Biomethane : First-of-its kind green hydrogen plant to be built in India
HyGear and GPS Renewables are set to develop state of the art green hydrogen projects in India.
The Dutch hydrogen provider and the Indian bioenergy technology company will convert organic waste and landfill gas into hydrogen making use of GPS Renewables bio-methanation plants, downstream bio CNG installations and HyGear’s on-site steam methane reforming-based Hy.GEN products.
Investment in the field has been prompted by the Indian administration’s pledge to expand green hydrogen production in a bid to phase out fossil fuels and achieve energy self-reliance by 2047. (At the moment, India imports 85% of its oil, 50% of its natural gas and 30% of its coal.)
HyGear CEO Marinus Can Driel emphasized the sustainable nature of the project, stating that the use of organic waste and landfill gas to derive green hydrogen serves to contribute to a global circular economy.
“Steam methane reforming of renewables natural gas represents one of the lowest emissions and cost-effective production pathways available today for hydrogen. We look forward to contributing to India’s decarbonisation goals with a local biogas leader such as GPS Renewables,” he said.
Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen that is produced without any fossil fuel input. Once produced, it can be used as electricity or fuel, possible applications ranging from steel manufacturing and chemical and fertiliser production to food processing and oil refining. Specifically, green hydrogen is produced via electrolysis, in which a water current is split by an electric current to generate hydrogen, oxygen being the only by-product. The nomer ‘green’ is usually tacked on when the electric current in question derives from renewable power sources such as solar or wind energy, denoting the emissions free nature of the hydrogen produced.
The new hydrogen plant will be located at an existing biomethane plant owned by GPS Renewables.
India is well positioned for a scale-up of green hydrogen, with increased demand being expected in key industry sectors such as fertilisers and energy, battery technologies as well as steel and ammonia production.
Currently, green hydrogen in India is mostly derived from fossil fuels, yet by 2050, 80% is supposed to be ‘green’.