India inaugurate First Green Hydrogen Plant in Stainless Steel Industry

India’s first green hydrogen plant in the stainless steel sector

India has inaugurated World’s first off-grid Green Hydrogen plant for the stainless steel industry and the World’s first Green Hydrogen plant with rooftop & floating solar on 4th March 2024.

It is first green hydrogen plant in the stainless steel sector, marking a significant milestone towards sustainable industrial development. Green hydrogen, produced using renewable energy, is gaining traction globally as a clean fuel that can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and curb carbon emissions. The new green hydrogen plant is expected to reduce India’s carbon footprint while also boosting cost competitiveness of the steel industry.

What are the Details of India’s First Green Hydrogen Plant in the Stainless Steel Sector?

The first green hydrogen plant in India’s stainless steel industry has been set up by Jindal Stainless Ltd. in collaboration with Hygenco India Pvt Ltd.

Located in Hisar, Haryana, the plant was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Steel and Civil Aviation on 4th March 2024.

The plant is expected to reduce 54,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions over 20 years while reducing carbon emissions by nearly 2700 Metric Tonnes annually.

How Does the Stainless Steel Sector Benefit from Green Hydrogen?

The stainless steel industry is energy intensive and relies heavily on coal and coke. Transitioning to green hydrogen can significantly lower the carbon footprint of steel production.

Use of green hydrogen in steel making also has the potential to reduce production costs in the long run. As renewable energy continues to fall in price, green hydrogen is projected to become cheaper than conventional gray hydrogen. This can make India’s steel industry more cost competitive globally.

Adoption of green hydrogen will also help stainless steel companies improve their sustainability credentials in line with environment standards in export markets.

What is the National Green Hydrogen Mission and its Objectives?

The National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched on 04 January 2023, aims to make India a global hub for green hydrogen production and export.

It targets production of 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen per annum by 2030 to meet domestic demand across sectors and establish export capabilities.

The mission provides incentives for setting up electrolyzer manufacturing capacity and development of renewable energy power required for green hydrogen production.

What is Green Hydrogen and Why is it Important?

Green hydrogen is hydrogen produced using renewable energy sources like solar, wind or hydro power. It is generated by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using a process called electrolysis. Since the production process uses renewable electricity instead of fossil fuels, green hydrogen has zero carbon emissions.

Green hydrogen is important for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from hard-to-decarbonize sectors like heavy industry, long-haul transportation and shipping. It can replace fossil fuels in steel making, fertilizer production, oil refining and transportation sectors. Widespread adoption of green hydrogen will be critical for India to achieve its net zero emission targets by 2070.

Final Thoughts

The inauguration of India’s first green hydrogen plant marks an important milestone in the stainless steel industry’s decarbonization journey. It sets the stage for rapid scaling up of green hydrogen production using the country’s abundant renewable energy resources.

Widespread adoption of hydrogen-based steel manufacturing will be a game changer, both for reducing emissions within India and shaping the global steel industry’s transition towards sustainable production.