Beijing: : India today (May 26, 2004) said it is preparing a national hydrogen energy road map to tap hydrogen as a reliable, sustainable, safe and affordable source of energy and welcomed international cooperation to make hydrogen applications a global reality.

In order to effectively coordinate the national efforts on hydrogen and fuel cell and prepare a national hydrogen energy road map, the Government has set up a National Hydrogen Energy Board, Indian Ambassador to China Nalin Surie said in Beijing.

The Board, chaired by Minister for Non-conventional Energy Sources and includes members from the Government, academia, industry and prominent persons from related areas, Surie, also leader of the Indian delegation attending the Steering Committee of the International Partnership on Hydrogen Economy (IPHE), said in a statement.

The national hydrogen energy road map, which would lead to the national hydrogen energy programme, will require a dual strategy - firstly, to provide assistance in framing the necessary policy support and legislation and secondly, to develop the required technology.

The policy and legal framework requires large-scale awareness and understanding of hydrogen as an energy carrier of the future. Further, in order to ensure the acceptability Of hydrogen applications, it would be desirable to involve industry in the development and deployment efforts from the very inception itself, he said.