Indian industrial majors Reliance Industries and Chart Industries are leading a new coalition focussed on commercialising hydrogen technologies and systems to build net-zero carbon pathways in the rapidly developing country.

The India H2 Alliance, which will use an industrial cluster structure connecting sectors including steel, refineries, fertilizer, cement, ports and transport, aims to spur development of a hydrogen economy and supply chain in India based on blue and green hydrogen production and storage as well as build hydrogen-use industrial clusters and heavy transport use-cases with hydrogen-powered fuel cells.

The alliance said in a statement that it would work with the government on five areas:

  • developing a national hydrogen policy and roadmap for 2021-2030
  • establishment of a national hydrogen taskforce and mission via a public-private partnership
  • identification of large hydrogen demonstration projects
  • helping create a national India hydrogen Fund
  • and creation of capacity covering hydrogen production, storage and distribution, industrial use and transport.

“India needs to identify and execute large-scale hydrogen demonstration projects if it wants to be part of the global supply chain for hydrogen. Beyond R&D pilots, India needs ‘hydrogen-valley’ style national initiatives across a region like a high-traffic industrial freight corridor, with multiple use-cases,” said Anurag Pandey, R&D team lead at Reliance Industries.

“Such hydrogen-related systems projects are strategic for India’s energy transition plans, linking closely with renewables and battery-technology. These require multiple industry players to come together and form consortia to implement such projects. The India H2 Alliance will take the lead on such initiatives.”

Jillian Evanko, CEO of Chart Industries, stated: “Proactive industry collaboration with the government is key to creating a hydrogen economy in India. Through India H2 Alliance, we will bring best-in-class hydrogen technology, equipment and know-how to create a hydrogen supply chain in India, and in many cases, ‘Make in India’”.

“By prioritizing national hydrogen demonstration projects, innovations to further reduce the cost of hydrogen will become prominent, locally.”

The India H2 Alliance will be supported by a panel of hydrogen experts and a secretariat, which will be run by consultancy FTI Consulting.