Indian Oil receives five bids for green hydrogen plant

Indian Oil Corporation (IoCL) has received five bids to establish a 10,000-tonne-per-annum green hydrogen plant at its Panipat refinery in Haryana, marking a significant step in India’s push towards cleaner energy. The plant, set to become the largest of its kind in the country, aims to produce green hydrogen, a climate-friendly alternative fuel for hard-to-abate sectors such as refineries, steel plants, and heavy-duty logistics.

This marks IoCL’s third attempt at tendering for the project, following the cancellation of two earlier tenders due to limited industry interest. The project will be implemented on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis, leveraging IoCL’s position as India’s largest hydrogen consumer. The corporation consumes over 1 million tonnes of hydrogen annually, a significant portion of the country’s total consumption of 5 million tonnes. The green hydrogen produced at the Panipat facility is expected to primarily serve IoCL’s refineries, which currently rely on grey hydrogen for operations such as impurity removal and enhancing the yield of refined products.

The journey to this stage has not been without challenges. IoCL’s initial tender for the project faced criticism from industry participants and was challenged in the Delhi High Court, leading to its cancellation. A second tender garnered interest from only two entities and was also cancelled due to insufficient participation. The third tender, issued in September 2024, initially set a deadline of November 2024 but was extended to January 2025 to accommodate requests from interested companies.

This development aligns with IoCL’s broader commitment to transitioning to sustainable energy solutions and positions the company at the forefront of India’s green hydrogen revolution.