Visakhapatnam, Apr 1 (Agency) The National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (NTPC) will complete the Phase-I Green Energy Park Project (Green Hydrogen Hub) at Pudimadaka in Anakapalle district of Andhra Pradesh by 2026, according to B Sanjay Kumar Sinha, GCM (Business Unit Head) of NTPC, Simhadri Super Thermal Power Station. Sanjay said the Corporation is expected to spend Rs1.1 lakh crore in a phased manner to set up Green Hydrogen Hub to produce energy from green hydrogen. The park will come up at Pudimadaka, where the AP Industrial Corporation (APIIC) had earlier allotted 1,200 acres of land for NTPC and the green energy park project will be completed by 2030, he added. It may be recalled that AP government had allotted 1,200 acres of land at Pudimadaka in 2014 for setting up a 4,000 MW new thermal plant.
The project was shelved in 2018 as the union government had taken a decision to reduce coal imports. The green energy project has been found viable following a visit by top officials from Fortescue Future Industries (FFI), green energy arm of Fortescue Group of Australia to Pudimadaka in September 2022. The Australian firm specialises in production of green hydrogen with 100 per cent renewable sources and operates in over 25 countries. The NTPC with SMEC, has conceptualized creation of a Green Hydrogen Hub at Pudimadaka, which would develop an ecosystem for hydrogen energy, including the production of hydrogen related components and green hydrogen.
The project is divided into Industrial area and Hydrogen area. The industrial area covers 600 acres and will feature Pre-Engineered Buildings/Sheds with solar rooftop, industrial spaces, and a central business district while the hydrogen area covers 600 acres and will be home to one of India’s largest green hydrogen production facilities with a capacity of 1,500 TPD. This facility will be operated in partnership/collaboration with other global companies and will produce green hydrogen/ derivatives, including 1300 TPD of green ammonia and 1,200 TPD of green methanol, primarily for the South Asian export market.