India partners Germany to develop green hydrogen infrastructure

India has partnered Germany to develop green hydrogen infrastructure and secure off-take of green ammonia. This was announced after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ahmedabad.   

Merz was accompanied by a delegation of 23 chief executive officers (CEOs) and industry leaders. The partnership focuses on deepening bilateral engagement while accelerating the adoption of renewable energy in India. 

India’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with DVGW, a German technical and scientific association for gas and water. 

This is to establish a framework for hydrogen integration in the country’s natural gas infrastructure. 

 

“The MoU is intended to support evidence-based regulation and standardisation, initially for hydrogen blending and progressively for 100 per cent hydrogen applications, subject to statutory mandate. It is a non-binding framework, with specific activities to be pursued through separately-agreed work plans and arrangements,” said PNGRB. 

Germany-based DVGW formulates technical rules and test principles for gas and hydrogen infrastructure and supports their application through standardisation and testing. 

Under the partnership, PNGRB would have access to relevant DVGW technical rules or test principles and standards adoption for Indian operating conditions. The partnership would enable exchange of practices on odorisation, leak detection and safety methodologies, along with technical exchanges. 

PNGRB said network simulation tools would be used for hydrogen blends of up to 20 per cent initially with a roadmap towards 100 per cent hydrogen. 

Meanwhile, India’s AM Green Ammonia also signed a long-term binding off-take agreement with Uniper Global Commodities SE for renewable ammonia, certified as a renewable fuel of non-biological origin (RFNBO). 

Under the agreement, Uniper will off-take up to 500,000 tonnes of green ammonia per year from AM Green. 

The first shipment is expected to take place as early as 2028 from AM Green Ammonia’s first 1 million tonne per annum (MTPA) under-construction plant in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. 

“AM Green’s renewable ammonia is designed to meet stringent European RFNBO compliance standards. It is enabling multiple downstream sectors, including ammonia, aluminium, chemicals, and other energy-intensive industries to lower their emissions significantly for India and the world,” said Anil Kumar Chalamalasetty, founder of Greenko Group and AM Green. Easier to store and transport compared to hydrogen, green ammonia is produced by combining green hydrogen with nitrogen. 

The MoUs were part of the 27 bilateral agreements signed on Monday, including a joint declaration of intent on cooperation in critical minerals.