Green hydrogen, an environmentally friendly gas, has recently piqued the interest of some of the world’s top firms and governments as they seek to transition to a more sustainable source of energy. Green hydrogen, as one of the cleanest forms of energy on the planet, is one of the ultimate solutions for achieving net-zero emissions. Electrolysis is used to manufacture the gas, which is powered by electricity supplied from renewable sources like as solar and wind. To make enormous amounts of hydrogen via electrolysis, all that is needed is water, a large electrolyser, and power. As the only by-product of this process is oxygen, there are no greenhouse gas emissions, making it an excellent replacement for carbon-emitting fuels. 

At the moment, the country’s entire hydrogen production is based on fossil fuels. By 2050, however, three-quarters of all hydrogen is expected to be green. Since 2017, the US has invested $150 million on hydrogen fuel infrastructure and development per year. Governments in Europe and Asia are also investing more than $2 billion per year in the manufacturing of hydrogen fuel. The government of India isn’t far behind. The Indian government has already begun its green hydrogen journey, as green electricity takes precedence in the global scheme of things. On 15 August 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, flagged the launch of a National Hydrogen Mission and announced his decision to transform India into a global hub for green hydrogen production and export. Very recently as a watershed moment, the Indian government has notified the green hydrogen policywhich is aimed at boosting the domestic production of green hydrogen to 5 million tonnes by 2030 and making India an export hub for the clean fuel.

The new policy offers 25 years of free power transmission for any new renewable energy plants set up to supply power for green hydrogen production before July 2025. The Indian government is also set to provide a single portal for all clearances required for setting up green hydrogen production as well as a facility for producers to bank any surplus renewable energy generated with discoms. As a result, companies and also some start-ups in India have started making the switch. 

1. h2e Power

Paving the way in developing green energy solutions for the world, Pune-based cleantech start-up, and India’s multi-national fuel cell company h2e Power commenced operations at a pilot production facility in Pune to generate electrolysis to produce green hydrogen / e-fuels and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) hybrid power generators.

2. Ohmium International

The renewable energy start-up – Ohmium International, through its Indian subsidiary, has shipped its first unit of electrolyser from India to the United States, as a first step towards establishing India as a global hub for green hydrogen generation. The electrolyser has been manufactured by Ohmium at its Bengaluru plant, India’s first green hydrogen electrolyser Gigafactory.

3. GAIL

State-owned GAIL (India) also has ambitious plans concerning green hydrogen. The PSU plans to build India’s largest green hydrogen plant. The company is testing the mix percentage before it scales it up. 

India’s foray into the field of green hydrogen has been ground-breaking. The sector now has a high cost of production, but because to rising demand, technological advancements, and strong government support, the industry will soon achieve economies of scale, lowering the costs further.  The sector offers great growth and investment opportunities in line with India’s Make in India strategy and net zero emission ambitions. 

If you are a technology company in this sector, you can register on the technology platform Global Technology Interface® (GTI ®) as a tech displayer to showcase and deploy your green hydrogen technologies and browse through the existing opportunities and technologies to explore collaborations. Given the huge opportunity in this sector, the platform can support you with accessing new markets and leveraging opportunities in this sector.