The Centre has awarded a total of 30 kilotonnes per annum (KTPA) of green hydrogen production capacity to four major oil refineries. This decision comes under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) and is part of the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Mode 2B scheme.
Indian Oil Corporation’s Panipat refinery receives 10 KTPA, while Bharat Petroleum’s Bina refinery and Hindustan Petroleum’s Vizag refinery each get 5 KTPA. Numaligarh Refineries is allotted the remaining 10 KTPA at its plant in Assam.
The mission’s goal is to make India a global hub for the production, use, and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives. By boosting domestic capacity, the government hopes to meet rising demand and secure a leading position in the emerging clean‑energy market.
Globally, hydrogen demand is approaching 100 million tonnes per year, and more than 200 low‑emission projects have reached final investment decisions. The shift from industrial use to a mainstream energy carrier is accelerating, creating new opportunities and challenges for producers.
Transporting hydrogen remains a major hurdle. Because hydrogen has low volumetric energy density, moving it over long distances is costly. Green ammonia has emerged as a practical alternative. Renewable hydrogen is converted into ammonia, shipped using existing infrastructure, and then reconverted back to hydrogen where needed.
This shift drives investment in integrated facilities that combine electrolyzers, ammonia plants, storage tanks, and conversion units. Reliable operation of such plants depends on robust mechanical components, especially in high‑pressure, high‑temperature, and cyclic‑loading environments.
Metal expansion joints play a key role. They absorb thermal expansion, reduce vibration, and protect compressors, reactors, and heat exchangers from mechanical stress. Companies like LSI‑MECH Engineers Pvt. Ltd. manufacture bellows‑type expansion joints suitable for high‑pressure, cryogenic, and cyclic‑service applications.
As green hydrogen and ammonia projects expand, the demand for durable, high‑performance infrastructure will grow. Governments are investing in transport corridors, export terminals, and clean‑energy hubs, which will shift engineering focus beyond production to the entire value chain.
The success of the hydrogen economy will rely not only on advances in clean‑energy generation but also on the reliability and longevity of the supporting infrastructure and components.