Mumbai: Hydrogen fuel in India will be available for the transport sector as a major alternative to fossil fuels by 2020, said scientists.

Various laboratories in the country are developing different technologies for the production, storage and transportation of hydrogen.

By 2020, India would be able to use hydrogen as an alternative fuel Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) director S Banerjee said.

BARC scientists are also optimistic that by 2017, they will be ready with design and materials required for a 600 MW high temperature nuclear reactor (thermal) for hydrogen production, while the experimental facility of the much hyped compact high temperature reactor (CHTR) for production of hydrogen and electricity, Banerjee said.

These are in addition to already available hydrogen as by-products from various chemical industries, he said.

Hydrogen is environmentally benign, thereby provide clean energy security to India, Banerjee said.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had recognized the importance of this energy two decades back and the National Hydrogen Energy approved a National Hydrogen Energy Road Map (NHERM).