How does BPCL’s hydrogen roadmap align with the National Green Hydrogen Mission and India’s broader decarbonization targets? 

BPCL’s strategy is fully aligned with the Government of India’s vision under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). We are working closely with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and Centre for High Technology to ensure synergy with national objectives. Our commitment is clear and we aim to achieve net zero for Scope I & II emissions by 2040. 

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has taken pioneering steps in this direction. We were the first recipient of subsidy under Mode 1 Bucket II for producing green hydrogen through biomass-based pathways. Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) based green hydrogen project at Kochi is under commissioning. We have commissioned a 5 MW alkaline water electrolyser based green hydrogen plant at Bina Refinery, the largest plant amongst any Indian refinery.  

To promote green hydrogen as mobility fuel, we have put up a fuelling station at Kochi city with assistance from CIAL (Cochin International Airport Ltd.) which is under commissioning and has the biggest indigenous electrolyser using BARC technology. Next phase Under the SIGHT 2B scheme, we have awarded a tender for a 5 KTPA Build-Own-Operate green hydrogen plant by 2030. We have plan to scale this further up to 25 KTPA. 

BPCL has commissioned a 5 MW green hydrogen plant at its Bina Refinery in Madhya Pradesh. Kindly share the current production data, actual versus planned output (tonnes/day, annual)? Will hydrogen be used for refinery operations, internal energy needs, or sale/export? 

The Bina Green Hydrogen plant is a milestone for BPCL and for India’s refining sector. We commissioned it in a record time of 15 months setting a benchmark for speed and execution. Current production capacity is 2.2 tonnes per day. Annually, this translates to 0.72 KTPA of green hydrogen, reducing 9 KTPA of CO? emissions. 

The plant has best in class electrolyser operational speci?c energy consumption of 47.75 kwh/kg-H2 vs design of 50.75 Kwh/Kg-H2. The unit is powered by in-house 18 MW solar power and the hydrogen produced will be used for refining processes, replacing grey hydrogen. This is a critical step toward decarbonizing our operations. 

What is the expected scale-up trajectory from 5 MW to bigger capacity within 3–5 years and what production volumes are targeted?

Our roadmap is ambitious yet practical. Under the BOO model, a 5 KTPA electrolysis-based plant at Bina will become operational by April 2028, requiring about 55–60 MW of electrolyzers. By 2030, BPCL plans to have 20 KTPA additional capacity taking total green hydrogen production to 25-30 KTPA. 

The Bina plant is reportedly to supply hydrogen for refining processes. What proportion of refinery hydrogen demand does the green hydrogen output aim to meet now and in future?

Presently, green hydrogen is 0.9 % of production and is scheduled to increase to 5% by 2028. We are aiming to achieve 10% of hydrogen share as significant a step toward decarbonization by 2030. 

What are the next planned green hydrogen facilities (locations, capacities, commissioning timelines) beyond Bina? 

we have setup biomass-based compressed biogas plant at Kochi and Bina which will add 2 KTPA green Hydrogen. The BOO plant for green H2 at Bina will add 5 KTPA by 2028 and by 2030 we have plans of 25-30 KTPA green hydrogen production for our refineries.  

BPCL has unveiled India’s first indigenous alkaline electrolyser in collaboration with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). What is the expected production capacity of these electrolysers, and by when does BPCL envision commercial-scale deployment? How do you plan to integrate this electrolyser into a broader green hydrogen roadmap?  

A 0.5 MW electrolyser has been installed near the Cochin International Airport (CIAL) with a green hydrogen production capacity of approximately 200 kg per day, earmarked for vehicle mobility. Future decisions regarding the expansion of this initiative to include waterways mobility will be based on the performance of these electrolysers and the overall demand for green hydrogen.  

What is BPCL’s long-term target for renewable energy capacity and what portion is earmarked for hydrogen production?

BPCL has a long-term renewable energy goal of 10 GW by 2035 and around 60-70% of this will be required for green hydrogen production. However, it must be noted that green hydrogen production technologies are evolving and may take a while to stabilise. Also, Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) technology which consumes green hydrogen is in the development phase. These factors will largely decide future renewable energy capacity for hydrogen production.  

BPCL has also partnered with KPIT Technologies to promote hydrogen-based mobility. Plans for hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) and pilot fuel-cell-bus projects in Kerala (between Kochi and Trivandrum)? What is the planned timeline and scale for hydrogen-based mobility deployment in Kerala or other regions?

BPCL has also partnered with KPIT Technologies to promote hydrogen-based mobility. It is planned to conduct a pilot by deploying FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) hydrogen bus between BPCL-HRS at CIAL to Aluva Metro Station, Kochi. Furthermore, BPCL has bagged MNRE funding under Hydrogen Mobility Scheme - Phase 1 to set up HRS at Trivandrum by December 2026 at the land provided by the Kerala State Government to establish hydrogen mobility across the state. On similar lines, BPCL is working with EKA mobility-KPIT consortium to fuel their FCEV vehicles on routes across Madhya Pradesh under MNRE Hydrogen Mobility Scheme-2 in central India. 

Is BPCL evaluating hydrogen use beyond buses, i.e. aviation, shipping (bunkering), petrochemical feedstock, or heavy-duty vehicles?

Beyond buses, BPCL is also planning for heavy duty truck movement as part of its Kerala mobility plan. Discussions are on to explore Hydrogen for mobility for waterways at Kerala. 

What is BPCL’s total planned investment (or allocation) for hydrogen, renewables, and associated infrastructure over the next 5–10 years?

We have planned Rs. 12,000 crore for renewable infrastructure and Rs. 28,000 crore for GH2 infrastructure till 2040 for achieving Scope 1 and Scope 2 targets. 

What challenges does BPCL foresee in scaling hydrogen mobility and refuelling infrastructure across India, and what are the key risks in expanding green hydrogen production at refinery scale?

BPCL, with decades of experience in handling hydrogen for refinery operations, is now preparing for a transformative shift toward hydrogen mobility and large-scale green hydrogen production. This transition brings significant operational, safety, technical, economic, and regulatory challenges. For hydrogen mobility, we need to upskill required manpower for operating and maintaining hydrogen refuelling stations and develop expertise among engineering and construction partners. Safety concerns include the scarcity of high-pressure components and the need for stringent storage and handling protocols, while regulatory hurdles persist due to low awareness among local authorities and evolving frameworks for hydrogen transport and public use.

At the refinery scale, technical risks include development of large-scale electrolyser technology, requirements for renewable power, and the non-availability of grid infrastructure upgrades to handle gigawatt-scale transmission. Economically, green hydrogen costs significantly more than grey hydrogen due to high capital expenditure and renewable power costs, compounded by GST on hydrogen projects and supply chain constraints. 

BPCL considers the speed and extent of green hydrogen adoption in refineries to be shaped mainly by technology readiness and cost competitiveness.