Today, Hydrogen is being heavily used in powering vehicles, oil refining, ammonia production, steel production, and to generate electricity. All of this hydrogen is supplied using fossil fuels.

According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the production of hydrogen is responsible for carbon dioxide emissions of around 830 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. Interestingly, Green Hydrogen – produced by the electrolysis of water using renewable electricity – could save tonnes of this carbon dioxide emitted annually.

To tap into Green hydrogen’s potential and play a key role in a clean, secure, and affordable energy future, Haryana-based green hydrogen company, Hygenco, has announced plans to construct and operate a 100 percent green hydrogen plant in Maharashtra.

The project would be the first operative green hydrogen production facility in Maharashtra and will produce energy without emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

In conversation with The Better India, Amit Bansal, CEO of Hygenco Green Energies, says, “India’s rapid pace of growth is already entailing a significant surge in the use of resources, especially fossil fuels. With over 80 percent of India’s fuel requirements being import-dependent and coal being the primary source of its electricity generation, there is a significant need to tap all forms of alternative energy.”

“On its part, the Indian government’s focus and leadership in pushing for renewable energy has started the journey of energy transition but green hydrogen can expedite it.

We understand that the industry needs to collaborate and come up with suitable new technologies or retrofit existing equipment to inject green hydrogen and its derivatives instead of conventional fuel,” he adds.

We sat down with Hygenco to understand the need for green hydrogen and how it will ensure a sustainable future for all.

Why India needs green hydrogen

After pursuing engineering in 2005, Amit completed his higher studies in business administration at Shailesh J Mehta School of Management, IIT-Bombay in 2010. He commenced his career as the co-founder of Vivaan Solar, a leading solar plant installation company offering turnkey solar power plants across the country.

While working in the renewable energy sector, Amit wanted to work towards addressing India’s energy crises. “India is a fast-growing country, which is also increasing the use of fossil fuels. Since the country is significantly dependent on imports for its energy needs, there is a very strong business sense for harnessing the power of green hydrogen,” shares the 39-year-old.

Explaining why India needs green hydrogen, he says, “Some of the major factors why we feel India needs green hydrogen include, energy independence, achieving the country’s net zero targets, and creating huge job opportunities.”

“It is also expected to save our forex. The precious foreign exchange saved by reducing fossil fuel imports can be harnessed for social use such as health and education. Further, the country can even target to become a net exporter of ammonia and its derivatives from being a large importer of fossil fuels,” he adds.

In addition to this, Amit says, “Green hydrogen and its derivatives as fuel can decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors, especially since these sectors contribute nearly 80 percent of carbon footprint. This will be crucial as conventional electricity replacement by 100 percent green electricity will only result in 20 percent decarbonisation.”

To make the most of a growing demand for green hydrogen, Amit launched Hygenco in 2020 with a vision to help India achieve energy independence, especially as the climate challenges continue to rise, and ensure a sustainable future for the coming generations.

A step closer towards green solutions

Amit continues to inform that Hygenco builds, owns, and operates multiple green hydrogen facilities across the country, including Haryana and Maharashtra. “We are one of the few companies offering comprehensive 360-degree techno-commercial solutions utilising green hydrogen. We offer cost-competitive alternatives for sustainable transportation. We are not just building infrastructure; we are shaping the future of clean energy and transportation in India,” he adds.

“Our plants are designed with ambitious sustainability targets with the primary goal to responsibly conserve and source water for all our projects. With plants incorporating advanced software stack, Hygenco’s innovative approach enables efficiently consuming renewable power,” says Amit.

In another step to provide customised and reliable green hydrogen solutions, Hygenco recently signed a green hydrogen and green oxygen offtake agreement with Sterlite Technologies Ltd (STL) – a global optical and digital solutions company.

The agreement project is expected to supply green hydrogen and green oxygen to STL’s state-of-the-art glass preform plant based out of Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

The project is expected to facilitate the adoption of green hydrogen as a commercially viable alternative to grey hydrogen, achieve the startup’s sustainability objectives, and contribute to reducing the company’s dependence on the import of fossil fuels.

With a capacity of 170 tonnes per annum, the plant will use both solar and wind energy as a source of power. The project is expected to be completed by early next year.

Talking about the long-term plans of the startup, Amit says, “Hygenco’s mission is to develop 10 GW of commercially attractive production and distribution assets by 2030. Currently, green hydrogen is primarily being used as a feedstock. We are optimistic that it will replace traditional fuels in the coming time. I believe the trajectory of a greener future is definitely achievable.”

“There is immense satisfaction in the work we are doing and our contribution towards improving the future of our children. We are not looking at the end goal but are of the view that the intermediate steps are important,” he adds.

Edited by Padmashree Pande; All photos: Hygenco.