Indian Oil cancels tenders for 10 KTA green hydrogen unit.
The Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) has cancelled its tender to set up the first green hydrogen plant in the company’s Panipat Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Haryana, amid a lacklustre response and allegations that the tender norms favoured a joint venture that included the state-run oil marketing company.
The Independent Green Hydrogen Producers Association, which represents private sector players from the industry, moved court against the tender. Following this, last week, IOC issued a corrigendum stating that the tender for the green hydrogen project of capacity 10-kilo tonne per annum stands cancelled.
In December, IOCL received only one bid for the tender from GH4India Pvt Ltd, which is a joint venture the company has formed with infrastructure and engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and renewable energy company ReNew.
The conflict of interest in the bidding process led the prospective bidders to approach the court to challenge IOCL’s bid process.
In 2021, IOCL announced plans to set up two green hydrogen plants of 5 KTA capacity at its refinery in Mathura and of 2 KTA in Panipat. However, in 2023, it dropped plans for the green hydrogen unit in Mathura citing Panipat as more economical. Subsequently, in August last year, IOCL initiated the process to set up its maiden green hydrogen generation plant in Panipat, with a capacity of 10,000 kilo tonne per annum (KTA). The project was expected to largest green hydrogen plant in the country.
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Indian Oil cancels tenders for 10 KTA green hydrogen unit. source