Government Drives Green Hydrogen Expansion
The mission has awarded 3000 Megawatt (MW) per annum electrolyser manufacturing capacity to 15 companies to build domestic scale for electrolysers and support supply chains. The awards aim to strengthen domestic supply chains and lower import dependence.
It has awarded 0.862 million tonnes per annum (mn t per annum) of green hydrogen production capacity to 18 companies, intended to catalyse commercial production across multiple sites. The capacity award is intended to support early commercial projects.
Demand aggregation led to price discovery by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for 0.724 mn t per annum of green ammonia to be supplied to 13 fertiliser units. Awards were also made for 20,000 t per annum of green hydrogen for supply to Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and for 10,000 t per annum to Numaligarh Refinery Limited, Assam.
The ministry sanctioned five pilot projects for hydrogen use in the steel sector and the V. O. Chidambaranar Port Authority awarded a project to develop a bunkering and refuelling facility for green methanol. Five pilot projects were also sanctioned for deployment of 37 hydrogen-fuelled vehicles with nine hydrogen refuelling stations along 10 routes. Investment commitments have not been disclosed by project developers.
The government outlined measures to expand the city gas distribution network and prioritise domestic gas allocation for compressed natural gas and piped natural gas, including diversion from non-priority sectors, grant of public utility status and expansion of the national gas grid, alongside setting up liquefied natural gas terminals and promotion of bio-CNG under SATAT. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has published a roadmap on hydrogen transportation through pipelines and blending with natural gas.