India set to launch green hydrogen mission in 2 months

NEW DELHI: The Centre plans to launch a comprehensive green hydrogen mission in two months to take forward the green hydrogen policy announced in February, officials familiar with the development said.

The mission is expected to announce a green hydrogen purchase obligation in fertilizer production and petroleum refining, akin to renewable purchase obligations (RPO). Noting that the national green hydrogen policy outlined the “preparatory measures”, an official said: “What we will have is a full-fledged national green hydrogen mission; hopefully in two months.”

The mission is also expected to list the sectors that will have to start using green hydrogen on a voluntary basis and a roadmap for sectors such as fertilizer and petrochemicals to use the green fuel mandatorily.

“Green hydrogen/green ammonia shall be defined as hydrogen /ammonia produced by way of electrolysis of water using renewable energy; including renewable energy which has been banked and the hydrogen/ ammonia produced from biomass,” the power ministry said in a notification in February.

The Centre unveiled the green hydrogen policy, promising cheaper renewable power, fee waiver for inter-state power transmission for 25 years for projects commissioned before June 2025, land in renewable energy parks, and mega manufacturing zones to help local industries wean themselves off fossil fuels. The policy, aimed at promoting green hydrogen and green ammonia, also spoke of facilitating the ‘banking’ or storage of green power, where a producer can save surplus renewable power with an electricity distribution firm for up to 30 days. It also envisages building bunkers near ports to store green ammonia for exports.