Union Minister for Steel and Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, today (4 March, 2024) virtually inaugurated India’s first green hydrogen plant in the stainless steel sector located at Hisar, Haryana.
Nagendra Nath Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Abhyuday Jindal, Managing Director, Jindal Stainless, Amit Bansal, Founder, Hygenco, and other officials of the Ministry of Steel were also present at the inauguration.
India’s rich history of environmentalism, deeply embedded in its traditions and practices, now being revitalised through modern strategies, the Minister said in a speech during the ceremony, according to media reports.
Union Minister of Steel highlighted India’s commitment to a green and sustainable future, emphasising the need for responsible economic progress in the post-Covid-19 era. “As the world strives to recover from the pandemic’s aftermath, India is steadfast in its resolve to contribute to global environmental goals,” he added.
While congratulating Hygenco and Jindal Stainless, for the commissioning of India’s first long-term off-take green hydrogen plant, the Union Minister mentioned that this innovative green hydrogen project seamlessly aligns with the government’s vision for a cleaner and more sustainable future. “The project not only aligns with the government’s vision but also creates valuable employment opportunities, showcasing the potential of responsible industrial practices.”, he added. The Minister urged other industry stakeholders to enthusiastically adopt clean technologies, actively participating in India’s transformative journey towards a greener economy and fostering a conscientious industrial landscape.
The Minister highlighted the government’s readiness to initiate robust national green policies, 13 task forces to identify action points for each aspect of green steel production, and implementation of Steel Scrap Recycling Policy for enhancing the availability of domestically generated scrap.
“The need of the hour, therefore, is for stakeholders to come together to build a globally competitive as well as sustainable steel industry.” the Minister said while emphasizing the monumental significance of energy transition in this new world order, and stating unequivocally that the next era of growth belongs to India and, within India, to the steel industry.
This project will be the world’s first off-grid Green Hydrogen plant for the stainless-steel industry and the world’s first Green Hydrogen plant with rooftop and floating solar. This project is also a state-of-the-art green hydrogen facility with a target to reduce carbon emissions considerably by around 2,700 Metric Tonnes per annum and 54,000 tons of CO2 emissions over next two decades.