Torrent Group, a company based in Ahmedabad, inaugurated a green hydrogen facility at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, with the event officiated by state chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
Torrent Power and Torrent Gas are Torrent Group entities that are jointly developing the project with an annual production capacity of 72 tonnes per annum, according to the group in statements.
“The green hydrogen produced at the plant will be blended with natural gas in Torrent Gas’ City Gas Distribution infrastructure in Gorakhpur, maintaining its concentration up to 2 percent,” it said.
The natural gas mixed with green hydrogen will again be distributed to local homes, CNG stations, and sectors inside the area by the previously set up natural gas circuitry of gas pipelines.
“Torrent’s green hydrogen plant in Gorakhpur is the first green hydrogen plant in Uttar Pradesh and is also the largest green hydrogen and natural gas blending project in the city gas distribution sector in the country,” the statement said.
Torrent Gas’s Expanding Gas Supply Network
Torrent Gas has the license to supply Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) in the Gorakhpur, Sant Kabirnagar, and Kushinagar districts.
Torrent has already installed 32 CNG stations and is supplying gas to 12,000+ domestic households and 73 industries and commercial establishments in the region and has the plan of increasing its gas distribution infrastructure in the region extensively.
Green Hydrogen: A Cleaner Energy Source
Green hydrogen Green hydrogen is hydrogen generated through renewable sources, such as solar energy, to produce power through the process of electrolysis of water.
Compared to hydrogen manufactured using fossil fuels, green hydrogen is a cleaner source of energy carrier, as it does not have direct carbon emissions.
The co-blending of it with natural gas will minimize the carbon footprint, use the existing infrastructure that has been laid down to distribute natural gas, and help build initial demand for hydrogen.
Addressing the event, Adityanath added Uttar Pradesh has a green hydrogen production target of 1 million tonnes per annum and has formulated a dedicated policy that will facilitate potential investments.
With this plant becoming operational, it is possible that the favor of the green hydrogen has become a reality for the ordinary human beings and will directly enter into their kitchens and vehicles. They also quoted him as saying.
He also said that “access to PNG has brought relief to the people of Gorakhpur and other cities, most particularly the housewife because of the convenience, safety factor, and savings. Greater adoption of CNG as fuel in the transportation sector has contributed to disrupting pollution and cutting expenses among the masses.”
Natural piped gas is also being used increasingly by various industries and commercial establishments of Gorakhpur, and these communities are enjoying the advantages of less costly and economically viable energy.
Jinal Mehta, Director, Torrent Group, said, “Torrent Group is committed to making a significant contribution to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for India’s Energy Transition and National Green Hydrogen Mission. The commissioning of Torrent Power’s green hydrogen plant in Gorakhpur and its integration into Torrent Gas’ city gas distribution infrastructure in Gorakhpur is a milestone in this endeavor. It marks the culmination of the first initiative in our long-term vision of setting up large-scale green hydrogen plants in the country for various use cases, including for blending with natural gas in the CGD network.”
“Blending green hydrogen into Gorakhpur’s gas grid is a step in achieving a practical, scalable pathway to the country’s net-zero target. It lowers emissions, builds demand for green molecules, and creates a platform for deeper decarbonization in transport and industry”, he said.
