Govt Launches Rs 100 Cr Initiative For Biomass-Derived Hydrogen Projects: Pralhad Joshi

New Delhi, Nov 12 (KNN) New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday announced a Rs 100 crore Call for Proposals for pilot projects to develop technologies for producing green hydrogen from biomass and waste materials.

The announcement was made during the inauguration of the 3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH 2025) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

The initiative will be implemented through the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) to encourage participation from industries, start-ups, and research institutions. 

The programme aims to support innovation and demonstrate cost-effective methods for green hydrogen production using biomass-based feedstocks.

The announcement is part of the broader National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), launched in 2023 with an outlay of Rs 19,744 crore. 

Under the Mission’s Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme, incentives have been awarded for the production of 8.62 lakh metric tonnes of green hydrogen per year and the domestic manufacturing of 3,000 MW of electrolysers annually. 

India has also achieved the world’s lowest green ammonia price at Rs 49.75 per kg for 7.24 lakh MTPA capacity.

MNRE Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi said the Mission is expected to mobilise more than Rs 8 lakh crore in investments, create around six lakh jobs, and save Rs 1 lakh crore annually in fossil-fuel imports. 

He noted that India’s non-fossil installed capacity has surpassed 250 GW, including 130 GW from solar, over 50 GW from wind, and 17 GW from bio-energy and small hydro sources.

To support early adoption, the government has sanctioned Rs 132 crore for five pilot projects in green steel production, Rs 208 crore for 37 hydrogen-fuelled vehicles and nine refuelling stations, and Rs 35 crore for a hydrogen bunkering and refuelling facility at V.O. Chidambaranar Port.

Joshi said the Mission is fostering employment opportunities by promoting domestic manufacturing, technology development, and skills training. So far, 43 hydrogen-related skill qualifications have been approved and over 6,300 trainees have been certified. 

Frameworks such as the Green Hydrogen Standard (2023) and Certification Scheme (2025) have been introduced to ensure quality and global competitiveness.
Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay K. Sood stated that the Mission is advancing across key pillars—policy, demand creation, research and development, and enabling infrastructure. 

He said India’s cost advantage in producing green hydrogen will strengthen its competitiveness in emerging global markets.

The two-day ICGH 2025 conference brings together policymakers, researchers, industry leaders, and innovators from India and abroad to deliberate on technologies, policy frameworks, and strategies for advancing the green hydrogen sector.

(KNN Bureau)