To power this growth sustainably, India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission aims to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030, supported by ~125 GW of renewable energy and ~15 GW of electrolysis capacity. Parallelly, the EV30@30 initiative targets 30 percent of new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030, adding fresh layers of demand on power and charging infrastructure. All these efforts align with India’s long-term net-zero emissions pledge by 2070, signalling a decisive shift toward a cleaner, more resilient energy future.
Green Hydrogen: Unlocking the ‘Made for Bharat’ Opportunity in Transport
India’s transport sector stands at the crossroads of challenge and transformation. In 2020, the sector emitted nearly 272 million tonnes of CO₂, with road transport alone accounting for over 92 percent of these emissions. Within this, medium- and heavy-duty trucks (MHDTs) though constituting just about 2 percent of total registered vehicles were responsible for nearly half of all on-road transport emissions and over a third of total fuel consumption. This imbalance highlights both the problem and the opportunity.
Adopting Green Hydrogen in the trucking ecosystem can redefine India’s decarbonisation pathway. If even 20,000 heavy-duty trucks were to transition to hydrogen-powered Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), the nation could cut approximately 2 lakh tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually and save nearly USD 5 billion in foreign exchange through reduced diesel imports. Such outcomes make a compelling case for hydrogen to be at the heart of a ‘Made for Bharat’ clean energy strategy one that simultaneously addresses sustainability, energy security and industrial growth.
To realise this vision, however, two parallel efforts are critical: OEMs must work toward reducing the upfront and operational costs of hydrogen FCEVs, while industry and research must accelerate improvements in electrolyser efficiency to lower the cost of green hydrogen production. Together, these advancements can enable India to build an indigenous hydrogen ecosystem fuelling cleaner logistics, empowering local manufacturing and advancing the nation’s broader goal of self-reliant, low-carbon growth.
Need of India’s Data Centres for a Clean Energy and Storage Strategy
India’s digital expansion is fuelling an unprecedented rise in data centre demand. With the country projected to become a USD 9.5 billion data centre market by 2027 and installed IT load expected to exceed 2,000 MW, the sector’s energy footprint is expanding rapidly. Data centres already account for nearly 1–2 percent of India’s total electricity consumption, a figure poised to multiply as 5G, AI, cloud computing and digital public infrastructure scale across the nation. This growth, while economically promising, poses a critical sustainability challenge how to power India’s digital economy without deepening its carbon footprint.
A ‘Made for Bharat’ Clean Energy Strategy must therefore extend beyond transport and industry to include the digital infrastructure backbone. Green hydrogen fuel cells or hydrogen-based generators present a cleaner alternative, offering reliable backup with minimal or no emissions. By integrating green hydrogen, operators can cut both direct and indirect emissions, advancing toward carbon-neutral or net-zero targets. When installed alongside data centres, green hydrogen systems enable on-site power generation, decreasing reliance on the grid and enhancing resilience during high-demand or grid instability periods.
They also help balance renewable energy fluctuations using surplus renewable power to generate hydrogen, which can be stored and later converted back into electricity through fuel cells. This makes green hydrogen an effective long-term energy storage solution. When combined with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), the result is a robust, zero-emission hybrid setup: batteries handle immediate power needs and short-term variations, while hydrogen provides extended backup and energy security. Together, they offer a transformative path for clean, resilient and sustainable power in India’s fast-growing data centre industry.
Integrating green hydrogen with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) provides a reliable and sustainable pathway. By coupling solar or wind generated energy to produce green hydrogen via electrolyser and using it with advanced storage (BESS), data centres can achieve round-the-clock green power, reduce grid dependency and enhance resilience against outages. A 2-4 MW data centre powered by green hydrogen and BESS setup can offset hundreds of tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually while stabilising operations during peak loads or grid fluctuations.
Towards a Resilient, Self-Reliant and Sustainable Bharat
India stands at a defining moment in its energy transition where economic growth, technological advancement and climate responsibility must converge. From decarbonising transport through Green Hydrogen to powering data centres with renewable energy and BESS, the pathway to a ‘Made for Bharat’ Clean Energy Strategy is clear: it must be inclusive, indigenous and innovation-driven. The focus should not only be on meeting global climate commitments but on building energy solutions rooted in India’s realities affordable, scalable and resilient against future shocks.
By fostering domestic manufacturing in clean technologies, enhancing R&D in electrolysers and storage and encouraging policy frameworks that reward green adoption, India can lead the next global energy revolution on its own terms. A Bharat-centric clean energy strategy is not just about reducing emissions; it’s about empowering industries, securing energy independence and creating sustainable livelihoods. In this pursuit, every green watt and every innovation counts shaping a future where India’s growth is powered by sustainability and sustainability is powered by Bharat.
– Akshay Kashyap, Managing Director, Greenfuel Energy Solutions
