This country is known for its diverse cuisine, the most vibrant festivals, and various historical sites, not to mention the vast landscapes and nature. They are the heartland of Bengal Tigers, and now, they aim to be the world’s hydrogen heartland.
The country that will become a “world giant” in the renewable energy and green hydrogen space
A glass producer in India, Asahi India Glass, recently signed a 20-year green hydrogen offtake agreement with INOX Air Products (INOXAP), India’s largest manufacturer of industrial and medical gases. The agreement states that green hydrogen will be provided to AIS’s greenfield float glass facility in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.
This agreement also includes design, engineering, installation, operations, and a continuous supply of green hydrogen to the AIS facility. To keep the agreement mutually beneficial, AIS will invest in the solar plant to power the production of green hydrogen.
The project behind the world’s hydrogen heartland
To be considered the world’s hydrogen heartland, the plant will provide up to 190 tons of green hydrogen per annum through electrolysis, and it will be powered by solar energy. The plant will help counteract carbon emissions by around 1,250 MT annually and 25,000 MT over 20 years. This paves India’s way for sustainable glass production.
“We are delighted that our Green Hydrogen journey is underway with AIS for their Soniyana facility. Our first Green Hydrogen Plant, is also India’s first ever Green Hydrogen plant for the Float Glass sector. The trust shown by AIS in our capabilities is a testament to our expertise in safety, technology and project management. It is heartening to share that our Green Hydrogen supplies would substantially reduce CO2 emissions at this facility to the tune of 1250 MTPA.
“Green Hydrogen will play a pivotal role in India’s energy transition towards decarbonization and a secured energy future for our country as well as the planet. We look forward to strengthen our Green Hydrogen supplies to more sectors and businesses which are looking to bring down emissions and contribute towards India’s march towards net-zero by 2070.” – Siddharth Jain, Managing Director of INOX Air Products.
INOXAP focuses on air separation for oxygen supply, and along with drinks giant Asahi’s Indian glassmaking subsidiary, will supply green hydrogen to a new factory in Rajasthan, which will produce float glass that is used in buildings and vehicles.
The mission of the glass manufacturing process
Rupinder Shelly, COO-Architectural Glass, Asahi India Glass Ltd., stated how proud they are to be the first Indian glass manufacturers to use green hydrogen in the float glass manufacturing process. According to Shelly, this proves that their commitment to sustainability has gotten even stronger. They aim to reach 94% of their power requirements through green and sustainable energy sources at their Soniyana facility. They base the companies’ capabilities on the following:
- Sustainability
- Circularity
- De-carbonization
“Our investments towards generating electricity from flue gases before releasing through chimney is a step in the same direction. This pioneering initiative not only exemplifies our shared vision for a greener future but also reinforces India’s position as a global leader in renewable energy adoption.” – Shelly.
The INOXAP agreement for setting up this project’s plant indicates AIS’s overall sustainability strategy and is inspired by their vision to reduce the carbon footprint in the glass manufacturing process.
From the Taj Mahal to Spiti Valley, to the majestic Himalayas, and Kerala’s backwaters, India certainly has more than enough tourist attractions, now environmentalists will be even more intrigued. With the first phase looking to be very successful, we can only look forward to the next phases of this project, knowing that India has made a progressive step towards becoming the world’s hydrogen heartland.
