Having set a target to produce 60 per cent of the country’s green hydrogen by 2030, Gujarat is working on launching a “green hydrogen policy” and is simultaneously working on pilot projects for blending hydrogen with Piped Natural Gas (PNG) in the state.

“We have set a target to produce 3 MMPTA (million metric tonne per annum) of green hydrogen by 2030. This adds up to more than half of the 5 MMPTA target set by the country. We are therefore in the final stages of launching a new Green Hydrogen policy,” a state government official on conditions of anonymity told businessline.

“The focus of the new policy will be on electrolyser manufacturing. Here we are trying to ensure that it is not just the big players who take advantage, but even the MSMEs get a fair share,” the official added. The new policy is expected to be made public after the Lok Sabha elections.

The Gujarat government is already working on pilot projects to blend green hydrogen with PNG. Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) is working with Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd (GPCL) for a green hydrogen blending project in North Gujarat.

“GSPC and GPCL are planning to do a green hydrogen project in Patan, where we plan to blend two percent hydrogen with PNG supplied to residential consumers. For this, we will be putting up a 100 MW solar power project. We will be evacuating this power through the discom. We will set up an electrolyser near Sabarmati Gas and give hydrogen to them for blending,” the official said.

Secondly, GSPC is also planning a similar green hydrogen-PNG blending project with NTPC in Surat, while GPCL is in talks with ONGC for a green hydrogen project at Mehsana, official sources said.

According to the Gujarat government, the state will require an estimated ₹20 billion investment by 2030 for setting up just 1 MMPTA of green hydrogen capacity. “We are still studying about the cost and capacities of electrolysers which will be key in these projects,” the official added.

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