India's Solar Energy Corporation (SECI) has launched a call for proposals to establish green hydrogen hubs, aiming to boost the nation’s renewable energy infrastructure by 2025
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued a call for proposals to develop the essential infrastructure required to establish green hydrogen hubs across the country. This initiative forms a crucial part of India’s Green Hydrogen Mission, which seeks to identify and develop regions capable of supporting large-scale production and utilisation of hydrogen as green hydrogen hubs.
A green hydrogen hub is defined as a geographically identified area housing a network of green hydrogen producers and end users, either for domestic consumption or export, supported by robust infrastructure for hydrogen storage, processing, and transportation. These hubs may be situated inland or near ports to facilitate the export of green hydrogen and its derivatives. Potential locations for such hubs include regions with clusters of refineries, fertiliser production plants, and other industries requiring hydrogen in close proximity.
Under SECI’s latest Call for Proposals, at least two green hydrogen hubs, each with a minimum green hydrogen production capacity of 100,000 metric tonnes per annum (mtpa), are expected to be established by the financial year 2025-26. The initiative comes with a budgetary allocation of INR 200 crore until FY 2025-26, aimed solely at supporting the core infrastructure of these hubs.
The financial support under this scheme will cover a range of critical infrastructure components, including storage and transportation facilities for green hydrogen and its derivatives, pipeline networks, re-fuelling stations for hydrogen-powered vehicles, and technologies for hydrogen compression and liquefaction. Additionally, the scheme will fund water treatment facilities, including desalination plants, bunkering facilities at ports with provisions for large vessels, upgrades to shipping infrastructure, expansion of port and jetty facilities for exports, power transmission infrastructure linked to the nearest grid substations, and the establishment of new dedicated substations. The plan also includes land redevelopment and energy storage solutions to manage renewable energy inputs effectively.
This development in India aligns with global efforts to transition towards clean energy. In the United States, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, along with local senators and governors, is set to inaugurate the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) Programme Office. This hub has recently secured up to $925 million in federal funding, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s clean energy shift.
Furthermore, American Airlines has announced plans to integrate hydrogen-powered aircraft into its fleet by 2032. The airline, as a part of the ZeroAvia project, has committed to purchasing 100 hydrogen-electric engines for its regional jets, showcasing the aviation industry's move towards sustainable energy.
In Europe, Marubeni Europower has partnered with Suntory Global Spirits to establish a small-scale hydrogen plant aimed at decarbonising whisky production at Auchentoshan Distillery in Scotland. Public engagement and stakeholder consultations are currently underway, with plans to submit a planning application later this year. The hydrogen production facility is expected to be operational by 2027.
Cepsa, a Spanish multinational oil and gas company, has agreed to sell its Gasib liquefied gas subsidiary in Spain and Portugal to Abastible, a Chilean Empresas Copec subsidiary, to support its energy transition investments. Cepsa's CEO, Maarten Wetselaar, noted that the transaction is part of the company’s strategy to become a leader in sustainable energy, with green hydrogen and biofuels projected to constitute more than half of its activities by 2030.
Additionally, Linde Engineering has signed an agreement with Shell Deutschland to build a 100 MW renewable hydrogen plant at the Rheinland Energy and Chemical Park in Wesseling, Germany. ITM Power will supply the PEM electrolyser stacks for the plant, which is scheduled to commence operations in 2027.