The Government of India has allocated USD 43.3 million to fuel research and development (R&D) in the green hydrogen sector, with an immediate sanction of USD 13 million for 23 specific projects. This strategic funding boost was announced by Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, underscoring the government’s commitment to building a robust innovation ecosystem alongside industrial capacity.

In a virtual address to the World Hydrogen India conference, Minister Joshi detailed the rapid strides made under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), which was launched in 2023 with an initial outlay of ₹19,744 crore. The mission’s ambitious target of producing 5 million metric tonnes (MMT) of green hydrogen per annum by 2030 is being actively supported on the ground. To date, 19 production projects with a combined capacity of over 4,300 tonnes per annum have already been commissioned, supplying clean fuel to diverse sectors including steel, glass manufacturing, refineries, and transport.

The minister highlighted the practical application of the fuel through several pilot projects. "We are running 5 pilot projects to introduce green hydrogen in the steel sector. In surface transport, 5 pilot projects are deploying 37 hydrogen-fuelled vehicles and 9 refuelling stations across 10 major routes," Joshi stated. These initiatives are crucial for demonstrating technology viability and building operational experience.

A landmark achievement cited was the recent auction under the SIGHT programme for the supply of 724,000 tonnes of green ammonia to the fertiliser industry. "We discovered a price as low as 49.75 rupees per kilogramme. That is approximately 55 US cents per kilogramme. So we offer the most competitive prices discovered anywhere in the world," Joshi remarked. This price point demonstrates that green hydrogen and its derivatives are achieving economic competitiveness far ahead of schedule.

Complementing the production push, incentives for domestic electrolyser manufacturing have also borne fruit, with over 1,100 MW of the allocated 3,000 MW capacity already installed in India. Furthermore, a focus on skilling has led to over 5,800 individuals being certified in various green hydrogen job roles, creating a ready talent pool for the industry.

For integrated engineering and technology organisations like Larsen & Toubro (L&T), this multi-pronged government approach—encompassing R&D, pilot projects, and domestic manufacturing incentives—creates a fertile ground for growth. L&T’s expertise in executing complex energy projects and its foray into electrolyser manufacturing are ideal to leverage these emerging opportunities, from building infrastructure for pilot projects to participating in large-scale production facilities. This comprehensive support framework ensures that India’s green hydrogen journey is moving from vision to implementation with remarkable speed and scale.

Source: 

https://money.rediff.com/news/market/green-hydrogen-r-d-gets-usd-43-mn-boost/34292520250925