India H2 Alliance Formed With Focus on Hydrogen in the Energy Transition

The India H2 Alliance is focussed on commercialising hydrogen technologies and systems to build net-zero carbon pathways in India.

Global energy and industrial majors have come together to form a new energy transition coalition, the India H2 Alliance (IH2A), focussed on commercialising hydrogen technologies and systems to build net-zero carbon pathways in India. 

IH2A has been established with the objective of building the hydrogen economy and supply chain in India and to help develop blue and green hydrogen production and storage as well as build hydrogen-use industrial clusters and transport use-cases with hydrogen-powered fuel cells. The alliance will focus on industrial clusters, specifically steel, refineries, fertiliser, cement, ports and logistics; as well as heavy-duty transport use cases and the establishment of standards for storage and transport hydrogen in pressurised and liquified form.

The India H2 Alliance will work with the government on five areas – 

(1) develop a National Hydrogen Policy and Roadmap 2021-2030, 

(2) creation of a National H2 Task-force and Mission in a public-private partnership format, 

(3) identify National Large H2 Demonstration-Stage Projects, 

(4) help create a national India H2 Fund and 

(5) create hydrogen-linked capacity covering hydrogen production, storage and distribution, industrial use-cases, transport use-cases and standards.

Commenting on the focus of the India H2 Alliance, Anurag Pandey, R&D Team Lead, Reliance Industries, said, “India needs to identify and execute large-scale hydrogen demonstration projects if it wants to be part of the global supply chain for hydrogen. Beyond R&D pilots, India needs ‘hydrogen-valley’ style national initiatives across a region like a high-traffic industrial freight corridor, with multiple use-cases. Such hydrogen-related systems projects are strategic for India’s energy transition plans, linking closely with renewables and battery-technology. These require multiple industry players to come together and form consortia to implement such projects. IH2A will take the lead on such initiatives.”

The India H2 Alliance will have a panel of hydrogen experts and a IH2A secretariat to support member companies, the alliance is co-led by RIL and Chart Industries. The IH2A Secretariat will be run by consulting firm FTI Consulting. 

Jillian Evanko, CEO and President of Chart Industries and founding member, said, “Proactive industry collaboration with the government is key to creating a hydrogen economy in India. Through India H2 Alliance, we will bring best-in-class hydrogen technology, equipment and know-how to create a hydrogen supply chain in India, and in many cases, “Make in India”. By prioritising national hydrogen demonstration projects, innovations to further reduce the cost of hydrogen will become prominent, locally.”

The Green Hydrogen focus is considered very important for India’s renewable energy plans too, as that will require renewable energy sources to power it. It thus opens up a potential new demand source for quality power, something that the RE ecosystem desperately needs in a power surplus situation currently, with thermal phase outs set to happen very slowly.