NTPC starts India's first green hydrogen blending operation in PNG network

State-owned power giant NTPC on Tuesday said it has started India's first green hydrogen blending operation in the PNG (piped natural gas) network of its township in Kawas, Surat.

"The project is a joint effort of NTPC and Gujarat Gas Limited (GGL). The first molecule of green hydrogen from the project was set in motion by P Ram Prasad, Head of Project, Kawas, in presence of other senior executives of NTPC Kawas and GGL," a company statement said.

The green hydrogen blending has been started in the piped natural gas (PNG) network of NTPC Kawas township in Surat, it added.

After the start of the blending operation, NTPC Kawas held awareness workshops for township residents with the help of GGL officials.

NTPC and GGL have worked relentlessly towards achieving this milestone in record time after the foundation stone laying by the Prime Minister on July 30, 2022.

This set-up is geared up to supply H2- NG (natural gas) to households of Kawas township at Adityanagar, Surat. Green hydrogen in Kawas is made by electrolysis of water using power from an already installed 1 MW floating solar project.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), the regulatory body, has approved 5 per cent vol/vol blending of green hydrogen with PNG to start with, and the blending level would be scaled phase-wise to reach 20 per cent.

Green hydrogen when blended with natural gas reduces CO2 emissions keeping the net heating content the same.

It stated that this feat is achieved only by a few select countries like the UK, Germany and Australia etc.

This would bring India to the centre stage of the global hydrogen economy. India would not only reduce its hydrocarbon import bill significantly but can also bring forex ashore by being a green hydrogen and green chemicals exporter to the world, it stated.