NEW DELHI: Union Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia on Monday inaugurated the country's first green hydrogen project of the stainless steel sector in Hisar, Haryana set up by Jindal Stainless Ltd.

The green hydrogen facility, which has been set up by JSL in collaboration with Hygenco, aims to reduce carbon emissions by around 2,700 metric tonnes per annum and 54,000 tonnes of CO2 emission over 20 years.

"JSL has been at the forefront of innovation...I commend JSL and Hygenco for the first hydrogen-based steel facility with both rooftop and floating," said Steel and Civil Aviation Minister Scindia while virtually inaugurating the project in presence of Steel Secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha, Jindal Stainless Managing Director Abhyuday Jindal, and other senior officials.

The waterbody inside the facility has floating solar panels which will also help in reducing water evaporation, the minister said.

In his address, Jindal said green hydrogen is an essential element of stainless steel manufacturing and the generation of hydrogen through conventional processes helps in reducing CO2 emissions.

"We cannot think of decarbonisation without reducing the emissions accompanying such critical manufacturing processes. And this is where this path-breaking and pioneering green hydrogen plant comes in," he said.

The green hydrogen plant (both renewable and gas plant) has been developed in partnership with Hygenco Ltd on a long-term build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis.

The green hydrogen will be used by JSL in stainless steel manufacturing processes at the Hisar unit.