MNRE Minister Pralhad Joshi Announces INR 100 Cr Call for Proposals for Biomass-based Hydrogen Pilots
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi has launched an INR 100 crore Call for Proposals to support pilot projects developing green hydrogen from biomass and waste materials under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, along with the Mission’s logo at the 3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH 2025) in New Delhi.
November 12, 2025. By Mrinmoy Dey
Announcing the new initiative, Joshi said that the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will invite proposals for pilot projects using biomass and waste materials to produce green hydrogen. “A total of INR 100 crore has been allocated for these pilots, in addition to INR 100 crore already sanctioned for start-ups under the Mission,” he said.
The scheme will be implemented through Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) to encourage participation from industries, start-ups, and research institutions. The Minister said the initiative would strengthen the innovation ecosystem and demonstrate new, cost-effective technologies capable of accelerating India’s hydrogen transition.
The Minister also launched the official logo of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). He said that the new NGHM logo, chosen from more than 2,500 entries nationwide, represents the people’s participation in India’s green journey and the collective spirit and creativity driving the Mission.
The logo symbolizes India’s commitment to sustainable and clean energy. The design integrates a leaf and water drop, representing nature, purity and the eco-friendly essence of hydrogen energy. “The rising sun signifies renewable-energy sources such as solar power, a key driver in hydrogen production, while the semi-circular ring represents the orbit of hydrogen with an electron. The green field denotes growth, harmony and India’s agricultural-environmental balance, and the hydrogen electron at the centre symbolises scientific innovation and the clean-energy revolution. The overall composition reflects India’s vision of a greener future through technology-driven sustainability and renewable-hydrogen power,” MNRE explained in a statement.
Launched in 2023 with an outlay of INR 19,744 crore, NGHM is not only a national programme but a global solution to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors. Joshi observed that the launch of NGHM marked a new phase of India’s clean-energy revolution-where green hydrogen is positioned as the fuel of a new civilization and a key to long-term energy independence.
Highlighting rapid progress under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme, the Minister informed that incentives have been awarded for 3,000 MW per annum of domestic electrolyser manufacturing and 8.62 lakh metric tonnes per annum of green hydrogen production. India now records the world’s lowest green ammonia price at INR 49.75 per kg for 7.24 lakh MTPA production, he said.
In addition, INR 132 crore has been invested in five pilot projects for green steel, INR 208 crore sanctioned for 37 hydrogen-fuelled vehicles and nine refuelling stations, and INR 35 crore provided for the country’s first hydrogen bunkering and refuelling facility at V.O. Chidambaranar Port.
The Minister highlighted that India is working to power its entire green hydrogen production through renewable energy. He also mentioned that 43 hydrogen-related skill qualifications have been approved, more than 6,300 trainees have been certified, and robust frameworks such as the Green Hydrogen Standard (2023) and Certification Scheme (2025) are in place along with 128 technical standards.
Speaking at the occasion, Prof. Ajay K. Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, said that the International Conference on Green Hydrogen has become an important platform for aligning the country’s scientific direction and policy vision towards one of the most consequential energy transitions of our time. He noted that the global demand for green energy is increasingly being driven by economic competitiveness and technological leadership, and Green Hydrogen stands at the confluence of these two forces.
Prof. Sood highlighted that the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) is progressing steadily across all four key pillars — policy, demand creation, research and development, and enabling infrastructure. He added that India enjoys a distinct low-cost advantage in producing green hydrogen compared to several other nations, which will enable it to become a major exporter to markets such as the European Union, Japan, and South Korea.
Addressing the session, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, MNRE, noted that the ICGH has evolved into a premier global platform for policy dialogue and innovation. He informed that India’s non-fossil installed capacity now exceeds 250 GW, including about 130 GW solar, above 50 GW wind, and 17 GW bio-energy and small hydro.
Sarangi said that the Mission is expected to mobilise over INR 8 lakh crore investment, create six lakh jobs, and save INR 1 lakh crore in fossil-fuel imports annually. He also underlined ongoing pilots in transport, steel and shipping, the launch of the Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme and the establishment of four Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters in Jodhpur, Pune, Bhubaneswar and Kerala to promote regional research and manufacturing ecosystems. As India enters this new phase of the Green Hydrogen Mission, MNRE’s focus will be on deep industrial decarbonisation, technology partnerships, and global supply chain integration, he said.
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