MNRE Issues Draft Guidelines To Account Water-Linked Emissions In Green Hydrogen Production

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has released draft guidelines to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to off-site water drawal and treatment for green hydrogen production. Issued on February 25, 2026, the move aims to strengthen India’s green hydrogen framework and bring it in line with global standards. The new draft aligns the Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme of India (GHCI) with ISO 19870:2023, which focuses on a detailed “Well-to-Gate” assessment of hydrogen production.

The guidelines aim to close an important gap in emission accounting. Until now, the focus has been mainly on emissions within the hydrogen production plant. However, water is a key raw material in green hydrogen production, especially for electrolysis. The new draft makes it clear that while drawing water from natural sources, such as rivers or the sea, will not be counted as emissions, the energy and chemicals used to treat that water must be included in the total GHG intensity. This ensures that hydrogen labeled as “green” is assessed on a more complete lifecycle basis.

The framework identifies five main scenarios for water sourcing and provides clear methods for calculating emissions in each case.

In the case of captive offsite treatment, where a hydrogen producer operates its own desalination or treatment plant outside the main facility, the company must use primary data. This includes actual metered electricity consumption and chemical use to calculate emissions accurately.

For municipal water supply, producers sourcing water from state utilities can use a default benchmark value. The current benchmark for municipal water supply is set at 0.603 kgCO2e per cubic meter. This provides a simple and standardized approach for emission calculation.

In industrial clusters where multiple companies share common water treatment infrastructure, emissions must be allocated based on the volume of water used by the hydrogen producer. This ensures fair distribution of emissions among users.

The guidelines also promote the use of recycled water. When treated wastewater is used, only the additional or “incremental” energy required to further purify the water to electrolysis grade will be counted. This approach encourages companies to adopt circular water solutions and reduce overall environmental impact.

For hybrid supply systems, where producers use more than one water source, daily records must be maintained. A weighted average method will be applied to determine total water-related emissions.

To maintain transparency and consistency, MNRE has also defined standard benchmarks for grid emission factors and transmission losses. The ministry has invited comments from green hydrogen producers and industry associations. Stakeholders have until March 13, 2026, to submit their feedback. The consultation process is expected to play an important role in shaping the regulatory framework for India’s growing green hydrogen sector.

Related