Comment by George Day, Senior Policy Advisor – Markets, Policy, and Regulation, at Energy Systems Catapult. 

The latest ITES Knowledge Series webinar has revealed new initiatives to help build India’s green hydrogen sector with UK-India collaboration – and there’s opportunity for much more.

India is a fascinating country for so many reasons – but for clean hydrogen innovators it’s becoming even more compelling. India has ambitious clean energy targets and launched its National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) in 2023. This aims to make India a global hub for the production, utilisation, and export of clean hydrogen and its derivatives. As the fastest growing large economy in the world – with enviable solar resources, plentiful skilled graduates and a low-cost manufacturing base – the market potential is enormous.

The NGHM comprises a mix of policies, funding and initiatives to build the clean hydrogen sector (with committed funding of ₹19,700 crore (approximately $2.4 billion) including:

• market interventions to build demand for both export and domestic demand for clean hydrogen and related products
• incentives for electrolyser manufacturing and production of clean hydrogen through funded schemes
• pilot projects using hydrogen for low-carbon steel, mobility and shipping applications
• support for development of clean hydrogen hubs and necessary infrastructure
• a range of international partners and investors are interested in entering the clean hydrogen space in India, including companies from France, Germany and UAE

The ITES initiative, which forms part of the India-UK Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre, recently hosted a webinar in partnership with Xynteo to explore the space and build links to promote Indo-UK partnerships and collaboration in clean hydrogen technology and innovation.

Both UK and Indian speakers shared their deep expertise across emerging hydrogen sectors, and we heard a range of perspectives:

• Ashay Gupta from Xynteo gave an overview of their Energy Leap clean hydrogen technology and business accelerator, focused on commercialising hydrogen innovation across the value chain in India and globally.
• Jack Landers and Patricia Pinto from the British High Commission spoke about the UK-India Green Hydrogen Hub.
• Dr Deepak Yadav, Programme Lead, Council of Energy, Environment and Water, and Dr Aravind Chandiran Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (who is leading a major new Hydrogen Valley Innovation Hub in Tamil Nadu) discussed key enablers for early deployment of hydrogen projects in India.
• My Catapult colleague Florence Lee outlined UK progress in delivering its Hydrogen Strategy including progress in developing a low carbon hydrogen standard and the early rounds for allocating support for hydrogen production projects.
• Amer Gaffer of Manchester Metropolitan University gave a UK perspective on building regional skills and supply chains to develop the clean hydrogen sector, including the UK Hydrogen Innovation Initiative.
• Silvi Kurian, from the UK Department of Business and Trade outlined the opportunities for UK-India business co-operation.
• Rahul Sahai, CEO of Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd spoke about the industrial opportunities for hydrogen as a new fuel and feedstock in India and the needs for pilot projects and quality/safety standards.

The UK itself has a very different resource endowment compared to India for clean hydrogen (e.g. much lower solar resource and a more developed offshore wind energy sector). But it too has major ambitions to build its hydrogen sector (5GW by 2030). Given our cultural and business links there is huge potential for knowledge exchange, investment, partnership and innovation in hydrogen technologies. UK innovators can gain access to India’s low-cost manufacturing base and India’s clean hydrogen ambitions offer market opportunities for innovators.

Overall, both the UK and India have significant innovation potential and capabilities in clean hydrogen, but the prospects and priorities differ based on their respective contexts and differences in market and policy development. India offers huge growth and manufacturing potential.

Collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing can exploit complementarities and accelerate progress.