New Delhi: The Whitepaper, 'Role of Green Hydrogen in the Indian Steel Sector' highlighting the transformative potential of green hydrogen in steel production, was released today by the India Green Steel Coalition (IGSC), a joint initiative of WWF-India and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
Around 30 business leaders and industry representatives from the steel industry, including manufacturers and end-use consumers, attended the launch at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, with additional stakeholders from the steel sector participating virtually.
India is making significant strides in its clean energy transition by investing in green hydrogen infrastructure. The National Hydrogen Mission, launched in 2021, aims to establish India as a global leader in green hydrogen, targeting five million metric tonnes annually by 2030. The steel industry is responsible for 7% of global CO2 emissions, and green hydrogen offers a sustainable alternative to traditional carbon-intensive production methods.
The Whitepaper 'Role of Green Hydrogen in the Indian Steel Sector' highlights the growing importance of green hydrogen in decarbonising the steel industry, noting its potential to significantly reduce emissions, particularly in DRI-EAF processes.
As demand rises, green hydrogen is expected to become a key enabler of low-carbon steel production. Production costs are anticipated to fall as advanced development in electrolyser technology takes place in the coming years, improving its commercial viability and scalability. The Whitepaper underscores demand growth, cost trends, emissions impact, and infrastructure needs as critical for sustainable steelmaking.
Mr Vishal Dev, Director-Sustainable Business, WWF-India, said, "Green hydrogen is produced using entirely renewable electricity, which can then be used for industrial processes such as steel production, substantially cutting CO2 emissions. It has the potential to revolutionise the steel industry, so exploring its integration across various steel production routes is crucial. With strategic investments and enabling policy frameworks, we can overcome current barriers and accelerate green hydrogen adoption in steelmaking for long-term environmental and economic benefits."
Mr R K Goyal, Chairman-India Green Steel Coalition (IGSC) said, "India's growing renewable energy capacity makes it well-positioned to integrate green hydrogen technologies into steelmaking, supporting its commitment to sustainability and industrial innovation. Green hydrogen can substantially cut emissions, especially in gas-based DRI-EAF steelmaking processes, aligning with India's Net-Zero goals. IGSC recognises the critical role of green hydrogen in decarbonising India's steel sector and emphasises the need for scalable hydrogen production technologies to meet the growing demand".
Mr Kapil Bansal, Partner, Energy Transition and Decarbonization at EY Parthenon said, "India is set on an ambitious 2030 target, which includes producing 5 million metric tons (MMT) of green hydrogen annually, installing 60-100 GW of electrolyser capacity, and adding 125 GW of renewable energy capacity dedicated to hydrogen production. These initiatives are expected to help reduce 50 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually".
The Whitepaper 'Role of Green Hydrogen in the Indian Steel Sector' will be shared with key stakeholders and will become a guiding document on green hydrogen use to decarbonise India's steel sector.
For more information, please contact Vishal Sukhija at vsukhija@wwfindia.net / 8377085974 or Abhishek Sah at asah@wwfindia.net / 9582025864.
NOTES:
Around 30 business leaders and industry representatives from the steel industry, including manufacturers and end-use consumers, attended the launch at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, with additional stakeholders from the steel sector participating virtually.
India is making significant strides in its clean energy transition by investing in green hydrogen infrastructure. The National Hydrogen Mission, launched in 2021, aims to establish India as a global leader in green hydrogen, targeting five million metric tonnes annually by 2030. The steel industry is responsible for 7% of global CO2 emissions, and green hydrogen offers a sustainable alternative to traditional carbon-intensive production methods.
The Whitepaper 'Role of Green Hydrogen in the Indian Steel Sector' highlights the growing importance of green hydrogen in decarbonising the steel industry, noting its potential to significantly reduce emissions, particularly in DRI-EAF processes.
As demand rises, green hydrogen is expected to become a key enabler of low-carbon steel production. Production costs are anticipated to fall as advanced development in electrolyser technology takes place in the coming years, improving its commercial viability and scalability. The Whitepaper underscores demand growth, cost trends, emissions impact, and infrastructure needs as critical for sustainable steelmaking.
Mr Vishal Dev, Director-Sustainable Business, WWF-India, said, "Green hydrogen is produced using entirely renewable electricity, which can then be used for industrial processes such as steel production, substantially cutting CO2 emissions. It has the potential to revolutionise the steel industry, so exploring its integration across various steel production routes is crucial. With strategic investments and enabling policy frameworks, we can overcome current barriers and accelerate green hydrogen adoption in steelmaking for long-term environmental and economic benefits."
Mr R K Goyal, Chairman-India Green Steel Coalition (IGSC) said, "India's growing renewable energy capacity makes it well-positioned to integrate green hydrogen technologies into steelmaking, supporting its commitment to sustainability and industrial innovation. Green hydrogen can substantially cut emissions, especially in gas-based DRI-EAF steelmaking processes, aligning with India's Net-Zero goals. IGSC recognises the critical role of green hydrogen in decarbonising India's steel sector and emphasises the need for scalable hydrogen production technologies to meet the growing demand".
Mr Kapil Bansal, Partner, Energy Transition and Decarbonization at EY Parthenon said, "India is set on an ambitious 2030 target, which includes producing 5 million metric tons (MMT) of green hydrogen annually, installing 60-100 GW of electrolyser capacity, and adding 125 GW of renewable energy capacity dedicated to hydrogen production. These initiatives are expected to help reduce 50 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually".
The Whitepaper 'Role of Green Hydrogen in the Indian Steel Sector' will be shared with key stakeholders and will become a guiding document on green hydrogen use to decarbonise India's steel sector.
For more information, please contact Vishal Sukhija at vsukhija@wwfindia.net / 8377085974 or Abhishek Sah at asah@wwfindia.net / 9582025864.
NOTES:
- The India Green Steel Coalition (IGSC), a joint initiative of WWF-India and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), aims to promote green steel manufacturing and consumption in India through enabling policies and demand alignment. Officially launched on 27 September 2024 by Shri Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, Hon'ble Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries, alongside Shri Sandeep Poundrik, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, IGSC targets a 30% reduction in Indian steel production intensity compared to 2023 emission levels by 2030. The coalition will support government efforts to increase domestic steel production and create an enabling environment for sustained reduction in the sector's emissions intensity.
