India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission has so far allocated over ₹1,906 crore – which includes ₹1506 crore across three Ministries and other supported projects; and ₹400 crore for R&D purposes.
The R&D scheme guidelines under the National Green Hydrogen Mission are to be finalised by October, while calls for proposals are likely to be issued by November. A National Centre for Hydrogen Safety has also been proposed.
Allotments made across Ministries include ₹455 crore to the Ministry of Steel, till 2029-30; around ₹155 crore to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) till 2025-26, and ₹400 crore to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) also till 2025-26. For other supported projects, the allotment has been ₹400 crore.
According to a report of the Empowered Group of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, accessed by businessline, the themes and structure of the pilot projects are awaited from the Ministry of Steel and MoPSW. The second meeting of the Empowered Group was held earlier this month.
“MoPSW has communicated a fund requirement of ₹2,140 crore for developing common user facilities near three ports, namely Kandla, Paradip, and Tuticorin. (The) MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) will formulate the scheme guidelines as per MoPSW’s requirements,” the report mentioned.
Other actions that are being taken by the MoPSW include upgrading ports for development as hydrogen hubs.
In the case of MoRTH, the Ministry is conducting discussion on route selection in accordance with availability of hydrogen fuelling stations with IOCL; and these are to be conducted by October-end. “First phase of the pilots are to be rolled out by the end of 2023-24 and guidelines are to be formulated as per MoRTH’s requirements,” the report mentioned.
Adoption and implementation of international standards and codes related to hydrogen fuelled vehicles to be concluded by end of 2023, it added.
Earlier this year, the Union Cabinet had approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an allocation of ₹19,744 crore, aimed at procuring 5 million tonne (mt) of green hydrogen annually by 2030. Of this, the Centre has earmarked an outlay of ₹17,490 crore for the SIGHT (Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition) programme.
According to the committee report, bids for 4,50,000 tonnes of green hydrogen capacity have been floated (under SIGHT plans), which include 40,000 tonnes to be produced under the bio-mass route and 4,10,00 tonnes to be produced through tech-agnostic methods. Bidders will be finalised on the least amount of incentives sought and the last date for bid submission is October 31. The finalisation of successful bidders is likely by November.
On the other hand, under the electrolyser method of hydrogen making, bids for 1.5 GW annual capacity have been floated. Bidders are to be finalised on the basis of local value addition and efficiency of the electrolyser.
Mode II and Mode III of the SIGHT programmes will focus on the aggregation model for the supply of green ammonia and for the supply of Green Hydrogen to refineries (that include individual bids for specific plants).
