New Delhi: The Government of India has notified new standards for green ammonia and green methanol as part of efforts to advance the National Green Hydrogen Mission, ANI reported.
The standards were issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy on February 27, 2026, and set the emission limits and conditions that must be met for ammonia and methanol to be classified as “green”. Both fuels must be produced using green hydrogen generated from renewable energy sources.
Under the new rules, green ammonia must have total non-biogenic greenhouse gas emissions of no more than 0.38 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram of ammonia. This limit covers emissions from hydrogen production, ammonia synthesis, purification, compression and on-site storage, calculated as an average over a 12-month period.
Similarly, green methanol must have total non-biogenic emissions of not more than 0.44 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram of methanol. These emissions include those generated during hydrogen production, methanol synthesis, purification and on-site storage, also calculated over a 12-month period.
The notification states that carbon dioxide used in producing green methanol can come from biological sources, direct air capture or existing industrial sources. The ministry may revise the list of eligible carbon dioxide sources in the future, with such changes applying prospectively.
The government also clarified that renewable energy used in producing green ammonia and green methanol may include electricity generated from renewable sources that is stored in energy storage systems or banked with the grid under existing regulations.
A separate framework for measurement, reporting, monitoring, verification and certification of green ammonia and green methanol will be issued later by the ministry.
The government said tenders or procurement processes issued before the notification will continue under their existing terms, though they may be aligned with the new standards where possible and with mutual agreement of the parties involved.
Officials said the new standards are expected to provide clarity to industry and investors working on green hydrogen and its derivatives. The move is also expected to support the decarbonisation of sectors such as fertilisers, shipping, power generation and heavy industry.
Indian developers are increasingly targeting export markets for green ammonia and green methanol. With the notification, the government aims to strengthen the regulatory framework for green hydrogen and its derivatives under the National Green Hydrogen Mission and position India as a reliable producer and exporter of green fuels.
