48 green hydrogen projects have been announced in India, says top bureaucrat

 As many as 48 projects of green hydrogen / green ammonia have been publicly announced in India, according to Bhupinder Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India. In India, a 'Secretary' is the top bureaucrat of the respective ministry.

“A lot of them are talking about green ammonia, which totals to production of around 3.5 million metric tonnes per annum of green hydrogen. There is a lot of traction from the industry, as far as green hydrogen opportunity is concerned," he said at a press conference on June 28, which was held to announce an international conference on green hydrogen in Delhi between July 5 and 7.

The Secretary said that the government is working with states on development of green hydrogen hubs. Explaining the concept, the Secretary said: “A Green Hydrogen Hub is an area where production and consumption occur in close proximity. If a particular green hydrogen production capacity is purely export-oriented, they would be largely near the ports and this is a call which the private sector is going to take. We are working with the Ministry of Shipping in order to explore setting up of green hydrogen hubs at major ports. Hubs will be selected for infrastructure support from the government based on parameters identified under the policy to be rolled out, but hubs in addition to what the government supports can also come up, based on initiatives by the industry.

International presence

The conference on green hydrogen will have significant internatonal presence. On July 6, will have two plenary lectures, one presenting a Japanese and another an Australian perspective on the role of green hydrogen. The technical sessions for the day would be on Pipeline Infra, and Compatibility; Hydrogen Economy - Logistics and Infrastructure; Codes, Standards and Regulations; Hydrogen Valleys/ Hubs / Clusters; Start-ups in Hydrogen; Hydrogen Strategies and Polices; Green Financing; Strengthening R&D Ecosystem. The day will close with a Panel Discussion on Carbon Emissions associated with Green Hydrogen Production.

The third and final day of the international conference, July 7, will feature a plenary lecture presenting a European perspective and a panel discussion among key industry stakeholders. The conference will conclude with the valedictory session.

Germany considering buying green hydrogen from India

 The Indian government has shared its concerns and suggestions with Germany over the European nation’s $985-million tender to import green hydrogen

BS Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), said the Ministry has taken up the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

“Domestic industry had some reservations with the German tender. We have taken this up with the MEA. Besides, India’s Ambassador to Germany is also following up the issue with the government there. I believe they are considering the suggestions we have made. The industry felt that some of the issues were slightly restrictive. We have pointed it out to Germany and they are looking at it,” he added.

Bhalla was speaking at a press conference organised by the MNRE and industry chambers CII on the upcoming international conference on green hydrogen being organised by India.

In December last year, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action launched the procurement procedure for the import of green hydrogen under the H2Global programme, reports businessline.

The H2Global auction process is the first global bidding procedure for the purchase of hydrogen and its derivatives. It will identify the world’s first market price for green hydrogen and its tradable derivatives.

Green hydrogen tender

In December 2021, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action approved a €900 million (around $985 million) funding instrument entitled H2Global. The idea is to purchase green hydrogen products cheaply on the world market and to sell them to the highest bidder in the EU, the businessline report says.

The rationale is that the exercise will support the global market ramp-up of green hydrogen, while hydrogen exporters gain security for their investment decisions through long-term purchase contracts, and the importers gain access to green derivatives. The large purchase contracts incentivise investment in renewable energy and the production of hydrogen-based ammonia, methanol and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

At present, three tenders for procuring ammonia, methanol and electricity-based SAF are in the evaluation stage under the programme.

The first deliveries of these sustainable hydrogen derivatives to Germany and Europe are expected by end-2024.

In the 2023 federal budget, the German Government plans to provide a further €3.5 billion (around $3.84 billion) for new auction rounds to cover periods up to 2036. 

Govt unveils guidelines for green hydrogen production, electrolyser manufacturing

 The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has announced guidelines under the National Green Hydrogen Mission for manufacturing electrolysers and production of green hydrogen, reports businessline.

Earlier this year, MNRE launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission, for implementing the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme that aims to establish electrolyser manufacturing base and green hydrogen producing facilities.

Under Component 1 of SIGHT, the MNRE has allocated ₹4,440 crore for manufacturing electrolysers for the period FY26 to FY30, while Component 2 deals with an allocation of ₹13,050 crore for producing green hydrogen from FY26 to FY30, the businessline report says.

Overall, under SIGHT, the total financial incentive is ₹17,490 crore and the two components have been launched with the aim of enabling rapid scale-up, technology development and cost reduction.

State-run Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is the implementing agency.

Manufacturing electrolysers

Under Component 1, the government support is offered for manufacturing electrolysers in terms of ₹ per kilowatt (kw) corresponding to the manufacturing capacity.

The base incentive will start at ₹4,440 per kw in the first year, which will gradually decline on an annual basis. The incentives will be provided for five years from the date of commencement of the manufacturing facility.

Also read: The roadmap to green hydrogen remains unclear

Another feature in the scheme is to indigenise the electrolyser value chain. The incentives come attached with a condition for the bidder to demonstrate a certain minimum local value addition (LVA) every year. The minimum LVA for both alkaline and proton exchange membrane/ solid oxide/ Anion exchange membrane electrolysers has been specified.

The capacity targeted in the first tranche under this component is 1,500 megawatts (MW).

Producing green hydrogen

A major portion of the financial incentive has been devoted to establishing a robust domestic green hydrogen manufacturing infrastructure in the country.

The MNRE has identified two modes for producing the sustainable fuel. Under Mode 1, interested parties can bid on the least incentive demanded over a three-year period through a competitive bidding mechanism.

Under Mode 2, the SECI will aggregate demand and then call for bids for procuring green hydrogen and its derivatives at the lowest cost through a competitive bidding system.

Under the scheme, a direct incentive in terms of Rs per kg of green hydrogen production will be provided for 3 years from the date of starting the production facility.

The incentives will be capped at ₹50 per kg in the first year of production and thereafter it will reduce to ₹40 per kg and ₹30 per kg in the second and third year, respectively.

The total capacity targetted is 4.5 lakh tonnes per annum (LTPA), which is divided into two pathways. Under the first pathway, which is technology agnostic, the target is to have a capacity of 4.10 LTPA, while the second pathway is for biomass based production to achieve a capacity of 40,000 tonnes per annum.

The maximum capacity that can be allotted to a bidder is 90,000 tonnes per annum, while the minimum bid capacity is 10,000 tonnes per annum.

Ohmium bags deal with NTPC-REL for supply of 400 MW of PEM electrolysers

 Ohmium International (“Ohmium”), a leading green hydrogen company that designs, manufactures, and deploys advanced Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzers, today announced that its India-based subsidiary has been selected as the PEM electrolyzer partner of NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (REL), the renewable energy subsidiary of NTPC, India’s largest power utility with more than 70 gigawatts (GW) installed generation capacity. The agreement is valid for a period of two years, through to May 2025.

 

This green hydrogen opportunity is the largest-ever PEM electrolyzer deal in India and one of the largest globally. Ohmium’s patented electrolyzers are expected to be deployed in up to 400 megawatts (MW) of projects across a diverse range of industrial and commercial applications, including ammonia, transportation, and power, among others.

 

Ohmium’s technology is expected to help NTPC deploy 5 GW of renewable energy for green hydrogen and ammonia production (forming part of NTPC’s ambitious goal to deliver 60 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2032). The company’s interlocking modular electrolyzers provide a dense and dynamic solution that integrates with renewable energy resources and produces green hydrogen at a very competitive cost.

 

“It is fantastic to partner with NTPC REL as their preferred technology supplier on what is the largest PEM electrolyzer deal in India to date,” said Arne Ballantine, CEO of Ohmium. “I would like to congratulate the organization’s Chairman, Board and CEO for their vision, commitment, and investment in green hydrogen. NTPC has always been the first amongst its peers to adopt innovative clean technologies and the company’s forward-thinking approach will be instrumental in enabling India to deliver on its potential of becoming a green hydrogen powerhouse.”

Ohmium International enables industries to deploy green hydrogen for a sustainable future. The  company’s suite of electrochemical products helps customers achieve their sustainable energy

goals in industrial, transportation, and energy projects. Ohmium is headquartered in the United  States, with manufacturing in India and operations worldwide.

Ohmium manufactures modular interlocking PEM electrolyzers that produce pressurized high purity hydrogen, making it an ideal energy source for hard-to-abate light and heavy industries.  Individual, compact electrolyzers can be easily stacked to significantly reduce installation and  maintenance costs and the standardized design enables rapid scaling from megawatts to  gigawatts. Ohmium’s patented PEM technology features dynamic ramping capabilities, making it  suitable to pair with renewable electricity. For more information, please visit www.ohmium.com 

NTPC Limited is India’s largest power utility with an installed capacity of 72,304 MW (including  JVs), plans to become a 130 GW company by 2032. Established in 1975, NTPC aims to be the  world’s leading power company, energizing India’s growth. NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd is a fully  owned subsidiary of NTPC Limited. NTPC REL currently has a portfolio of 3.6 GW of renewable  energy that is under construction. NTPC Group has set itself an ambitious goal of 60 GW of RE  capacity by 2032. For more information please visit: https://ntpcrel.co.in.

 

 

Ohmium raises $ 250 million from TPG Rise Climate

 Ohmium International (“Ohmium”), which is US -headquartered but whose only production unit is in Bengaluru, India, has announced (May 2, 2023) that it has raised $ 250 million Series C equity from TPG Rise Climate. Ohmium is a leading green hydrogen company that designs, manufactures, and deploys advanced proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer systems.

The funding will be used to support Ohmium’s expansion to 2 GW in annual manufacturing capacity and the deployment of projects for the company’s growing global customer pipeline in key regions including the U.S., Europe, India and the Middle East. The investment will also provide significant capital to scale Ohmium’s business, including accelerating its pioneering research and development programs to reduce the cost of green hydrogen production.

“Green hydrogen is critical to the rapid decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors,” said Ahmad Chatila, Chairman and founding investor of Ohmium and Managing Partner of Fenice Investment Group.“Ohmium is uniquely positioned to be a leading provider of emissions-free hydrogen technology given its customer-focused, modular solution that enables businesses to achieve an extremely competitive levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). We are delighted to partner with experienced clean technology investors like TPG Rise Climate to make large scale green hydrogen production a reality today.”

“Ohmium’s cutting-edge PEM electrolyzer systems are crucial to enabling the green hydrogen industry, satisfying a wide range of commercial applications and delivering superior value in terms of current density, scalability, ramp rate, and safety,” said Ed Beckley, Partner at TPG and senior member of the TPG Rise Climate investing team. “At a time when the market lacks sufficient reliable supply of electrolyzers, we are pleased to lead the company’s latest funding round and partner with the team to scale its delivery capability.”

Both Beckley and Mariana Popa, a Principal at TPG Rise Climate, will join Ohmium’s Board of Directors as part of the transaction.

“Ohmium is experiencing tremendous success in 2023. We are on track to deliver our PEM electrolyzer systems to customers worldwide operating across multiple sectors,” said Arne Ballantine, CEO of Ohmium. “This capital raise is a validation of Ohmium’s strategy and technology leadership and provides our organization with the kind of investment needed to deliver on our ambitious plans for international growth.”

Thermax enters the green hydrogen market in partnership with Fortescue Future Industries

Thermax Limited, a leading energy and environment solutions provider, and Fortescue Future Industries (FFI), an Australia-based green energy and green technology company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore green hydrogen projects – including new manufacturing facilities – in India. 

Under the MoU, Thermax and FFI plan to explore opportunities to jointly develop fully integrated green hydrogen projects for commercial and industrial customers in India, according to a Thermax press release.

In July 2021, Fortescue Future had signed up with JSW Future Energy, for green hydrogen. It is not clear as to whether the Australian company would pursue both partnerships, or the one with JSW is off.

The production of green hydrogen at an industrial scale would be a major step forward in decarbonising hard-to-abate industries in India, such as refineries, fertilisers and steel.

The MoU between Thermax and FFI also contemplates the potential collaboration of the parties in the development of new manufacturing facilities to support green energy projects in India.

The Performance Linked Incentive (PLI scheme), under India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, could be leveraged for setting up any new manufacturing capacity.

In addition to meeting the domestic requirements, electrolysers and subsystems could potentially be used for export internationally.

Fortescue Metals Group’s experience in managing large-scale projects in its iron ore business provides FFI – Fortescue’s green energy arm – with a strong platform to expand into manufacturing projects in green hydrogen.

FFI is in the process of constructing a world-leading Green Energy Manufacturing Centre in Gladstone, Queensland. The first phase of the project involves the construction of an electrolyser manufacturing facility, with a targeted initial output capacity of 2GW per annum.

Thermax will bring its vast experience in EPC and supply chain to the collaboration.

Expressing his thoughts on the collaboration, Ashish Bhandari, MD & CEO, Thermax, said, “The collaboration with Fortescue Future Industries is perfectly timed to leverage the massive potential of the Indian green energy market that presents a multitude of opportunities, backed by favourable policies and incentives. Furthermore, the recent approval of the National Green Hydrogen Mission by India's Union Cabinet, which aims to increase domestic production of green hydrogen to 5 MMT per annum by 2030 and reduce fossil fuel imports by over Rs. 1 lakh crore, is a significant boost. With all these factors working in our favour, we are confident that our association will be successful.”

FFI CEO Mark Hutchinson said, “FFI is on a mission to replace fossil fuels by producing green electrons from renewable energy and then converting these green electrons into green hydrogen. Through the National Green Hydrogen Mission, the Indian Government has shown that it is committed to developing its green hydrogen industry to help the country decarbonise. We are thrilled to be working with Thermax and believe that this MOU with a company of such high standing will help us in our mission to eliminate emissions.”

India's first commercial scale biomass-based green hydrogen breaks ground

On March 3, Aranayak Fuel and Power broke ground on its Rs 50-crore, 1 tonne-per-day, biomass-based green hydrogen plant in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh. The company had signed an MoU with the state government during the recently held ‘global investors’ meet’ in Uttar Pradesh.  

The plant, which aims to begin production of green hydrogen on August 15, will be India’s first commercial-scale biomass-based green hydrogen project, Business Line has reported.  

                                           Prof Preetham Singh lighting the ceremonial fire on the occasion of the                                                     ground-breaking for the biomass-based hydrogen plant

( Business Line had reported in February 2022 that the distinction of being the country’s first large-scale biomass-based hydrogen plant could well go to a 1 TPD plant of Watamo Energies, that was to come up in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. But it is learnt that the project is behind schedule.)  

Aranayak Fuel and Power, a company set up by a group of Uttar Pradesh businessmen, will consume 30 TPD of biomass (wood scrap) and produce hydrogen at a cost of around Rs 700 a kg. Biezel Green Energy, a company set up by Prof Preetham Singh of IIT, BHU, is the technology provider. Prof Singh has developed a ‘thermally accelerated anerobic digestor’ (TAD), which is a reactor that produces hydrogen, methane and bio-coal from biomass.  

Prof Singh told businessline that many companies, notably Hindalco, had come forward to buy the hydrogen; so, selling was not a problem. The process also produces 3.6 TPD of methane and 7.5 TPD of bio-coal as co-products; GAIL will buy the gas. 

Also read: Sugar diversion towards ethanol up 38% as mills rush to improve biofuel supply

He explained that the TAD technology involves a “novel fractionation process”, capable of extracting 30-40 grams of hydrogen, 120 grams of methane and 250 g of bio-coal from a kg of biomass, assuming the gross calorific value of biomass at 7,000 kcal/kg. To put it in another way, the reactor would use 30 kWhr of electricity and 30 kg of biomass to produce 1 kg of fuel-cell grade hydrogen and other co-products. 

Swaraj Green Power and Fuel Ltd, promoted by Ranjeetsinha Hindurao Naik-Nimbalkar, BJP MP from Madha, Maharashtra, is putting up a 3.5 TPD of biomass-based green hydrogen, with Biezel Green’s technology, investing roughly Rs 100 crore. 

Many experts have noted that in agri-residue-rich India, the biomass route is the better than the electrolysis route for producing green hydrogen. At the India Energy Week that was held in Bengaluru earlier this month, Indian Oil Corporation’s Director-R&D, Dr SSV Ramakumar, described the biomass-route as “very, very promising”, that does not suffer from the demerits of electrolysis, such as the requirement of large quantities of pure water.