Bloom Energy strikes hydrogen deal with India’s government-owned electric system

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NTPC Limited, India’s largest energy conglomerate under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Power, selected Bloom Energy’s electrolyzer and hydrogen-powered fuel cell technologies for the country’s first green hydrogen-based energy storage deployment. As part of India’s pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2070, the project is designed to explore large-scale, off-grid hydrogen energy storage and microgrid projects at strategic locations throughout the country.

The initial collaboration between NTPC and Bloom Energy India is expected to serve as a foundation for expanded future cooperation, a release stated.

All Bloom fuel cells and electrolyzers are assembled at its Newark site.

Bloom, based in San Jose, CA has a number of projects related to the feasibility of its hydrogen-producing technology, which is based on its fuel cells that generate electricity from natural gas, hydrogen, landfill waste and other fuels.

The collaboration will use Bloom Energy’s  electrolyzer to generate green hydrogen from renewable electricity produced by a nearby floating solar farm. The hydrogen will then be converted into electricity without combustion through Bloom Energy’s hydrogen fuel cells to power NTPC’s Guest House, a local accommodation used by NTPC employees and guests. The project is expected to commence in 2022 in Simhadri, Visakhapatnam.

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The solar farm coupled with Bloom Energy’s electrolyzer and hydrogen fuel cells is intended to operate around the clock. At scale, the combination could enable energy storage and power for businesses, residential neighborhoods, dense urban areas, and remote and island communities.

The solar farm coupled with Bloom Energy’s electrolyzer and hydrogen fuel cells

India is pursuing aggressive plans to move towards renewable energy and storage capacity while ensuring grid stabilization for its citizens, the release stated.

“Reducing carbon emissions is the number one priority in the fight against climate change, and green hydrogen will be critical to India’s decarbonization objectives,” said Venkat Venkataraman, executive vice president and chief technology officer, Bloom Energy. “Bloom’s technology is well-positioned to help India transition to a net-zero, hydrogen-powered economy, and we are excited to collaborate with NTPC to bring the country’s first green hydrogen microgrid to life. The powerful combination of Bloom’s high-efficiency electrolyzers and fuel cells enables the highest possible round trip efficiency with green hydrogen for energy storage.”

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