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Q&A: GH2 Solar outlines gaps slowing India’s H2 plans

Q&A: GH2 Solar outlines gaps slowing India’s H2 plans

Mumbai, 9 December (Argus) — Indian renewable energy firm GH2 Solar recently began construction of an alkaline electrolyser manufacturing plant in Madhya Pradesh, with an initial capacity of 105 MW/yr that it aims to expand to 500 MW/yr. The plant is developed with South Korea's AHES and UK-based Rhizome2, and received roughly 1.6bn rupees ($17.8mn) under India's second electrolyser manufacturing subsidy round. GH2 Solar also plans to build its own renewable hydrogen production facilities, having secured three-year subsidies for 10,500 t/yr of output. Argus spoke with managing director Anurag Jain and vice-president of business development and corporate strategy Sanjeev Sharma about the company's plans, views on Indian policy and localisation of key components for electrolysers. Edited highlights follow: What are the main challenges that GH2 Solar and other Indian companies face in bringing hydrogen and electrolyser projects to fruition? The challenges are quite multifaceted. For GH2 Solar, and most other Indian developers, the biggest hurdle is project bankability. The policy direction is clear, but long-term offtake certainty and stable price signals are still evolving, making lenders cautious. These are highly capital-intensive projects that combine renewable generation, balance-of-plant and storage, which means long financing cycles. Another issue is the intermittency of renewable energy, which affects electrolyser efficiency and utilisation. Managing that through batteries, round-the-clock power or hydrogen storage adds cost and complexity. India still imports critical components such as membranes and catalysts, so building a resilient domestic supply chain will take time. Add to that the need for skilled manpower, unified standards and insurance frameworks — it's a steep but achievable learning curve. How do you view India's tenders? Are they effective in driving adoption? The tenders have created momentum. The production-linked incentives (PLIs) and the National Green Hydrogen Mission bids have drawn strong private participation and signalled government commitment. But we must recognise they are first-generation schemes. Some frameworks expect immediate commercial viability and deep localisation, which can be unrealistic early on. We need longer offtake tenors, payment security mechanisms and phased localisation milestones. But the direction is right. The tenders have put India firmly on the global hydrogen map. What additional policy or regulatory measures could accelerate the sector? India should move quickly to introduce contracts for difference (CfDs) or carbon CfDs to bridge the cost gap between grey and green hydrogen. That single mechanism can transform project bankability. A national hydrogen exchange or government-anchored offtake pool would aggregate demand and provide transparent price discovery. We also need a payment security fund, harmonised pipeline and grid codes, and continued fiscal support for electrolyser research and development, especially for membranes and catalysts. What are the biggest challenges for developing a fully indigenous electrolyser manufacturing ecosystem in India? True localisation goes far beyond assembly. The challenge lies in mastering advanced materials — membranes, coated bipolar plates and catalysts — and building high-precision chemical and metallurgical capabilities. Domestic demand must scale enough to justify the capital intensity of these facilities. We also need accredited testing and certification centres in India to validate stack life and performance so that Indian-made systems are globally bankable. How can project financing for green hydrogen become more viable? Financing will follow predictability. Mechanisms such as CfDs, minimum-volume guarantees or sovereign-backed payment windows can provide stable revenue floors. Blended finance — mixing concessional debt and DFI [development finance institutions] participation — will lower the cost of capital. Allowing hydrogen assets to earn ancillary-service revenue from the grid can also enhance project economics. And finally, standardised project templates and due-diligence protocols will shorten financial-closure timelines. Offtake remains a bottleneck. What measures could resolve this? We need an aggregated demand framework. A government-backed platform that bundles demand from refineries, fertilisers, city-gas networks and even corporate buyers could issue unified offtake tenders. Sectoral mandates — such as blending targets in piped natural gas or compressed natural gas and substitution quotas in refineries — will anchor baseline demand. Tradeable green-molecule certificates would let corporates purchase decarbonisation credits even if they don't consume hydrogen physically. Internationally, India should also participate in global offtake auctions with the EU, Japan and Korea. What is GH2 Solar's long-term strategy for green hydrogen and its derivatives? Our strategy is to create an end-to-end green hydrogen ecosystem — from renewable electrons to green molecules. We're setting up a 105 MW/yr electrolyser manufacturing facility in Madhya Pradesh. Civil works are progressing, equipment orders are being worked out and pilot production is planned for late 2026, with full-scale operations set for 2027. We are simultaneously developing green hydrogen production facilities. In the short term, our focus is on domestic decarbonisation — supplying green hydrogen to refineries, fertiliser and industrial clients. In the medium term, we will expand into green ammonia — we have already announced a 100,000 t/yr green ammonia facility with two partners — and e-methanol and SAF [sustainable aviation fuel], especially for export markets. What is your view on the use of Chinese electrolysers in Indian projects? It is a pragmatic bridge. Chinese systems are currently cost-competitive and available quickly, which helps early adopters prove the business case. But India must avoid long-term dependence. Every import should come with localisation and technology-transfer clauses so that we can build domestic capability over the next 3-5 years. Our goal should be cost parity and self-reliance, not permanent import dependence. GH2 Solar was awarded the support for the electrolyser capacity with high local-value-addition (LVA) targets. How will you achieve these? We have created a detailed localisation roadmap. In the first year, we will source and assemble all balance-of-plant, frames, power electronics and casing domestically, importing only few specialised components, achieving 80pc LVA. From year two onwards, we will indigenise stack components through technology partnerships with Indian material suppliers, reaching more than 90pc localisation. Which components still need to be imported? At present, we still need to import membranes, catalysts and coated bipolar plates — the high-tech core of the stack. Domestic production of these components should start in the next 18-36 months through our joint venture and targeted PLI support. With consistent policy and demand visibility, India can achieve full indigenous capability within five years. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.