Green hydrogen mandates likely for hard-to-decarbonize sectors

A proposal to mandate hard-to-abate sectors such as refineries and fertiliser conmpanies to use green hydrogen as feedstock is soon going to be tabled before the Union cabinet, India’s minister for power and new and renewable energy RK Singh said.

He, however, did not specify the proposed percentage of green hydrogen consumption mandate that are likely to be imposed on hard-to-abate sectors. “Basically, that mandate fixation is in process,” Singh said.

The minister said that in just about 10 months India already has a pipeline of 5.8 million tonnes of green hydrogen and 37 million tonnes of green ammonia production which are either orders that have already been backed or are in the pipeline.

Apart from having an export market, developers of green hydrogen and its derivatives will have a robust domestic market through these mandates, he said. “Why should we import natural gas to make hydrogen? Every kilogram of hydrogen made from natural gas emits 11 kg of carbon dioxide,” Singh said.