INOX Air Products to build green hydrogen plant for Asahi India Glass

Indian glass manufacturer Asahi India Glass Limited (AIS) and INOX Air Products (INOXAP) have entered into a 20-year offtake agreement for supply of green hydrogen to AIS's greenfield float glass facility in Soniyana in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. 

Claimed as India's first-ever green hydrogen plant for the float glass industry, the project will have a capacity to generate up to 190 TPA of green hydrogen using an electrolyser. Slated to get commissioned by July 2024, the plant will be powered by solar power. 

In the first phase, 95 TPA of renewable hydrogen will be supplied to AIS. While INOXAP is responsible for the design, engineering, installation, and operations of hydrogen electrolyser for 20 years, AIS will be investing in the solar power plant. 

Commenting on the development, Siddharth Jain, Managing Director, INOX Air Products, said, "We are proud to begin our Green Hydrogen journey as we partner AIS for their Chittorgarh facility, and giving shape to our first Green Hydrogen Plant as well as India's first ever Green Hydrogen plant for the Float Glass sector. This development would substantially reduce CO2 emissions with a reduction of 1250 MTPA. The trust shown by AIS in our capabilities is a testament to our expertise in safety, technology and project management". 

"Green Hydrogen will play a pivotal role in India's energy transition towards decarbonization and secure energy for our country as well as the planet, supported by a comprehensive National Green Hydrogen Mission and net-zero ambition by 2070. Green Growth is the way forward, and we are firmly committed to driving significant sustainability in India's manufacturing sector", he added. 

AIS's greenfield project will manufacturer high-quality float glass to be used for automotive and architectural purposes. The agreement with INOX Air Products for setting up a green hydrogen plant for this project is part of its overall sustainability strategy to decarbonize its manufacturing processes, the company claims.  

"As a leading and responsible glass company, AIS is a strong believer in sustainability. Our partnership with INOX Air Products, for green hydrogen underlines the same belief", Rupinder Shelly, COO-Architectural Glass, Asahi India Glass Ltd. 

"Our greenfield plant at Soniyana targets to use 94 percent of its power requirements through green and sustainable energy sources. In addition to investment in solar power, AIS is investing to generate electricity from flue gases before releasing through chimney. This pioneering initiative not only exemplifies our shared vision for a greener future but also reinforces India's position as a global leader in renewable energy adoption", he added. 

As India's largest manufacturer of industrial and medical gases, INOXAP recently signed an MoU with the Government of Maharashtra for setting up a 500,000 mtpa liquid ammonia production facility with a proposed outlay of $3 billion in the Indian state.