NTPC invites bids from potential partners For Future Green Hydrogen Tenders

NTPC Renewable Energy has recently invited online bids from electrolyser technology providers to help the employer bag the upcoming tenders on green hydrogen. The tender reads further, “This tender intends to select electrolyser technology provider(s) for a period of two years for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) technology of 400 megawatts (MW) and non-PEM technology of 600 MW,”. The NTPC REL has expressed its keenness to enter into an agreement with the selected technology provider(s).

The intention is that the selected technology provider(s) will help NTPC successfully bid in various upcoming tenders related to green hydrogen. Just as the upcoming tenders will be different, in the same way different contract(s) shall be tailored according to the needs and entered into with the selected technology provider(s).

The scope of work will range from design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, packing and forwarding, customs duties, insurance, transportation, storage, installation, testing, commissioning, trial operation to PG test of an electrolyser-based hydrogen generation plant.

According to the criterion laid down by NTPC REL, a bidder should be a manufacturer of a bipolar type water electrolyser plant with manufacturing capacity (owned or leased) for PEM technology /Other Bipolar type water electrolyser plants and having a total annual production capacity of at least 50 MW electrolyser plants at the time of techno-commercial bid submission date.

However, if a bidder doesn’t fulfill the above criteria, he should alternatively be a channel partner of the Qualified Bipolar type Water Electrolyser Manufacturer for Hydrogen Generation System (QEM) meeting the requirements stipulated above.

Besides, the average annual turnover of the successful bidder should not be less than $64 million during the preceding three financial years or, the bidder should submit a letter from their bank, confirming the availability of line of credit for $21 million.

The race to prime themselves for the green hydrogen push has heated up, with private sector players like Reliance and Adani going for partnerships in place, even as other PSU’s have also been exploring options. NTPC, with a target of 60 GW of renewable energy by 2032, has it’s scale to offer to potential partners. A partnership to strengthen its credentials makes sense, as the energy major followed the same strategy with solar too in the beginning.