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NTPC, which is setting up a more than ₹1 lakh crore green hydrogen hub in coastal Andhra Pradesh, will install 13.4 gigawatts (GW) of solar power and 6.6 GW of pumped storage project (PSP).
Sources said that India’s largest power producer will set up a total of 20 gigawatts (GW) of renewable power capacity, including storage, which will be utilised for manufacturing green hydrogen through electrolysis.
“The rationale behind creating the hub is to focus on exports in South Asia, particularly for green hydrogen and green methanol. Besides, talks are on for manufacturing green ammonia here and transporting it to the UK,” said one of the sources.
The land at Pudimadaka, a coastal village around 50 km from Visakhapatnam, has been allotted by the AP Industrial Investment Corporation (APIIC), and the project is expected to be completed by 2030, with the first half likely by 2026-27.
NTPC is holding deliberations with domestic and international companies for manufacturing electrolysers and other green energy products and services.
Rationale
A senior government official explained that NTPC has transferred all its green energy projects to NTPC Green Energy (NGEL). This is part of the Maharatna company’s evolving strategy to expand the renewable business into green energy considering the future growth opportunities in clean energy transition.
“The objective is to create a company that focuses on the entire gamut of green energy technology, products and services. With the expected growth in clean energy initiatives globally, there is a very good chance that NGEL’s valuation may surpass that of its parent in the future,” he added.
Also read: NTPC Renewable Energy bags 500 MW project from REMCL
The government expects NGEL’s base to grow as India focuses on meeting COP26 pledges and expanding its green energy economy. Through the park, the government aims to target South Asia and European markets for green energy products, services and technologies as India has sufficient land and skilled manpower, a senior government official said.
Sources said that talks are already on with an Australian company for establishing green hydrogen manufacturing facilities, but nothing has been finalised so far.
Hydrogen hub
The area earmarked for the project is spread over 1,200 acres, which will be divided into two areas of 600 acres each and will feature an industrial and a hydrogen hub. A detailed project report on the park is being prepared.
Earlier, this land was earmarked for setting up a 4,000-megawatt (MW) coal-fired plant. But the Andhra Pradesh government has now decided to convert it into a hydrogen hub. The power project was shelved in 2018.
The Genco will ink pacts with domestic and foreign companies to set up a green hydrogen facility of 1,500 tonnes per day (TPD) capacity, and 1,300 TPD green ammonia and 1,200 TPD of green methanol manufacturing facilities.
Besides the green hydrogen hub, the industrial area will have manufacturing facilities for new energy technologies, such as electrolysers, fuel cells, batteries, solar wafers, solar modules, wind turbine equipment, and carbon capture systems.
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