India’s Union Cabinet approved a National Green Hydrogen Mission on Jan. 4 that seeks to spend $2.4 billion to produce at least 5 million mt/y of green hydrogen by 2030 with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of 125 GW. The 5 million mt/y would be used to replace the estimated 5 million mt/y that is currently being used in India, with some 99% of usage currently estimated to be going for petroleum refining and the manufacture of ammonia for fertilizers.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) said on Jan. 13 that the overarching objective of the mission is to make India the global hub for production, usage, and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives. The MNRE report said global demand of over 100 million mt of green hydrogen and its derivatives is expected by 2030 and that India is aiming for about 10% of the global market, i.e. able to export 10 million mt/y of green hydrogen/ammonia.
The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers is to encourage adoption of indigenous green ammonia-based fertilizers for progressively replacing imports of fertilizers and fossil fuel-based feedstocks used to produce fertilizers.
India is seeking to replace all ammonia-based fertilizer imports with domestically produced green products by 2034-35. MNRE’s report said in the year 2020-21, India imported 10 million mt of urea, 5 million mt of DAP, and 3 million mt of ammonia. According to the timeline submitted by MNRE, the government would go out for bids and award contracts for the construction of new plants in the 2023-2024 period, with construction to start in 2024-2025. The government would be looking for two green urea plants and two green DAP plants.
India wants the Shipping Corp. of India to retrofit at least two ships to run on green hydrogen or derived fuels by 2027. Green ammonia bunkers and refueling facilities are to be set up at least at one port by 2025 and all major ports by 2035.