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* Indian Gas Exchange Launches Small-Scale LNG Contracts
The Indian Gas Exchange (IGX) having received approval from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) launched contracts of Small-Scale Liquefied Natural Gas (ssLNG) on its platform. This move marks a significant step towards addressing the demand of natural gas in areas that are not connected to the national gas grid.

The introduction of ssLNG contracts on IGX aims to address the growing gas demand from industries and CGD (City Gas Distribution) companies that do not have access to pipeline networks. Through ssLNG, they can now procure liquefied gas through LNG tankers at competitive rates under daily, fortnightly and monthly contracts. Initially, this contract is launched at Dahej & Hazira LNG Terminals. Later, it will be launched at other terminals namely Dhamra, Mundra, Ennore, Kochi, and on-land ssLNG stations at Vijaipur.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Anjani Kumar Tiwari, Member, PNGRB said, “Small-scale LNG serves as the cornerstone for our gas-based economy, enabling us to expand our reach beyond traditional pipelines. On supply side, it can bring gas from remote and difficult fields and on demand side, it can help an industry source gas which is not connected to the gas grid. With this vision, we provided approval to IGX for launching ssLNG contracts on their platform. PNGRB endeavors to be a facilitator to support the growth of ssLNG in India by providing a comprehensive regulatory framework. We will also be continuously evaluating the present regulations and making amendments to support the industry in navigating challenges.”

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. D.K. Saraf, Ex-Chairman, PNGRB said,” While pipelines stand as the optimal means for gas transportation, the geographical expanse of our nation poses challenges in reaching every corner. Small-scale LNG emerges as a solution, bridging this gap and enabling customers to access the advantages of natural gas, thus facilitating a transition towards cleaner energy sources. I extend my sincere compliments to IGX for collaborating with PNGRB in launching ssLNG in India. Together, we can pave the way for widespread adoption of small scale LNG and create a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for all.”

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Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Rajesh K Mediratta, MD & CEO, Indian Gas Exchange said, “We envision IGX providing marketplaces for competition, flexibility and transparent price discovery. The introduction of ssLNG contracts is to fill the void in ssLNG space. With the demand for road-transported LNG projected to increase substantially over the coming years, our initiative will provide city gas distribution networks, industries & LNG dispensers a competitive gas pricing that will optimize their costs. By facilitating the trading of ssLNG contracts, we are not only enabling the efficient transportation of larger volumes of natural gas via trucks but also widening access to a cleaner fuel across the country.”

Natural gas is primarily supplied through pipelines in the country. As a result, industries and commercial establishments without access to the grid primarily rely on trucks for LNG transportation. The demand for road-transported LNG is projected to increase to 5 MMSCMD over the next five years. ssLNG contracts presents a win-win situation for both the buyers as well as sellers. It would serve as a platform for sellers, who can come and trade LNG. Transporting natural gas in liquefied form via trucks will allow larger volumes to be transported, potentially making it economically viable for buyers not connected to pipelines. Further, it will also ensure a transparent and fair procurement process with enhanced payment security.

(Source: Sme Street)

* India to simultaneously grow hydrogen market and solar power
While both green hydrogen and solar energy contribute to renewable power, they also necessitate effective energy storage solutions. Battery storage systems, often associated with solar power, play a critical role in storing excess energy generated during sunny days for later use.

A new report highlights India’s potential to lead the fastest-growing market for hydrogen electrolysers by 2050, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions.

According to the report, India is projected to experience the highest growth rate in the expanding market for green hydrogen (H2) electrolysers in Asia, followed by China, Japan, and South Korea.

The report indicates a collective $180 billion opportunity for hydrogen electrolysers in key Asian markets by 2050. It was unveiled at an event held on April 12 in New Delhi.

BEV performance continues to lag conventional vehicles powered by fossil fuels in a number of aspects: cost, weight, range, charging time and performance in cold weather. Additionally, spent batteries often generate considerable waste because of limited recycling capacity. The supply chain associated with lithium ion battery production is also a concern.

Better battery technologies will certainly emerge in the years to come. However, improvements will likely be incremental because the required advances in chemistry, physics, and material science do not usually occur at the same rates as say, advances in information technology.

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) are becoming increasingly popular in the transportation sector, particularly in large-scale applications with high utilization rates such as busing, trucking, rail and maritime. FCEVs are powered by electric drive trains similar to BEVs, with the primary difference being FCEVs store energy primarily in tanks filled with hydrogen instead of large, heavy, battery packs. The much lighter weight associated with hydrogen fuel storage offers considerable advantages as vehicles, payloads and journeys are scaled up. Additionally, FCEVs offer much faster fuelling, superior range, and better cold-weather performance than BEVs. Many product developers also see considerable opportunities for future innovation that can improve performance and reduce costs.

Hydrogen has the potential to play a vital role in meeting the energy storage needs required to slash CO2 emissions. It is the most plentiful element in the universe and its capability as an effective energy carrier has been well-understood for decades

Hydrogen can be produced and used without toxic pollution or CO2 emissions. It burns clean when mixed with oxygen from the atmosphere and can be used as a source of heat or to power an internal combustion engine. Hydrogen can also be fed into a fuel-cell device that converts hydrogen’s chemical energy into electricity. In either case, the only emission produced is water vapour. When hydrogen fuel cells are used to power an electric motor, the system is more than twice as efficient as conventional internal combustion engines.

Hydrogen rarely exists in isolation but is amassed in enormous quantities in water, hydrocarbons, and biomass. Efficient extraction of hydrogen from these compounds is critical for wide scale deployment. Currently, about 95% of hydrogen is produced by splitting it from natural gas through a process called “steam-reforming.” Hydrogen produced in this manner is referred to as “gray” and is generally not considered an effective climate solution because it gives off CO2 as a by-product. However, it is possible to capture and sequester the CO2 to produce “blue” hydrogen at an additional cost of about 30%. The oil and gas sector, in particular Shell, BP, and Repsol, are interested in the blue hydrogen approach because it could help preserve the value of their natural gas assets.

Hydrogen is the most equitable of all fuels because it can be produced wherever there is access to electricity and water using a process called electrolysis, where an electric current is used to split hydrogen from oxygen. If the electricity comes from renewable sources, the hydrogen fuel is considered to be renewable or “green” because it is produced without CO2 emissions.

Electrolysis is energy-intensive and has only recently been considered feasible as the cost of renewable power has declined and electrolysis technology has improved. Nuclear power can also provide the energy for electrolysis to split water without CO2 emissions. U.S. utilities Exelon, FirstEnergy, Xcel Energy, and Arizona Public Service have all committed to commencing small-scale hydrogen production at nuclear plants. For comparison purposes, a kg of hydrogen contains about the same amount of energy as a gallon of gasoline. However, a large portion of the higher cost can be offset by the fact that FCEV driven trains are more than twice as efficient and require less maintenance than internal combustion drive trains. Recent analyses performed by MIT and Wood Mackenzie predict that the cost of green hydrogen will decline 30% by 2030.

(Source: Bizzbuzz)

* Dastur Energy spearheads carbon capture deployment across India
Dastur Energy Pvt Ltd, a prominent figure in the clean energy sector, is making significant advancements in deploying carbon capture technology across India. This technology, known as Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS), is designed to capture and effectively utilise the high concentrations of CO₂ emitted by various industrial activities. Captured carbon can then be repurposed for a variety of industrial applications or safely stored in deep geological formations such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs or saline aquifers.

CCUS technology not only addresses carbon emissions but also facilitates hydrogen production, which can serve as a versatile fuel source, a reductant in industrial processes, or be utilised in the production of ammonia. Additionally, when combined with captured CO₂, hydrogen can be used to produce high-value products like methanol.

Atanu Mukherjee, President & CEO of Dastur Energy, emphasised the critical importance of India’s transition to net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. He noted that India’s rapid economic growth required a strategic shift towards renewable energy sources. However, he emphasised that the transition from fossil fuels to renewables, especially in ‘hard-to-abate’ sectors like Steel, Cement, Oil and Gas, and Petrochemicals, would take time. Mukherjee highlighted the significance of implementing CCUS technologies in these sectors to align with India’s decarbonization objectives.

Furthermore, Mukherjee stressed the importance of collaboration among corporations, investors, technology firms, and research institutions for the successful development and deployment of carbon capture technologies in India.

(Source: Manufacturing Today)

* BPCL CMD reviewed ongoing activities at Onshore 1 block in Abu Dhabi
Shri G Krishnakumar, Chairman & Managing Director of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), accompanied by Shri V R K Gupta, Director (Finance) and Barnali Tokhi, Managing Director, BPRL, visited the Onshore 1 block in Abu Dhabi.

This block, operated by Urja Bharat Pte Ltd, a joint venture with a 50% stake from BPRL, holds a special place as the only one in Abu Dhabi operated by an Indian company.

During their visit, they reviewed the ongoing activities, underscoring BPCL’s commitment to crude supply security and self-reliance.

Bharat PetroResources Limited (BPRL) is our wholly owned subsidiary company, engaged in Exploration and Production activities.

(Source: PSU Connect)

* IOCL extends bid submission dates for first green hydrogen plant to May 7
Indian Oil Corporation has extended by another two weeks the deadline for the submission of bids for the state-owned oil marketing company’s first green hydrogen plant to be built in Panipat, a company official has told Moneycontrol.

The bidding process began on April 15 and the bids were to be opened on April 23 but now the date has been pushed to May 7 after prospective bidders requested more time to conclude partnerships, in line with the revised tender norms, the official said.

“Many of them (bidders) are yet to meet the specifications of the tender and they need to form JVs, with multiple entities coming together. They had already started the procedure but could not conclude, hence the timeline has been extended upon their request,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

A revised tender was issued in March after the first one was quashed over accusation that the norms were tailored for a joint venture that included Indian Oil Corporation.

(Source: Moneycontrol)

* Expect capex for EV components to cross Rs 250 billion in next 3-4 years: ICRA
The auto component industry is expected to invest over Rs 250 billion in the next 3-4 years to expand production of electric vehicle parts, rating agency ICRA said on Tuesday.

EV penetration in the country has reached 4.7 percent in FY2024, with much of it driven by the electric two-wheeler segment, although e-three-wheelers and electric buses have also contributed to the same, it said in a statement.

There has been substantial localisation in traction motors, control units, and battery management systems over the years, Icra said. However, advanced chemistry batteries, which remain the most critical and the costliest component, accounting for almost 35-40 percent of the vehicle price, are imported, it added.

The low localisation levels give rise to manufacturing opportunities for domestic auto component suppliers, it said.

“ICRA expects at least Rs 250 billion of capex for EV components in the next three-four years, for capacity building, technology and product enhancements,” Icra Senior Vice President Shamsher Dewan said.

About 45-50 percent of this would be towards battery cells, he added. The PLI scheme, recent e-vehicle policy and state incentives would also contribute to accelerating the capex, he said.

The rating agency expects EVs to account for around 25 percent of domestic two-wheeler and 15 percent of passenger vehicle sales by 2030.

Accordingly, the rating agency projects the domestic electric two-wheeler component market potential to exceed Rs 1000 billion by 2030, while the e-passenger vehicle component segment is foreseen at another Rs 500 billion at least, in terms of revenue potential for ancillaries, ICRA said.

Battery cells are currently not manufactured in India, and thus most original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) rely on imports.

“Manufacturing operations in India are limited to the assembly of battery packs. To achieve mass-scale penetration of EVs and a competitive cost structure, India will need to create its own ecosystem for developing battery cells locally,” Dewan said.

(Source: PSU Watch)

* Juniper Green Energy, Tata Power sign PPA for 85 MW hybrid project in Maharashtra
Juniper Green Energy on Tuesday said it has signed an agreement with Tata Power for the development of an 85-megawatt hybrid power project in Maharashtra.

“The project is the first wind-solar energy project for the company. It will utilize both wind and solar resources by combining 51 MW of wind energy and 34 MW of solar power,” Juniper Green Energy said in a statement.

The power purchase agreement (PPA) with Tata Power is for the development of an 85 MW hybrid power project in Maharashtra, the company said.

The project is expected to generate a total of 215 million units (MUs) of electricity per year, and contribute to the electrification of about 42,753 households.

Juniper Green Energy is an independent renewable energy power producer and operator of solar, wind and hybrid power projects.

The company is part of the AT Group, which has an asset portfolio of about USD 2.5 billion with global investments in renewable energy, residential and commercial real estate, hospitality

(Source: PSU Watch)

* Korea’s LTech UVC and India’s ACME Group sign $3 billion green energy joint venture
LTech UVC South Korean Company, a global producer of green energy resources based on green hydrogen ammonia, is entering India with the support of the South Korean government

LTech UVC signed a business agreement in Dubai, with Indian energy conglomerate ACME Group to jointly pursue a $3 billion green energy business. The joint project coincides with the green hydrogen forum’ CONNECTING GREEN HYDROGEN MENA’ in Dubai

Under the joint venture, LTech UVC and ACME Group will participate in constructing a green hydrogen ammonia plant in India

(Source: Gulf News)