NTPC on Tuesday signed an agreement with Gujarat Gas (GGL) for blending green hydrogen in Piped Natural Gas (PNG) network of the State government utility at the power producer’s Kawas facility.
Green hydrogen will be produced by using electricity from the existing 1 megawatt (MW) floating solar project of NTPC Kawas. This will be blended with PNG in a predetermined proportion and used for cooking applications in NTPC Kawas Township, Power Ministry said in a statement.
Initially, the percentage of hydrogen blending in the PNG shall be around 5 per cent and after successful completion, it shall be further increased, it added.
NTPC is the premier energy utility in the country with an installed capacity of 69 gigawatt (GW), and a diversified fuel mix. The NTPC group plans to achieve 60 GW of renewable energy in a decade and is executing several pilot projects in the green hydrogen space.
GGL is India’s largest City Gas Distribution (CGD) company and has a presence across 43 districts in 6 States and 1 Union Territory
This hydrogen blending project at NTPC Kawas is a pioneering effort and the first of its kind in the country. This is a step toward the decarbonisation of the cooking sector and self-sufficiency for the energy requirements of the nation.
On August 15, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission. Following which, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) formulated a draft of the mission document.
The draft National Green Hydrogen Mission document proposes a framework inter alia for demand creation, support for indigenous manufacturing, infrastructure development, R&D, pilot projects, and enabling policies and regulations. Green Hydrogen can enable production of a larger quantum of renewable energy in the country and its utilisation in a wider range of sectors.