GAIL to build India's largest green hydrogen plant to supplement natural gas business

State-owned GAIL (India) Ltd will build India's largest green hydrogen-making plant as it looks to supplement its natural gas business with carbon-free fuel.

Speaking at India Energy Forum by CERAWeek, GAIL chairman and managing director Maj Jain said company has floated a global tender to procure an electrolyser.

"It will take 12-14 months to put plant," he said ding company has finalised 2-3 sites for unit including one at Vijaipur in Mhya Presh.

Jain said plant planned is for 10MW capacity, largest anunced so far in country.

State electricity producer NTPC has anunced a 5MW green hydrogen plant.

"We have on a pilot basis started mixing hydrogen in natural gas in one of cities," he said ding company is testing for idea mix percent before scaling it up.

hydrogen Gail plans to produce can be sold to fertiliser units which as per government mandate are required to use hydrogen as fuel, he said.

India's largest gas transporting and marketing company is also looking at newer avenues to boost business including pushing for use of LNG as fuel in long haul trucking.

"For India to achieve target of raising share of natural gas in energy basket to 15 per cent gas us by 2030 from current 6.2 per cent, gas consumption has to rise three and half times to 600 million standard cubic meters per day. And for this to happen, all sectors have to jump in," he said.

government, he said, is pushing for use of LNG as fuel transport and mining sector.

"We as industry will set up 20 LNG dispensing stations on Golden Quirateal by March 2022 and 500-600 outlets in 3-4 years. ultimate target is 1,000 LNG stations," he said.