The Hydrogen Stream: India’s second electrolyzer tender attracts proposals for more than 2.8 GW

India’s second 1.5 GW electrolyzer manufacturing tender under production-linked incentives scheme has attracted bids from 23 companies for a cumulative annual capacity of 2,847 MW. The tender was launched by Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) under the government’s Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) program.

Bidders setting up electrolyzer manufacturing facilities under this program will be eligible for government incentives provided they meet the qualification criteria as laid out in the tender document.

SECI has been appointed as the implementing agency for the incentive scheme for electrolyzer manufacturing.

Out of the total 1.5 GW capacity, 1.1 GW was tendered for electrolyzer manufacturing capacity based on any stack technology, 300 MW for electrolyzer manufacturing capacity based on indigenously developed stack technology, and 100 MW for electrolyzer manufacturing capacity based on indigenously developed stack technology-smaller units.

Electrolyzer manufacturing capacity based on any stack technology attracted bids totalling 2,017 MW. Bidders included Adani Enterprises (101.50 MW), Advait Infratech (200 MW), Avaada Electrolyser (300 MW), GH2 Solar (105 MW), Green H2 Network India (100 MW), Hydrosun Cleantech (37 MW), Matrix Gas and Renewables (237 MW), Newage Green Electro (300 MW), Ohmium Operations (137 MW), Oriana Power (100 MW), Thermax (100 MW), and Waaree Energies (300 MW).

Bids for electrolyzer manufacturing capacity based on indigenously developed stack technology totalled 534.5 MW. Adani Enterprises sought incentives for 101.50 MW, Hydrosun Cleantech 23 MW, Newage Green Electro 300 MW, and Suryaashish KA1 Solar Park (110 MW).

Electrolyzer manufacturing capacity based on indigenously developed stack technology (smaller units) attracted 13 bids aggregating to 295 MW.

Notably, SECI’s first 1.5 GW electrolyzer tender under incentives scheme awarded capacity to eight bidders. Reliance had secured incentives for 300 MW of electrolyzer manufacturing capacity based on any stack technology. John Cockerill Greenko Hydrogen Solutions and Jindal India also secured incentives for 300 MW each in the category. Other winners included Ohmium (137 MW), Advait Infratech (100 MW), and L&T Electrolyzers (63 MW). Adani New Industries and Homihydrogen won incentives for electrolyzer manufacturing based on indigenously developed stack technology. These secured incentives for 198.5 MW and 101.5 MW capacities, respectively.

CATF said in a new report that dedicated clean hydrogen production and use can be a costly and inefficient decarbonization strategy for the power sector. The use of electrolytic hydrogen as a storage fuel to balance excess clean electricity may have limited applications, it said, but noted that “alternative strategies that minimize the need for long-duration storage, such as deploying clean firm generation like geothermal or nuclear, would likely be more cost-effective.” The report also noted the significant need for infrastructure investments to ensure any future role for hydrogen storage and transmission in the power sector.

American Airlines has signed a conditional purchase agreement with ZeroAvia for 100 hydrogen-electric engines to power regional jet aircraft. ZeroAvia said it will also receive more funds from the airline, following an initial investment in 2022 and a Series C financing round.

Extreme H has launched its first hydrogen-powered racing car. “The ‘Pioneer 25’ hydrogen race car was revealed in front of global media and invited guests aboard the series’ St. Helena vessel, with London’s Tower Bridge; providing a stunning reveal setting as the countdown officially begins to its maiden season starting in April 2025,” said the FIA-sanctioned international off-road racing series.

Nikola has wholesaled 72 Class 8 Nikola hydrogen fuel cell trucks, above the high end of truck sales guidance of 60 units during the second quarter of the year. For the first half of 2024, the company wholesaled 112 hydrogen fuel cell trucks. “We are continuing to secure our first-mover advantage in zero-emissions Class 8 trucks in North America, as well as with our HYLA hydrogen refueling solutions,” said Nikola CEO Steve Girsky.

Hyzon said that it will halt its operations in the Netherlands and Australia. The US-based manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cell systems said that government support for fuel cell-powered transportation in Europe and Australia has diminished compared to North America’s efforts to accelerate the hydrogen transition and the adoption of zero-emission technology. The company said it expects to incur charges of around $17 million.

Agora Industry has mapped the cost of green hydrogen production in Europe, highlighting two emerging regions. “The levelised cost of hydrogen (LCOH) map shows that while wind resources are more favorable in coastal plain areas around the North and Baltic Seas, solar PV performs best in Southern Europe,” said the think tank in a report. “These hotspots could become renewable energy hubs supplying Europe with much of the electricity needed to decarbonize all sectors, including those few applications requiring green hydrogen.”

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