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					</table><p>The Solar Energy Corporation of India (<a href="https://www.seci.co.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SECI</a>) has called for proposals to select an executing agency for preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) for green hydrogen hubs under Component B1 of the National Green Hydrogen Mission.</p>
<p>Bids will be chosen based on a quality-based selection system, with 60% weight for technical criteria and land availability, and 40% for presentations.</p>
<p>Bids must be submitted by October 16, 2025. Bids will be opened on October 17.</p>
<p>Bidders must submit a document fee of ₹5,000 (~$56.93) and a tender management fee of ₹25,000 (~$87.82), with exemptions for registered micro and small enterprises.</p>
<p>Under the scope of work, each DPR will assess potential hydrogen hub locations in different states or union territories. The hubs must have a planned or announced production capacity of at least 100,000 metric tons per annum of green hydrogen.</p>
<p>Higher capacity hubs will be given preference. Central Financial Assistance (CFA) available for each DPR is capped at ₹30 million (~$359,011.19), with a total allocation of ₹280 million (~$3.35 million) earmarked for Component B1.</p>
<p>The scope of work also includes the assessment of potential hub locations, availability of renewable energy and water resources, demand-supply mapping, infrastructure needs such as grid connectivity, hydrogen storage, and port and bunkering facilities.</p>
<p>Selected bidders must conduct techno-commercial and financial analysis and environmental and social impact assessments. They must also provide a project roadmap with implementation phases.</p>
<p>Delays in submitting the DPRs will attract a penalty of a 0.5% deduction of the approved CFA per week of delay, capped at 5%.</p>
<p>Bidders must have a minimum average annual turnover of ₹1 billion (~$11.96 million) in the past three years.</p>
<p>Last August, SECI <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/seci-invites-proposals-to-set-up-green-hydrogen-hubs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> proposals to identify an executing agency to set up green hydrogen hubs under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.</p>
<p>Last July, SECI <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/seci-invites-bids-for-green-facilities-under-sight-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids for the selection of green hydrogen producers to set up production facilities for green hydrogen in India under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Program (Mode-1-Tranche-II).</p>


SECI Invites Bids for Project Report Preparation of Green Hydrogen Hubs


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					</table><p>The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) has issued the second call for proposals (CfP) under the program for “Funding of testing facilities, infrastructure, and institutional support for development of standards and regulatory framework” as part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM).</p>
<p>The proposals must be submitted by September 10, 2025.</p>
<p>The first CfP was <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/nise-funding-green-hydrogen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> last August.</p>
<p>The second CfP invites eligible government organizations, including testing agencies, research and development institutes, academic institutions, public sector undertakings, and autonomous bodies, to set up or upgrade hydrogen testing and certification facilities in India.</p>
<p>In case of consortium proposals, a lead agency will act as the executing agency with identified lead and collaborator representatives. Entities must have the necessary accreditations. If hydrogen testing is not part of their mandate, they must incorporate it within one month of grant approval. The developed facilities must be accessible to all users and not serve as captive units.</p>
<p>The program provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of up to 100% of the capital cost for equipment, installation, and commissioning for government entities, and similar funding for the government partner in government–private consortia, with private partners contributing financially or technically.</p>
<p>Up to 15% of the support can cover operational expenses for up to four years post-completion. CFA cannot be used for land or building costs. Funding will be disbursed in instalments, 20% on project award and acceptance, 40% on 25% completion, 30% on 75% completion, and the final 10% upon completion, subject to verification.</p>
<p>New facility projects must be completed within 18 months of the first instalment, while upgrades must finish within 12 months. Extensions of up to six months may be approved by the project appraisal committee (PAC). Ministerial approval and a 1% penalty of MNRE support apply for delays beyond this period.</p>
<p>Proposals will be evaluated on technical parameters with 70% weightage from the assessment criteria and 30% from PAC evaluation. Selected applicants will receive a letter of award through the National Institute of Solar Energy, after which they must provide acceptance, bank details, and execute the project per the approved scope. Yearly operational reports for five years after completion, National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories accreditation, and adherence to safety and regulatory approvals are mandatory.</p>
<p>The program is being <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/guidelines-green-hydrogen-testing-facilities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">implemented</a> until 2026 with a total outlay of ₹2 billion (~$22.81 million). It aims to address gaps in testing facilities for components, technologies, and processes in the green hydrogen value chain by creating new infrastructure, upgrading existing centres, and ensuring safety, quality, and performance compliance</p>
<p>The NGHM was <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/cabinet-approves-%E2%82%B9197-billion-hydrogen-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> on January 4, 2023, with an outlay of ₹197.44 billion (~$2.25 billion), seeking to make India a global hub for green hydrogen production, usage, and export.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


MNRE Issues Second Call for Green Hydrogen Testing Infrastructure Proposals


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					</table><p>The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) has issued revised program guidelines for the implementation of pilot projects using green hydrogen and its derivatives in the residential, commercial, and decentralized sectors that were previously not mentioned in earlier programs.</p>
<p>The revised guidelines focus on deploying green hydrogen in off-grid, localized, community-based applications. Decentralized production models using rooftop solar, small or micro hydropower, floating solar, biomass, and wastewater will be key features of the pilot projects.</p>
<p>These systems will also support uses such as cooking, heating, off-grid electricity generation, and off-road mobility, including construction and mining applications.</p>
<p>In the shipping sector, the program will support pilot projects that involve green hydrogen or its derivatives, such as green ammonia and methanol.</p>
<p>The projects will be implemented by the scheme implementing agencies (SIAs) that are designated for specific sectors under this initiative.</p>
<p>The program is <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/cabinet-approves-%E2%82%B9197-billion-hydrogen-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">part</a> of the larger National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM).</p>
<p><strong>Budget and Structure</strong></p>
<p>The revised guidelines have a total budgetary outlay of ₹2 billion (~$23.26 million) until the end of the financial year 2026. This funding falls under Mode 2A of the NGHM, which pertains to pilot projects in sectors other than steel and transport.</p>
<p>The program is split into two main parts, each with an allocation of ₹1 billion (~$11.63 million). Part A supports biomass and other technology-based pilot projects, with a cap of ₹250 million (~$2.85 million)/project. Part B is intended for startups proposing innovative green hydrogen production or utilization technologies, with a cap of ₹50 million (~$581,395)/project.</p>
<p><strong>Eligibility</strong></p>
<p>Eligible applicants include central and state government entities, public sector undertakings, private sector companies, and ports and shipping firms. Consortiums involving multiple stakeholders, such as technology providers, port authorities, and project developers, are also allowed.</p>
<p>Preference will be given to projects with clear replication potential and substantial long-term impact. All pilot projects must have a minimum operational life of 10 years. The ownership of assets created under the program must not be transferred during this period without MNRE’s prior approval.</p>
<p><strong>Implementation Methodology and Approval</strong></p>
<p>SIAs will manage the selection and monitoring processes. Project selection will be carried out through a transparent request for selection mechanism. Proposals submitted will be assessed based on predefined technical and financial criteria, including innovation potential, feasibility, and alignment with India&#8217;s emissions commitments.</p>
<p>A project appraisal committee constituted by MNRE will evaluate and recommend projects for final approval. Upon selection, project proponents will sign implementation agreements with an SIA, detailing responsibilities, fund disbursement schedules, reporting requirements, and monitoring mechanisms.</p>
<p>All selected projects must be commissioned within 24 months from the agreement signing date. MNRE may allow extensions in justified cases, but failure to commission the projects within 30 months may result in cancellation of support and recovery of funds. Once operational, the projects are expected to run for at least 10 years and maintain detailed operational data throughout this period.</p>
<p>The data will be critical for assessing technical feasibility, learning from the pilot phase, and designing subsequent large-scale deployments. In the event of non-performance or deviation from agreed deliverables, financial support may be curtailed, and recovery of disbursed funds could be initiated.</p>
<p><strong>Financial Support and Disbursement </strong></p>
<p>Each project is eligible for financial assistance of up to ₹500 million (~$5.81 million), based on its requirements and evaluation results. The disbursement of funds will take place in three tranches, linked to project milestones.</p>
<p>The program outlines a three-stage financial disbursement mechanism. The first tranche of 20% of the Central Financial Assistance (CFA) will be released upon the letter of award issuance. The second tranche, comprising 70% of the CFA, will be disbursed based on milestone achievements. The last 10% will be released after successful project completion.</p>
<p>For private entities, CFA will cover up to 80% of equipment costs, while for government organizations, it will cover 100% of equipment costs. The CFA granted will be limited to the lower of the applicable ceilings under Part A and Part B.</p>
<p>Project proponents are required to contribute at least 10% of the total project cost as promoters&#8217; equity. They must bear any escalation in project cost beyond the approved budget. In the event of delays or failure to meet predefined milestones, MNRE can reduce or cancel the sanctioned financial support.</p>
<p>Recently, MNRE <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/mnre-invites-second-round-of-rd-proposals-under-green-hydrogen-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> the second call for Research and Development proposals under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.</p>


MNRE Issues Guidelines for Green Hydrogen Use in Residential Sector


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					</table><p>The <a href="https://www.india.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Government of India</a> has launched five pilot projects under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (<a href="https://nghm.mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NGHM</a>) to introduce hydrogen-fueled buses and trucks.</p>
<p>The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) had earlier <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/government-pilot-projects-hydrogen-trucks-buses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> guidelines for implementing pilot projects in the transport sector and invited proposals for hydrogen-based vehicles, routes, and refueling stations.</p>
<p>After evaluating the proposals, MNRE sanctioned five pilot projects involving 37 hydrogen-powered vehicles and nine hydrogen refueling stations. These vehicles include 15 hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles and 22 hydrogen internal combustion engine-based vehicles.</p>
<p>The selected vehicles will be deployed across ten significant routes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Greater Noida–Delhi–Agra</li>
<li>Bhubaneshwar–Konark–Puri</li>
<li>Ahmedabad–Vadodara–Surat</li>
<li>Sahibabad–Faridabad–Delhi</li>
<li>Pune–Mumbai</li>
<li>Jamshedpur–Kalinga Nagar</li>
<li>Thiruvananthapuram–Kochi</li>
<li>Kochi–Edappally</li>
<li>Jamnagar–Ahmedabad</li>
<li>Visakhapatnam–Bayyavaram</li>
</ul>
<p>These routes were identified based on their potential for hydrogen adoption in commercial transport. The projects have been awarded to multiple companies, including Tata Motors, Reliance Industries, NTPC, Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology, Ashok Leyland, Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, and Indian Oil Corporation.</p>
<p>The government allocated ₹2.08 billion (~$23.86 million) for these projects. The projects are expected to be commissioned within 18 to 24 months.</p>
<p>The projects primarily aim to develop commercially viable hydrogen-based transport technologies, focusing on buses and trucks.</p>
<p>They also aim to establish the necessary refueling infrastructure and support the country’s sustainable and scalable hydrogen fuel ecosystem development.</p>
<p>The hydrogen mission seeks to validate hydrogen-powered vehicles’ technical feasibility, operational performance, and economic viability. This initiative aims to help assess the safety and efficiency of these vehicles and the effectiveness of hydrogen refueling stations.</p>
<p>The National Green Hydrogen Mission was <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/cabinet-approves-%E2%82%B9197-billion-hydrogen-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> on January 4, 2023, with a total budget of ₹197.44 billion (~$2.26 billion) until the financial year 2030. The mission is part of India’s broader strategy to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports, achieve significant decarbonization, and establish itself as a leader in green hydrogen technology</p>
<p>In October 2024, MNRE <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/mnre-approves-three-pilot-projects-for-green-hydrogen-use-in-steel-production" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> three pilot projects to use hydrogen in steel production under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. The government will provide ₹3.47 billion (~$41.28 million) as financial support for these pilot projects, which will likely be commissioned in the next three years.</p>


Government Launches Pilot Projects for Hydrogen-Fueled Buses and Trucks


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					</table><p>The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) has set aside ₹44.4 billion (~$535.6 million) to incentivize manufacturing of electrolyzers to reduce costs for hydrogen production in the country, as part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM).</p>
<p>NGHM has an <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/cabinet-approves-%E2%82%B9197-billion-hydrogen-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outlay</a> of ₹197.44 billion (~$2.3 billion) up to 2029-30. The mission seeks to promote the development of a green hydrogen production capacity of 5 million tons per year and, in the process, envisages an investment of over ₹8 trillion (~$96.5 billion) and the creation of over 600,000 jobs by 2030.</p>
<p>The incentives for spurring indigenous manufacturing, under the &#8220;Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Program &#8211; Component I: Incentive Scheme for Electrolyzer Manufacturing Tranche &#8211; II,&#8221; will run from the financial year 2025-26 to 2029-30.</p>
<p>The program aims to make domestically made electrolyzers &#8211; a key component for green hydrogen production, internationally competitive in performance and quality and to build out its supply chains. It also intends to support both established and new electrolyzer technologies.</p>
<p>The incentive program will be implemented through the Solar Energy Corporation of India (<a href="https://www.seci.co.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SECI</a>) as the nodal agency, according to the MNRE document. SECI will conduct a competitive bidding process to select manufacturers based on criteria like specific energy consumption of the electrolyzer produced each year for the five-year period, committed local value addition targets, and a performance-linked incentive structure.</p>
<p>The incentives have been designed in a declining structure &#8211; with the base incentive starting at ₹4,440 (~$54)/kW in the first year and tapering down annually over the five years. Actual payouts to manufacturers will be linked to performance multipliers based on the specific energy consumption achieved and the extent of domestic value addition accomplished.</p>
<p>The guidelines also stipulate that the Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) for hydrogen production should not exceed 56 kWh per kg, measured at 100% rated capacity on the DC side of the stack, with demonstration required before electrolyzer commissioning. Additionally, the electrolyzer should have a guaranteed lifespan of at least 60,000 hours, and there should be a minimum of 40% Local Value Addition (LVA) for alkaline electrolyzers and 30% for other technologies during the first year of production.</p>
<p>In a move to nurture indigenous stack technologies, the program also demarcates separate capacity buckets for established (Bucket 1 – 1,100 MW), indigenously developed (Bucket 2A &#8211; 300 MW), and smaller indigenous (Bucket 2B &#8211; 100 MW) electrolyzer manufacturing capacities. However, to ensure scale, no single bidder can be allocated more than 300 MW across tranches under this program.</p>
<p>In order to bid, the manufacturer, which can be a single company or a joint venture, must have a net worth of more than ₹10 million (~$120,000) per MW of quoted capacity for the previous financial year for Bucket 1, and ₹3 million (~$36,000) for Bucket 2.</p>
<p>The available capacity for bidding in the second tranche is 1,500 MW, with minimum bid capacities of 100 MW for Bucket 1 and 2A. In Bucket 2B, bids can range from 10 MW to 30 MW.</p>
<p>Earlier, SECI <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/seci-invites-bids-manufacturing-under-sight-ii-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a request for the selection of electrolyzer manufacturers to set up 1.5 GW of electrolyzer manufacturing capacities in India under the SIGHT program (Tranche- II).</p>
<p>Early this year, SECI <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/reliance-jindal-adani-win-seci-electrolyzer-auction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the winners of the auction to set up 1.5 GW electrolyzer manufacturing capacities across India under Tranche 1 of the SIGHT program.</p>


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