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Mercedes-Benz to use fossil-free steel from H2 Green Steel
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Swedish company H2 Green Steel has signed a deal to supply German car maker Mercedes-Benz with 50,000 tonnes of steel made without using fossil fuels as of 2025. H2 Green Steel plans to use hydrogen made from renewable energy to produce steel instead of highly-polluting coal used in traditional steelmaking.
The deal would enable Mercedes-Benz to produce around 55,000 cars with a lower CO2 footprint.
H2 Green Steel has also signed a memorandum of understanding for the potential supply of green steel produced in North America. The company is expected to begin production in 2025 and has a capacity of up to five million tonnes of steel per year. H2 Green Steel is one of several companies in the region investing in fossil-free steel.
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Toyota unveils Hydrogen-powered racing car
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In a groundbreaking move, Toyota Motor Corp. has made history by entering their liquid hydrogen-powered racing car, the Mirai, into a 24-hour endurance race at Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan. This marks the world's first official participation of its kind and exemplifies Toyota's dedication to promoting hydrogen as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels. As the pioneer behind the world's first mass-produced fuel cell vehicle, Toyota has been at the forefront of advocating for a diverse range of green vehicles, including hybrids, in order to effectively reduce carbon footprints.
The endurance race at Fuji Speedway serves as a platform to test the capabilities of Toyota's liquid hydrogen car and address the challenges associated with this emerging technology, such as maintaining liquid hydrogen at extremely low temperatures.
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India launches initiative for indigenous technological innovations
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The Ministry of Power (MoP) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) have jointly launched the Mission on Advanced and High Impact Research (MAHIR), a national initiative in India's power sector aimed at developing, scaling, and deploying indigenous technological innovations. MAHIR, which follows the technology life cycle approach, is set to span from 2023-24 to 2027-28 and will be funded by MoP, MNRE, and Central Public Sector Enterprises.
The mission focuses on eight key areas of research, including Green Hydrogen for mobility, high efficiency fuel cells, carbon capture, alternatives to lithium-ion batteries, and solid-state refrigeration. To oversee the initiative, a two-tier structure has been established, consisting of a Technical Scoping Committee (TSC) and an Apex Committee. The TSC will identify global research areas and recommend them to the Apex Committee for approval and monitoring. Once approved, companies and organisations worldwide will be invited to submit outcome-linked funding proposals, which will be selected based on quality and cost.
Union Power Minister R.K Singh, who chairs the Apex Committee, emphasised that MAHIR will contribute to achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, is in line with India's Green Hydrogen Mission, support indigenous technologies developed by Indian startups, and facilitate technology transfer through collaborations with governments and institutions abroad.
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NTPC and Indian Oil in new green energy venture
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NTPC Ltd, a public sector undertaking (PSU) power company in India, has revealed its partnership with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (Indian Oil) to establish a joint venture called "INDIANOIL NTPC GREEN ENERGY PRIVATE LIMITED." This new company, formed through a 50:50 collaboration, will primarily concentrate on the development of renewable energy projects including solar PV, wind, energy storage, etc.
The joint venture aims to leverage the expertise and resources of both NTPC and Indian Oil to expand their footprint in the renewable energy sector. By combining their strengths, the companies intend to contribute to the country's renewable energy goals and promote a sustainable energy future in India.
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Government to clear dues to EV makers under FAME scheme by month-end
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The Indian government plans to clear the pending dues of beneficiaries under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME India) scheme by the end of June, a senior official of the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has said.
The MHI, which offers financial support to electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers through the INR 10,000 crore FAME India incentive scheme, and had faced delays in disbursing subsidies due to instances of false subsidy claims by some EV makers, also known as Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). To address this issue, the MHI has collaborated with IFCI, a development finance institution, to introduce additional checks and balances in the subsidy claim process. The involvement of IFCI has streamlined the system, has more checks and balances, and ensured that OEMs' views are considered before subsidy payments are cleared. The MHI is confident that all pending subsidies will be distributed within the current month, said Joint Secretary with MHI, Hanif Qureshi.
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Deal signed for world’s largest utility scale hydrogen plant in Saudi Arabia
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Uttar Pradesh and Australia-India trade body in pact for green energy
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Envision Energy has signed a contract to supply 1.67 GW wind turbines to NEOM Green Hydrogen Company, which will build the world's largest utility-scale hydrogen plant powered entirely by renewable energy. The plant is located at Oxagon in the NEOM region of Saudi Arabia, and is expected to be fully operational by 2026. The plant will produce up to 600 tonnes per day of carbon-free hydrogen, which can be used to fuel vehicles, power homes and businesses, and create new jobs.
This initiative is a significant step forward in promoting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 mission of reducing carbon emissions while simultaneously encouraging economic growth and job creation. It is also a major milestone for Envision Energy, which is committed to promoting wind and solar power as the "new coal", batteries and hydrogen fuel as the "new oil", the AIoT network as the "new grid".
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The Australia India Trade Association (AITA) and the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to foster collaboration in renewable energy and hydrogen technology.
This agreement establishes a Hydrogen Centre of Excellence and aims to attract renewable energy companies to Australia. AITA is forming a consortium of Australian companies specialising in ammonia and hydrogen production, electrolysis technologies, and sustainable aviation fuel companies. The collaboration will bring together industry leaders to advance hydrogen technology through research, development, and training. The Hydrogen Centre of Excellence will provide cutting-edge facilities for testing and experimentation, as well as a skill development centre.
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Tata Subsidiary receives Letter of Award for renewable power project
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Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited, a subsidiary of Tata Power, has been awarded a Letter of Award (LOA) to develop a 966MW Round-the-clock (RTC) hybrid renewable power project for Tata Steel. The project will combine solar and wind power, and will be one of the largest industrial RTC power purchase agreements (PPAs) under the Group Captive segment in India.
The project will have a solar capacity of 379MW and a wind capacity of 587MW. Tata Steel, a prominent global steel producer with an annual crude steel capacity of 35 million tonnes, seeks to meet a significant portion of its green energy requirements through this initiative. The project is anticipated to curtail carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately 2,389,160 tons each year.
As part of the agreement, Tata Steel will invest 26% equity in the project, with the commissioning targeted for 1 June, 2025. With the addition of this project, the total renewable capacity of Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited reaches 7,756MW, with 4,059MW already installed (3,107MW of solar capacity and 952MW of wind capacity), and an additional 3,697MW under various stages of implementation.
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Serentica Renewables secures contracts worth INR 10,000 crores
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Serentica Renewables, a decarbonisation platform providing round the clock clean energy solutions, has bagged contracts valued at INR 10,000 crore for its upcoming renewable energy projects in India, which aim to develop 1.5 GW of RE capacity.
The company plans to establish solar and wind capacities in states where it has obtained connectivity to the inter-state transmission system (ISTS). For its wind-based projects in Maharashtra and Karnataka, Serentica has partnered with prominent firms such as Suzlon, Siemens Gamesa, and Envision. Additionally, Jinko Solar and Trina Solar will provide solar modules for projects in Rajasthan and Maharashtra. The procurement and construction work will be executed by Suzlon, Sterling & Wilson, Amara Raja Power Systems, EverRenew, and Rays Power. Serentica Renewables anticipates completing the projects and commencing operations by the fiscal year 2025.
As part of the agreement, Serentica will raise approximately USD 250 million from KKR & Co Inc., a US private equity firm, to support the supply of 2.5 GW of renewable energy to commercial and industrial consumers.
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Pune Metro has taken a significant step towards sustainability and cost-saving measures by successfully installing rooftop solar energy panels at its stations and depots.
This initiative aims to reduce the metro system's carbon footprint and achieve a total solar capacity of 9MW. Nine solar plants commissioned have a collective DC capacity of 2281 KWp. These solar plants generate an average of 11,500 units of electricity per day, resulting in substantial cost savings. Once all the installations are completed, it is expected that 40% of the metro system's electricity consumption will be met through solar power.
Hemant Sonawane, the executive director of PR and administration at Pune Metro also emphasised their various eco-friendly initiatives, including tree transplantation and bio-digesters. The installation of solar panels is an imperative decision that positions Pune Metro as a "green transport" system while inspiring other mass transit systems to embrace renewable energy for both environmental and financial benefits.
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India expedites the commissioning of Pumped Storage Projects
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The Indian government has implemented measures to expedite the commissioning of Pumped Storage projects (PSPs) and enhance the country's renewable energy capacity. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) granted approval to the Upper Sileru PSP in Andhra Pradesh within a record time of 70 days, surpassing the 90-day timeline. To streamline the process for approving Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of hydro PSPs, the CEA established a Single Window Clearance Cell, while the Central Water Commission (CWC) and Geological Survey of India (GSI) appointed nodal officers to accelerate design and geological clearances. The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has introduced measures to expedite environmental clearances for PSPs, reducing the time required for assessments and impact evaluations.
In further efforts to fast-track PSPs, the CEA published revised guidelines for DPR formulation and concurrence, reducing the timeline for certain categories of PSPs from 90 to 50 days and others from 125 to 90 days. The identified potential for PSPs in India is approximately 119 GW, comprising 109 projects. Currently, eight projects with a capacity of 4.7 GW are operational, while four projects totaling 2.8 GW are under construction. The CEA has granted concurrence for two projects totaling 2.3 GW, with construction set to commence soon. Furthermore, 33 projects with a capacity of 42 GW are currently undergoing survey and investigation for DPR preparation, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has already provided Terms of Reference for 22 of these projects.
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