Jindal Stainless starts using green hydrogen at Hisar plant

Jindal Stainless (JSL) announced it has commenced the maiden usage of green hydrogen in the company's stainless steel plant in Hisar, Haryana, from what is India's first commercial-scale GH2 plant in the steel sector.

Union Minister of Steel and Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, commissioned the company's green hydrogen unit virtually from New Delhi, in the presence of senior government and company officials.

JSL has set up a fully automated production unit in association with Hygenco Green Energies, which operates the plant under the build-own-operate model. JSL has a long-term offtake agreement for output, and aims to abate around 54,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions over 20 years through the use of green hydrogen in its manufacturing processes. 

In a release, JSL noted that the green hydrogen plant is powered by rooftop and floating solar with battery storage, and uses an alkaline bipolar electrolyzer which has a capacity of 350 normal cubic meters per hour (Nm3/hr), guaranteeing an average 90 Nm3/hr round-the-clock supply of green hydrogen. 

The use of green hydrogen further enhances JSL decarbonization efforts. The company is aiming to cut half its carbon emissions by 2035 and become net zero by 2050. It estimates it has reduced approximately 240,000 tonnes of CO2 over the past two fiscal years (FY22 and FY23). 

Scindia had earlier constituted 12 task forces under the Union steel ministry to facilitate engagement between industry, academia, think tanks, S&T bodies, different ministries and other stakeholders to discuss, deliberate and recommend upon the decarbonization of the steel sector and promote green steel production in India.