Hydrogen

Indian steelmakers have begun adopting green hydrogen, but this option should become an even greater priority for the country as metallurgical coal supply risks intensify.

India’s energy transition is not about a single breakthrough but about steady steps across multiple fronts. Ethanol has shown how supportive policy and the right technologies can deliver both farmer security and fuel stability. BioCNG can turn waste into a resource, helping both cities and villages. Hydrogen, though still in its early stages, is slowly laying the foundations of a long-term clean energy system.

EWE says construction has started on its 320 MW hydrogen plant in Germany as it seeks regulatory reforms, while Japan Suiso Energy and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have broken ground on a commercial-scale liquefied hydrogen terminal set to begin operations in 2030.

NTPC has developed a standalone solar microgrid system that uses hydrogen as the storage medium to deliver 200 kW of round-the-clock power year-round. Designed to replace diesel gensets at off-grid Army locations, the system provides a reliable and sustainable power supply even in harsh winter conditions, where temperatures drop to -40°C at an altitude of 4,500 meters. 

The country’s planned steel capacity expansion presents an opportunity to adopt cleaner technologies if supported by the right financing pathways.  

Around 92% of the required investments—about $3.79 trillion—would flow into the energy transition, spanning renewable energy, storage, clean mobility, and green hydrogen.

Green hydrogen is not just an energy alternative, it’s an industrial revolution in motion. For India’s steel industry, it offers a chance to rewrite the script: from being one of the largest emitters to becoming a global model for sustainable growth.

A 2 MW solar park in Wallonia, Belgium, will rely 50 kW of hydrogen-producing solar modules developed by Solhyd, a spin-off from KU Lueven. The installation will be the first demonstration of Solhyd’s technology at a commercially-relevant scale.

Jharkhand’s vast renewable energy potential, combined with its industrial base and critical mineral reserves, positions the state to emerge as a hub for low-carbon manufacturing, ranging from EVs, solar panels and battery energy storage systems (BESS) to green hydrogen production.

As nations move towards low-carbon economies, hydrogen pipelines could become the backbone of industrial decarbonisation, linking production hubs to demand centres with efficiency, safety, and reliability. Building this backbone is not just an engineering task; it is a strategic investment in a cleaner energy future.