Hero Future Energies, Ohmium to install 1 GW of green hydrogen capacity

Indian renewable energy developer Hero Future Energies (HFE) and US-based electrolyzer specialist Ohmium have announced a strategic partnership to develop and build 1 GW of green hydrogen production facilities in India, the UK, and Europe.

Ohmium, which manufactures Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology-based electrolyzers, will be responsible for the design, construction, and operations and maintenance of the hydrogen production facilities.

Hero Future Energies, part of the Haryana-based Hero Motors Co bike and scooter manufacturing group, will be the build-operate-own partner, generating renewable energy to power the hydrogen production facilities and assuming overall ownership of the assets.

Commenting on this partnership, Srivatsan Iyer, Global CEO, Hero Future Energies, said Ohmium’s patented electrolyzer technology enables them to design and construct hydrogen production facilities faster and more efficiently than anyone else. “By coupling Ohmium’s hydrogen expertise with HFE’s knowledge and experience as a renewable energy developer, we will meet and perhaps even exceed our ambitious target of 1000 MW,” he added.

Compared to alkaline electrolysis, PEM electrolysis has the advantage of quickly reacting to the fluctuations typical of renewable power generation. Ohmium claims its technology enables the design of compact electrolyzers, with a fast heat-up and cool-down over a short response time.

Arne Ballantine, CEO, Ohmium International, said, “This giga-scale effort between Hero Future Energies and Ohmium is going to advance the global green hydrogen landscape. Hero Future Energies is one of the leaders and innovators in renewable energy, with a proven track record of success. Together we’ll bring safe, secure, and cost-effective green hydrogen energy to not only India but also the world.”

Srivatsan Iyer, Global CEO, Hero Future Energies, added: “This partnership will give a strong push to the development of a robust Green Hydrogen Ecosystem. As countries and businesses strive to achieve their net-zero goals, Green Hydrogen can be a potential game-changer, particularly when it comes to decarbonization in hard-to-abate sectors such as the mobility sector. This is a forward-looking partnership that is perfectly aligned with HFE’s vision as an integrated energy transition solutions provider. It will enable us to expand 

Hero Future Energies’ current RE portfolio includes 1.7 GW of commissioned wind and solar power projects with an additional 1.5 GW under construction or planned. The company has a 2022 growth target of 3.5GW of installed and operating capacity. Alongside traditional renewable projects of solar and wind, HFE looks to deliver futuristic renewable energy projects utilizing new technologies including battery storage and floating solar.

Ohmium International, through its subsidiary in India, manufactures modular interlocking PEM electrolyzers for hydrogen production. The company aims to make India a nucleus for global hydrogen-based green energy solutions with R&D centers in Silicon Valley (USA) and Bengaluru (India). Currently, the India factory has a capacity of producing about 500 MW of electrolysis equipment per annum, which is eventually planned for expansion to 2 GW per annum.