Gujarat Kicks-off Design for Hydrogen Valley Project

India's clean hydrogen mission gets a boost with hydrogen valley project in Gujarat.

April 26, 2023. By Anurima Mondal

Gujarat kicked-off the much-anticipated Hydrogen Valley Project in the state with the aim to develop a localised hydrogen value chain where it serves more than one end sector or application in mobility, industry, and energy.

The first stakeholder’s consultation meeting, held in Ahmedabad on April 21, was jointly organised by iCreate in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology and the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

The Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster in Gujarat will be a part of India’s efforts to develop clean Hydrogen Valleys by 2030. The project will promote research on novel hydrogen technologies while building capacity and capability for its production, distribution, and use cases in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Dr. Ranjith Krishna Pai, Director at Climate Change & Clean Energy Division, DST-GoI, presented the guidelines for setting up Hydrogen Valley Innovation clusters. The keynote address on "Role of research and innovation in accelerating the Hydrogen Economy" was delivered by Padmashri Dr. G. D Yadav, Emeritus Professor of Eminence and former Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Chemical Technology. Sandip J Sagale, IAS, Industries Commissioner of the Government of Gujarat, also shared insights on the immense potential of the hydrogen ecosystem in not only addressing energy challenges but also creating abundant opportunities for stakeholders, particularly in the MSME sector, and generating new job prospects in the near future.

Speaking on the occasion, Avinash Punekar, CEO, iCreate said, “With the help of innovation and technology, India has always been at the forefront of positive climate action globally. iCreate is proud to be leading the Gujarat Hydrogen Valley Consortium, which will be integral to meeting India’s commitment to reduce the Emissions Intensity of its GDP by 45 percent by 2030.”

The event saw participation from companies like Reliance Industries Limited, Welspun Enterprises Limited, Essar, Adani Group, Hypower Systems, ArcerlorMittal Nippon Steel India; MG Motor India; State PSUs like Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited, Gujarat Alkalies, and Chemicals Limited, Gujarat Energy Development Agency; City Gas distribution company Charotar Gas Sahakari Mandali Limited; and R&D institutions like CSIR – Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI), Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute (GERMI), IIT Mandi.

Dr. Ranjith Krishna Pai said, “We are excited to initiate the stakeholder’s consultations on DST’s Hydrogen Valley Innovation cluster in Gujarat, with a focus on developing a localised hydrogen value chain and promoting research on novel hydrogen technologies. We believe that with breakthrough innovations and widespread adoption, we can unlock cost-competitiveness and achieve a successful model for the Hydrogen Valley Innovation clusters across India.”

“There is an urgent requirement to fulfill the increasing energy demands while also achieving decarbonisation across sectors, ensuring energy security, and supporting sustainable growth. The versatility of hydrogen has immense potential to power the future of India’s growth and needs while significantly contributing to global climate action goals. It is thus, in our common interest and that of our future generations that we share our expertise to make India’s Hydrogen Valleys a success,” he added.

The outcome of the meeting would be the submission of an Expression of Interest to the Department of Science and Technology for the Preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for setting up the Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster (HVIC) in Gujarat.

Tags:

Hydrogen / Fuel Cells

Clean hydrogen mission

Hydrogen Valley Project

Hydrogen technologies

ICreate

Hydrogen in India

Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster