New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) The government on Tuesday announced a Rs 100 crore call for proposals for pilot projects to develop innovative technologies for producing green hydrogen from biomass and waste materials.

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

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, said that the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) is accelerating India’s clean energy shift and creating jobs, attracting investments, and positioning India as a global hub for green hydrogen.

Addressing the inaugural session of the 3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH 2025) at Bharat Mandapam, he reaffirmed India’s global leadership in clean-energy transition.

On the occasion, the minister also launched the official logo of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). The new NGHM logo, chosen from more than 2,500 entries nationwide, represents the people’s participation in India’s green journey and the collective spirit and creativity driving the Mission.

The minister said the NGHM, launched in 2023 with an outlay of Rs 19,744 crore, is not only a national programme but a global solution to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors. He observed that the launch of NGHM marked a new phase of India’s clean-energy revolution-where green hydrogen is positioned as the fuel of a new civilization and a key to long-term energy independence.

Highlighting rapid progress under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme, he informed that incentives have been awarded for 3,000 MW per annum of domestic electrolyser manufacturing and 8.62 lakh metric tonnes per annum of green hydrogen production. India now records the world’s lowest green ammonia price at Rs 49.75 per kg for 7.24 lakh MTPA production.

In addition, Rs 132 crore has been invested in five pilot projects for green steel, Rs 208 crore sanctioned for 37 hydrogen-fuelled vehicles and nine refuelling stations, and Rs 35 crore provided for the country’s first hydrogen bunkering and refuelling facility at V.O. Chidambaranar Port.

Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, MNRE, noted India’s non-fossil installed capacity now exceeds 250 GW, including about 130 GW solar, above 50 GW wind, and 17 GW bio-energy and small hydro.

Guided by the Prime Minister’s vision of “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” India is on course to achieve 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030, he said.

–IANS

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