India’s first desalination-based Hydrogen plant in Vizag

Visakhapatnam is set to become a pioneer in green energy with India’s first desalination-based hydrogen project underway. The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) and NTPC Limited are collaborating on this landmark initiative, estimated to cost Rs 35 crore.
The project will see a 1 tonne per day (TPD) capacity plant installed at NTPC Simhadri. This aligns with NTPC’s commitment to clean energy, as the company pursues a comprehensive green hydrogen agenda. Their vision includes establishing an energy park at Pudimadaka in Anakapalli district, with approval from the Andhra Pradesh State Investment Board in 2023. This ambitious project, with a total investment of ?1.1 lakh crore across two phases, aims to produce green hydrogen, green ammonia, and green methanol, significantly boosting India’s renewable energy capabilities.
Professor Shalivahan, Director of IIPE, highlighted the project’s environmental benefits. “Our approach leverages desalinated water from NTPC Simhadri’s existing plant for hydrogen generation through electrolysis,” he explained. This eliminates the reliance on freshwater resources, a crucial advantage in water-scarce regions.
Dr. Somnath Ghosh, the project’s lead investigator, provided technical details. “We use desalinated water to produce one tonne of hydrogen daily, requiring around 10 tonnes of water obtained from 300 tonnes of seawater. The produced hydrogen will be stored at NTPC’s facilities,” he said.
While currently reliant on conventional electricity sources, Dr. Ghosh emphasized the significant environmental benefits.
“Unlike traditional methods that emit carbon dioxide, ours is carbon-neutral,” he explained.
“We utilize waste heat from the power plant for desalination, essentially converting wasted energy into valuable hydrogen.