JSL’s green hydrogen project gels with India’s vision for sustainable future: Scindia

New Delhi: Jindal Stainless Steel's green hydrogen project aligns with the government's vision for a cleaner and more sustainable future, and will be an inspiration for other industry players to embrace clean technologies, said Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union minister for aviation and steel, on Monday.

He was speaking at the inauguration of India's first green hydrogen plant in the stainless-steel sector by Jindal Stainless Steel.

The green hydrogen plant in Hisar, which will pave the way for sustainable steel production, was commissioned by JSL in a 25-year contract with Hygenco Green Energies Private Ltd.

The project creates valuable employment opportunities, and showcases the potential of responsible industrial practices, he added. The government is encouraging companies, citizens, and state governments to focus on "green growth" and "green jobs" to achieve the target of net zero carbon emission by 2070, he said.

This project will be the world’s first green hydrogen plant with rooftop & floating solar equipment which aims to reduce carbon emissions by 54,000 tonnes over the next two decades. The alkaline bipolar electrolyser, which has a capacity of 350 Nm3/hr, guarantees an average 90Nm3/hr round-the-clock supply of green hydrogen using dedicated solar energy and storage, the company added.

The facility is controlled by an advanced energy management and control system and Hygenco is operating the plant under the Build-Own-Operate (BOO) model.

The decision of a long-term commitment to green hydrogen technology by Jindal Stainless reflects a forward-thinking approach mindful of its environmental responsibility, said Nagendra Nath Sinha, secretary in the steel ministry. “By harnessing renewable energy sources to produce hydrogen, we are not only reducing our carbon footprint but also diversifying our energy mix and enhancing energy security.”

In August 2022, Jindal Stainless announced a strategic partnership with Hygenco to establish the green hydrogen plant in Hisar, Haryana. JSL has another plant in Jajpur, Odisha, where the company is initiating a 200 MW round-the-clock renewable power plant.

The green hydrogen plant is a crucial step toward achieving net-zero emissions and promoting sustainable practices in the manufacturing sector, said Abhyuday Jindal, MD of Jindal Stainless Steel Ltd. “This is just the beginning; we will scale this up depending on successful application in other processes of stainless-steel manufacturing,” he said.

Scindia also highlighted India's progress in the steel sector, evolving from a net importer to a net exporter, while aiming to become the world's largest producer of crude steel. The government last year also launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an outlay of ₹20,000 crore to make India a global hub for the production, usage and export of green hydrogen, and its derivatives. The mission is also supporting pilot projects in the steel sector with a budget of around ₹500 crore until FY2029-30. The next era of growth belongs to India and within India, to the steel industry…Allocation of 11% additional outlay for infrastructure development in this year’s Interim Union Budget also reflects the importance the government attaches to sectors crucial for growth, said Scindia.