Técnicas Reunidas and Sterling plan 1 MWe hydrogen electrolyzer in India

Spanish engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company Técnicas Reunidas and Sterling Generators, a part of India’s EPC company Sterling and Wilson, have signed an agreement for the joint development of a 1 MWe hydrogen electrolyzer in India.

The electrolyzer is planned to be commissioned in the last quarter of 2024 and will be scaled up to 10 MW later, Técnicas Reunidas revealed, noting that this collaboration is an example of the increasing bilateral relations between India and Spain in a sector of critical importance such as green hydrogen.

Commenting on the electrolysis process, the company said: “Electrolysis is the process of using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This reaction takes place in a unit called an Electrolyzer. In this process, an electrical current is used to separate hydrogen from oxygen in water. If the utilized electric current is derived from renewable energy – then hydrogen is produced without emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (green hydrogen). Electrolysis is therefore a promising option for carbon-free hydrogen production from renewable resources.”

Sanjay Jadhav, CEO of Sterling Generators, stated: “We are confident that as a versatile energy carrier, green hydrogen holds the potential to strengthen India’s energy independence, resilience, and innovation, driving the transition towards a cleaner and greener future. This agreement will therefore strengthen India’s adoption of green hydrogen as a key component of its ambitious renewable energy targets. It will help transform India’s abundant solar and wind resources into a strategic advantage in green hydrogen production.”

Joaquín Pérez de Ayala, Director of Energy Transition at Técnicas Reunidas, added: “We are certain that this agreement will help the integration of green hydrogen into India’s energy landscape, while holding the potential to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors, such as heavy industry and transport. It will strengthen technical ties and knowledge sharing between India and Spain, while further stimulating innovation, economic development and paving the way for a greener future.”

To remind, In January 2023, India launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) to make the country a global hub for the production, usage and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives. At the time, the government said it anticipates the mission to result in the development of a green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 million metric tonnes (MMT) per annum with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW in the country.

On March 15, 2024, India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) issued scheme guidelines for setting up hydrogen hubs in the country under the NGHM. The ministry pointed out that, along with other initiatives, the mission envisages large-scale hydrogen hubs, which will act as a foundation for the development of the hydrogen ecosystem and as the backbone of the decarbonization efforts in the country.