NTPC starts blending green hydrogen with piped natural gas in Surat

• NTPC and Gujarat Gas started blending green hydrogen with PNG on January 3.
  
• NTPC Kawas held awareness workshops for township residents with help of GGL officials after the start of blending operation.
  
• Green Hydrogen, when blended with natural gas, helps reduce carbon-dioxide emissions while keeping net heating content the same.

National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) on Tuesday commissioned its first green hydrogen blending project in Gujarat.

The project, which is a joint effort between NTPC and Gujarat Gas (GGL), has started blending Green Hydrogen into piped natural gas (PNG) in Surat network of NTPC Kawas.

“NTPC and GGL have worked relentlessly towards achieving this milestone in record time after the foundation stone laid by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India on 30th July 2022. This set-up is geared up to supply H2-NG (natural gas) to households of Kawas township at Adityanagar, Surat,” the company said in a statement.

The first molecule of green hydrogen from the project was set in motion by P Ram Prasad, head of project, Kawas in presence of other senior executives of NTPC Kawas and GGL.

The company further said that NTPC Kawas held awareness workshops for township residents with help of GGL officials after the start of blending operation. Green Hydrogen in Kawas is made by electrolysis of water using power from an already installed 1 MW floating solar project.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has given approval for 5% vol./vol. blending of green hydrogen with PNG to start with. The blending level would be scaled phase wise to reach 20%, NTPC said in a press release.

Green Hydrogen, when blended with natural gas, helps reduce carbon-dioxide emissions while keeping net heating content the same. Only a few countries like the UK, Germany, and Australia have been able to achieve this feat.

“This would bring India at the center stage of the global hydrogen economy. India would not only reduce its hydrocarbon import bill significantly but can also bring forex ashore by being a green hydrogen and green chemicals exporter to the world,” NTPC said.

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