A consortium of engineering and consulting firm Gensol Engineering and hydrogen infrastructure developer Matrix Gas & Renewables has been selected to set up India’s first Green Hydrogen Valley in Pune, Maharashtra, on a build-and-operate basis.

The project, supported by the Department of Science & Technology and National Chemicals Laboratories, aims to supply green hydrogen to Pune’s specialty chemicals sector.

In April, the Department of Science and Technology invited bids to establish hydrogen valley innovation clusters. The initiative is part of The National Green Hydrogen Mission, approved by the Union Cabinet in January 2023, to promote hydrogen energy technology development. The department will provide financial assistance of ₹2.5 million (~$30,426) to develop the detailed project report outlining the specifics of the proposed hydrogen valley innovation clusters.

A green hydrogen valley is a defined geographical area where green hydrogen serves more than one end sector or application in mobility, industry, and energy. This typically covers all the necessary steps in the green hydrogen value chain, from production (and often even dedicated renewable electricity production) to subsequent storage, transport, and distribution to various off-takers.

“We feel immense pride to develop India’s first green hydrogen valley project. The government of India has taken a great step in promoting these hydrogen valleys through the Department of Science & Technology. We are going to supply green hydrogen to the specialty chemical sector in Pune, Maharashtra, on a round-the-clock basis to develop the green hydrogen economy in India,” said Anmol Jaggi, Managing Director, Gensol Engineering.

The Gensol-Matrix consortium recently won an engineering, procurement, and construction contract from a power generation company to develop India’s first bio-hydrogen project. The project, valued at ₹1.64 billion (~$19.53 million), aims to convert 25 tons of bio-waste into 1 ton of green hydrogen daily. It is slated for completion within 18 months.

The consortium also emerged as the winning bidder in SECI’s auction for a 237 MW hydrogen electrolyzer manufacturing capacity under the Production Linked Incentive program in collaboration with Matrix Gas & Renewables. The Gensol-Matrix consortium has secured a cumulative 300 MW capacity, including a prior 63 MW awarded in the first tranche of the SECI tender. This equates to a total incentive of ₹4.5 billion (~$53.6 million) under the PLI program.