The National Green Hydrogen Mission in India has allocated a total of ₹1,906 crore, with significant amounts distributed across three key Ministries and other supported projects. The allocated funds aim to promote the development and research of green hydrogen technologies and infrastructure in the country.
Specifically, the Ministry of Steel has been allocated ₹455 crore, earmarked for utilization until the fiscal year 2029-30. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) will receive around ₹155 crore, allocated for utilization until 2025-26. Additionally, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is set to receive ₹400 crore, with funding allocated until 2025-26. Furthermore, an additional ₹400 crore has been earmarked for other supported projects under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
To support these initiatives, the National Centre for Hydrogen Safety has been proposed. The research and development (R&D) scheme guidelines for the National Green Hydrogen Mission are expected to be finalized by October, and calls for proposals are anticipated to be issued by November.
The Empowered Group of the National Green Hydrogen Mission is awaiting details regarding the themes and structure of pilot projects from the Ministry of Steel and MoPSW. MoPSW has also communicated a fund requirement of ₹2,140 crore for developing common user facilities near three major ports: Kandla, Paradip, and Tuticorin.
In terms of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), discussions are currently underway to select routes based on the availability of hydrogen refueling stations, in collaboration with IOCL, with plans for these discussions to be completed by the end of October.
The first phase of the pilot projects is scheduled for rollout by the end of 2023-24, and guidelines will be formulated in line with MoRTH’s requirements. Furthermore, the adoption and implementation of international standards and codes related to hydrogen-fueled vehicles are expected to conclude by the end of 2023.
Earlier this year, the Union Cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an allocation of ₹19,744 crore, targeting the annual production of 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030. A significant portion of these funds, ₹17,490 crore, has been allocated for the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) program.
The SIGHT program includes bids for 450,000 tonnes of green hydrogen capacity, covering both bio-mass and tech-agnostic production methods. Bidders will be selected based on the least amount of incentives sought, with bid submission closing on October 31, and finalization of successful bidders expected by November. Additionally, bids for 1.5 GW of annual capacity through the electrolyser method have been initiated.
Modes II and III of the SIGHT programs will focus on aggregation models for the supply of green ammonia and green hydrogen to refineries, including individual bids for specific plants. The National Green Hydrogen Mission represents a significant step toward the development and adoption of green hydrogen technologies in India.
