogen: It is produced via natural gas or coal gasification combined with carbon capture. storage (CCS) or carbon capture use (CCU) technologies to reduce carbon emissions. . Green Hydrogen: It is produced using electrolysis of water with electricity generated by renewable energy.”
Why relevant

Defines green hydrogen as a form of hydrogen produced by electrolysis from renewables, establishing the fuel type under discussion.

How to extend

A student can combine this with basic chemistry/engineering knowledge about hydrogen (a gaseous fuel) to ask whether gaseous fuels can be fed to engines.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 22: Renewable Energy > Fuel cells for automobile transport > p. 296
Strength: 5/5
“0 Compared to vehicles powered by the internal combustion engine, fuel-cell-powered vehicles have very high energy conversion efficiency, and near-zero pollution, CO extsubscript{2} and water vapor being the only emissions. Fuel-cell-powered EV's (electric vehicles) score over battery-operated EV's in terms of increased efficiency and easier and faster refueling. In India, diesel-run buses are a major means of transport and these emit significant quantities of SPM and SOz. Thus, fuel-cell-powered buses and electric vehicles could be introduced with relative ease to dramatically reduce urban air pollution and to make a positive impact on urban air quality.”
Why relevant

States that fuel-cell-powered vehicles use hydrogen and are contrasted with internal combustion engines, highlighting an established alternative hydrogen use in transport.

How to extend

A student could use this to differentiate fuel-cell use (electrochemical conversion) from direct combustion and investigate whether hydrogen is typically used in ICEs or fuel cells.

INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Mineral and Energy Resources > Petroleum > p. 59
Strength: 4/5
“Crude petroleum consists of hydrocarbons of liquid and gaseous states varying in chemical composition, colour and specific gravity. It is an essential source of energy for all internal combustion engines in automobiles, railways and aircraft. Its numerous by-products are processed in petrochemical industries, such as fertiliser, synthetic rubber, synthetic fibre, medicines, vaseline, lubricants, wax, soap and cosmetics.”
Why relevant

Explains that internal combustion engines in vehicles run on petroleum hydrocarbons, indicating conventional ICE fuel characteristics.

How to extend

A student can compare hydrocarbon fuel properties with hydrogen (using basic external facts) to assess compatibility or required modifications for ICE use.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > Control measuresi > p. 69
Strength: 4/5
“9. multipoint fuel injection engine). • ii. Catalytic converter filters in the vehicles can convert nitrogen oxide to nitrogen and reduce the potential hazards of NOx. • iii. use of good quality automobile fuels • iv. use of lead free petrol. • v. Use of compressed natural gas (CNG).”
Why relevant

Lists compressed natural gas (CNG) as an example of an alternative gaseous fuel used in internal combustion engines.

How to extend

A student can use the CNG example plus knowledge that hydrogen is also a gas to explore whether ICEs can be adapted to run on gaseous fuels like hydrogen (e.g., fueling, storage, injection).

Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 21: Sustainable Development and Climate Change > National Hydrogen Energy Mission (NHM) - announced in Union Budget 2021-22 > p. 605
Strength: 3/5
“This mission will draw a roadmap for using Green Hydrogen as an energy source. It will focus on generation of hydrogen from green power resources. This Green Hydrogen Mission is crucial to decarbonise heavy industries and clean electric mobility. Hydrogen from renewable power is technically viable and it is vital for regional and national energy security. Green hydrogen energy is essential for India to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions.”
Why relevant

States the Green Hydrogen Mission aims to use green hydrogen as an energy source to decarbonise heavy industries and mobility, implying practical transport applications are a policy goal.

How to extend

A student could use this to justify investigating practical transport deployment paths (fuel cells vs direct combustion) and look for technical/regulatory reasons favoring one route.

Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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With reference to 'fuel cells' in which hydrogen-rich fuel and oxygen are used to generate electricity, consider the following statements : 1. If pure hydrogen is used as a fuel, the fuel cell emits heat and water as by-products. 2. Fuel cells can be used for powering buildings and not for small devices like laptop computers. 3. Fuel cells produce electricity in the form of Alternating Current (AC). Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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With reference to 'Direct Air Capture', an emerging technology, which of the following statements is/are correct? I. It can be used as a way of carbon sequestration. II. It can be a valuable approach for plastic production and in food processing. III. In aviation, it can be a source of carbon for combining with hydrogen to create synthetic low-carbon fuel. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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Biomass gasification is considered to be one of the sustainable solutions to the power crisis in India. In this context, which of the following statement is/are correct? 1. Coconut shells, groundnut shells and rice husk can be used in biomass gasification. 2. The combustible gases generated from biomass gasification consist of hydrogen and carbon dioxide only. 3. The combustible gases generated from biomass gasification can be used for direct heat generation but not in internal combustion engines. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: