27 Feb 2023
Aranayak Fuel and Power, a group of businessmen from Uttar Pradesh, is set to break ground on a groundbreaking project that promises to revolutionize the production of green hydrogen in India. The company is investing Rs 50 crore in a 1-tonne-per-day, biomass-based green hydrogen plant in Mirzapur district, Uttar Pradesh. The project, which received the backing of the state government during a recent 'global investors' meet,' is scheduled to begin production on August 15.
This will be India's first commercial-scale biomass-based green hydrogen project, and it is a significant milestone for the country's efforts to transition to clean energy. While the country has already made significant progress in adopting solar and wind energy, green hydrogen is seen as the "fuel of the future" due to its versatility and zero emissions.Â
The biomass route for producing green hydrogen is seen as a more viable option than the electrolysis route in India, where there is an abundance of agri-residues. This process does not require large quantities of pure water, which is one of the drawbacks of electrolysis. The project will consume 30 TPD of biomass (wood scrap) and produce hydrogen at a cost of around Rs 700 per kg.Â
Biezel Green Energy, a company set up by Prof Preetham Singh of IIT, BHU, is providing the technology for the project. Prof Singh has developed a 'thermally accelerated anaerobic digester' (TAD), which is a reactor that produces hydrogen, methane, and bio-coal from biomass. The TAD technology involves a "novel fractionation process," capable of extracting 30-40 grams of hydrogen, 120 grams of methane, and 250 g of bio-coal from a kg of biomass.Â
In addition to producing green hydrogen, the process also produces 3.6 TPD of methane and 7.5 TPD of bio-coal as co-products. Hindalco, among other companies, has expressed interest in buying the hydrogen, making selling it less of a challenge. GAIL will purchase the methane produced as a byproduct.Â
Swaraj Green Power and Fuel Ltd, promoted by BJP MP from Madha, Maharashtra, Ranjeetsinha Hindurao Naik-Nimbalkar, is also investing approximately Rs 100 crore in a 3.5 TPD biomass-based green hydrogen plant, utilizing Biezel Green's technology.Â
The Aranayak Fuel and Power project in Mirzapur is a significant step forward for India's clean energy efforts, and it will be exciting to see how the project develops in the coming months. The TAD technology used by Biezel Green Energy is a breakthrough that has the potential to transform the way we produce green hydrogen. As India continues its journey towards a more sustainable future, projects like this will play a crucial role in ensuring a cleaner, greener, and more prosperous India.