This plant is poised to become one of the largest green hydrogen facilities in India.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has embarked on a journey to establish its inaugural green hydrogen production facility in Panipat, with a formidable capacity of 10,000 tonnes per annum (10 Kilo Tonnes per annum). This significant endeavour is slated to become operational within the next 2.5 years. Recent developments reveal that IOCL has opened international bids to construct the plant adjacent to its Panipat refinery on company-owned land. With an impressive 10 KTA capacity, this plant is positioned to emerge as one of India’s largest green hydrogen facilities, as per a document accessed by News18.
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In 2021, IOCL unveiled plans to establish two green hydrogen plants: a 5 KTA capacity unit at the Mathura refinery and another with a 2 KTA capacity in Panipat. However, the latest updates saw the Mathura project being relinquished. According to the most recent tender specifications, the Panipat plant will now be elevated to a 10 KTA capacity.
Green hydrogen assumes a pivotal role in India’s ambitious pursuit of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, a commitment made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the previous climate summit (COP) in Glasgow. The nation aspires to transition from its current dependence on fossil fuels for hydrogen production.
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IOCL stands as the steward of 11 refineries across India, collectively boasting a refining capacity of 80.7 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA), equivalent to 1.6 million barrels per day. This capacity stands as the most extensive among all refining entities in the nation. The corporation further boasts an extensive network of pipelines, stretching over 14,000 kilometres, facilitating the smooth transportation of both crude oil and refined products nationwide.
The chosen site for the forthcoming green hydrogen facility is nestled between the Panipat Refinery and the Panipat Naphtha Cracker area, situated on IOCL-owned land within the vicinity of the Panipat Refinery Complex. The selected bidder will shoulder the responsibility of providing gaseous green hydrogen to IOCL at the designated delivery point.
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IOCL envisions harnessing renewable energy sources for green hydrogen production and seamlessly integrating them into the existing hydrogen network at the Panipat Refinery. The projected unit is meticulously designed to churn out 1,250 kilograms of green hydrogen per hour, operating continuously on a 24×7 basis.
IOCL presently oversees a refinery in Panipat with a capacity of 15.0 MMTPA. Notably, the corporation is actively engaged in an ambitious expansion project to elevate the refinery’s capacity from 15 to 25 MMPTA. In alignment with the Auto Fuel Policy of 2025, which underscores the production of 100 per cent BS-VI fuels, the Panipat Refinery executed the BS-VI project with finesse in 2018. This momentous initiative involved a comprehensive upgrade of all gasoline and diesel production to adhere to BS-VI specifications.
