SECI Withdraws Green Hydrogen Hub Proposal: A Strategic Halt in India's Clean Energy Journey
India’s clean energy sector continues to take shape as government agencies, private developers, and technology firms collaborate to build a sustainable future. In a recent turn of events, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has formally withdrawn its previous call for submission of proposals for the establishment of Green Hydrogen Hubs under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
The proposal—initially published on August 20, 2024, with reference number SECI/C&P/EOI/17/0002/24-25—is now deactivated and cancelled. Rather than viewing this as a setback, one might characterize this simply as a strategic pause to rethink the country’s implementation plan for green hydrogen infrastructure.
At Feston SEV, we think each shift in the clean energy policy landscape opens the door for innovation, enhancement, and more integrated technology avenues.
In this article, we discuss what this cancellation implies, why it is important, and how India’s clean energy stakeholders—like solar innovators like ours—can gear up for the next stage.
What Was the Proposal About?
The retracted Expression of Interest (EOI) was a part of India’s broader vision to emerge as a world hub for green hydrogen production and export. These Green Hydrogen Hubs were proposed to enable the large-scale adoption of green hydrogen technologies in sectors such as:
- Steel and cement production
- Production of fertilizers
- Refining
- Heavy-duty transport
- Generation of power
The EOI intended to find government and private sector organizations that could install and run hydrogen production facilities based on renewable power sources—solar and wind. Such facilities were planned to combine generation, storage, transmission, and end-use of hydrogen.
Why Was the Proposal Withdrawn?
Though SECI has not issued an official explanation, the withdrawal of this EOI may be due to a range of strategic and operational reasons:
- Policy Realignment and Review
The Green Hydrogen Mission is a long-term scheme, and a proposal of this nature needs regular review. SECI could be re-evaluating technical, regulatory, or economic structures in order to make it easier to implement when the initiative comes back in a more streamlined format.
- Market Readiness Concerns
Green hydrogen remains in its nascent phase worldwide. India’s electrolyzer capacity, cost competitiveness, and infrastructure preparedness are evolving. A temporary halt now may enable more solid groundwork and greater coordination between stakeholders.
- Stakeholder Feedback
Feedback from the industry after the release of the EOI could have highlighted gaps in transparency, funding arrangements, or scalability strategy. The cancellation enables SECI to incorporate feedback into a more solid, more feasible future tender.
A Strategic Pause—Not a Step Back
Let it be stressed that this pull-back is not an indication of loss of momentum in India’s green hydrogen dream. Instead, it is an indication of maturity in policy-making, demonstrating that India is making the necessary efforts to ensure that subsequent deployments are impactful, bankable, and scalable.
India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission Still Holds Strong
The National Green Hydrogen Mission, initiated in January 2023 with an outlay of ₹19,744 crore, remains a pillar of India’s clean energy policy. It aims to:
- Reach 5 MMT of green hydrogen production annually by 2030
- Increase renewable energy capacity of 125 GW for hydrogen production
- Secure more than ₹8 lakh crore of investments
- Generate more than 600,000 jobs
The withdrawal of a single proposal does not change this larger vision. If anything, it reaffirms the government’s commitment to phase out this mission in a planned, well-implemented sequence.
The Role of Solar Energy in the Green Hydrogen Economy
Hydrogen is only as green as the electricity it’s made with. Solar energy comes in here. Electrolyzers, the machines that split water to make hydrogen, need a constant DC power supply—a role that solar energy can perform efficiently and endlessly.
How Feston SEV Assists in This Vision
At Feston SEV, our competency with next-generation on-grid solar inverters, particularly with triple MPPT technology, makes us uniquely capable of enabling future hydrogen infrastructure.
Our inverters are:
- High-efficiency to optimize solar generation
- Smart grid-compatible for synchronized energy flows
- Remotely monitorable for real-time performance analytics
- Integrated with energy storage for stabilizing variable loads
All these make our systems perfectly suited for solar-driven hydrogen production, particularly when coupled with battery storage or hybrid systems.
What Should Stakeholders Do Now?
For clean energy companies, developers, and EPC firms, this cancellation presents a great chance to:
✅ Build Technical Capabilities
Make the most of this window to enhance solar inverter technologies, implement energy storage solutions, and validate modular hydrogen systems for planned deployment.
✅ Get into Policy Dialogue
Work with industry associations and policy makers to offer feedback, present ground-level inputs, and assist in creating a more actionable roadmap.
✅ Get Ready for Next Tenders
Form consortiums, invest in feasibility studies, and align with technology vendors to gear up for future EOIs and tenders, which SECI is likely to announce in the coming future.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Green Hydrogen?
Even though this specific proposal has been withdrawn, green hydrogen continues to be at the core of India’s clean energy plan. Future proposals and policies can target:
- Pilot-scale hydrogen plants for testing business models
- Financial support programs such as viability gap funding or PLI incentives
- Electrolyzer production programs for import reduction
- Hydrogen blending in natural gas pipelines
- Public-private partnerships for infrastructure development
SECI will likely introduce updated frameworks or new invitations within the near term, perhaps with more specific implementation structures and risk mitigation strategies.
Final Thoughts
The pullout of the Green Hydrogen Hub proposal by SECI is not a stop but a strategic rethinking. It is a reflection of the fact that India is going about its clean energy transformation with caution, order, and long-term transparency.
At Feston SEV, we are hopeful and ready. Our intelligent solar inverter technologies are already empowering high-performance solar harvesting in residential, commercial, and industrial installations.
As the green hydrogen economy matures, we are poised to be at the forefront of fueling electrolyzer-ready, renewable-supported infrastructure.
The journey ahead may change direction—but the destination remains clear:
A cleaner, self-sufficient, and hydrogen-fueled India.