Total and Adani Begin Blending Green Hydrogen into India's Gas Network

Adani Total Gas, a joint venture between India's Adani Group and France's TotalEnergies, has started blending green hydrogen into the natural gas supply in Gujarat, western India. This initiative currently supplies approximately 4,000 homes and businesses in Shantigram, a new township near Ahmedabad, with a gas mixture containing 2.2-2.3% green hydrogen.

The green hydrogen is produced "in-situ," though no further details about the production process were provided. The joint venture highlighted the project's significance in reducing carbon emissions and moving towards cleaner energy. By blending hydrogen with natural gas, the project aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions, boost energy security, and contribute to India's sustainable development goals under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision.

Adani Total Gas estimates that emissions from the 4,000 properties will be reduced by about 0.75-0.8%. The venture announced the project in November 2023, with plans to increase the hydrogen blend to 8% over time and extend the program to other parts of Ahmedabad.

This is India's second hydrogen blending initiative. The first began in January 2023 when state-owned NTPC started adding green hydrogen from a 1MW floating solar array to the gas supply of a housing complex in Surat, Gujarat.

However, the concept of blending green hydrogen into gas networks has faced criticism. Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute labeled it as an “expensive and wasteful” use of renewable energy, while UK think tank E3G dismissed it as “greenwash,” citing limited CO2 reductions and continued reliance on fossil fuels.