5MW green hydrogen plant operationalised at BPCL Madhya Pradesh Refinery

India’s energy conglomerate Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has commissioned a 5MW green hydrogen plant at its Bina Refinery in Madhya Pradesh, which is being seen as a significant milestone in India’s clean energy transition.

The facility is one of the largest operational green hydrogen projects in the country. This is first of its kind by BPCL and is expected to produce over 780 tonnes of green hydrogen per year. The plant has been equipped with two 500 Nm³/hr electrolysers and was completed within an estimated timeframe of 15 months, including construction and installation.

The project is a key part of broader strategy of BPCL to achieve Net Zero emissions for Scope 1 and Scope 2 by 2040. In a statement, the company emphasized that the initiative not only advances its decarbonization roadmap but also reaffirms its support for the National Green Hydrogen Mission and India’s target of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070.

The Central Government continues to play a pivotal role in promoting the hydrogen economy, creating an enabling environment that has attracted substantial investment from leading industrial players.

Last year, BPCL emerged victorious in the tender by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for the green hydrogen production securing a manufacturing capacity of 2,000 metric tons under Bucket II, obtaining an average incentive price of Rs 30/kg. BPCL was the sole recipient of awards in this category, as the remaining 38,000 metric tons of capacity went unallocated.

Last September, Sembcorp Green Hydrogen India Pvt Ltd has entered into a 50:50 joint venture with BPCL to advance green hydrogen and renewable energy initiatives across India.

India launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) in January 2023 with a target to achieve a production capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum of Green Hydrogen in the country by the year 2030. The Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme, under NGHM, provides incentives for the manufacturing of electrolysers and the production of green ammonia.