Visakhapatnam Ventures into Vast ‘Veggie’ Energy with Enormous Electrolysis Estate
In a groundbreaking move sprinkled with green goodness, NTPC Limited, India’s heavyweight in the power sector, is swapping coal for kale! Well, not exactly kale, but something equally green: hydrogen. On February 20, 2024, NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) shook hands and signed a land lease with Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) to start the “Integrated Green Hydrogen Hub” project. This hub is set to blossom over 1,200 acres near Pudimadaka village, Atchutapuram Mandal, Visakhapatnam, which is set to become more famous than the local biryani!
Dubbed the Pudimadaka Green Hydrogen Hub, this project is not just about producing the eco-friendly gas; it’s an entire ecosystem! Think Silicon Valley, but for things like electrolyser and fuel cell manufacturing, start-ups, and even green hydrogen exports. The highlight? India’s largest green hydrogen production facility churning out a whopping 1,200 tons per day of the stuff, which could then morph into green ammonia and green methanol for those fancy export markets.
The paperwork for this leafy venture was exchanged in a high-profile ceremony at the Secretariat, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Amravati. Picture it: Chief General Manager of NGEL, Sivakumar V. V., and APIIC’s Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, Pravin Kumar, passing papers, while the Chief Secretary of the Government of Andhra Pradesh, K S Jawahar Reddy, and other bigwigs watch on.
But wait, there’s more! This isn’t just a pet project. It’s part of the grand National Green Hydrogen Mission, which got the thumbs-up from the Union Cabinet on January 4, 2023, with a generous ₹19,744 crore budget. The goal? To turn India into a global green hydrogen hub. Talk about high ambitions!
Meanwhile, NTPC, with its whopping 74 GW capacity (including friends and family in joint ventures and subsidiaries), isn’t just stopping at hydrogen. They’re diving deep into renewable energy with NGEL, aiming for a dazzling 60 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2032. Already boasting 3.4 GW of installed renewable energy capacity and another 22-plus GW in the pipeline, NTPC is all in on supporting Andhra Pradesh’s and India’s green dreams.
So, as India says a hearty “Namaste” to green hydrogen, the future looks not just bright, but also a lot greener!
