It is becoming increasingly clear now more than ever before that green hydrogen may be the ultimate future of transportation. Owing to carbon emissions on oil, geo-politics on rare earth materials and a tonne of complexity joining the two together, hydrogen may be the choice. But again it has to be green. While there are electric vehicle choices for urban and passenger segments, they fall short in long-haul, high-payload applications where refuelling speed, energy density, and range are critical. We had a few questions for Aniruddh Agrawal, who is the Chief Strategy Officer at Airox Nigen Equipments, where he clarified that transition into hydrogen fuel technology can be done through strategic partnerships, in-house innovation, and infrastructure development.
Gaps Left By Batteries
According to Agrawal, green hydrogen is best positioned where battery-electric vehicles underperform, which is long-haul freight, intercity buses and railways. These sectors demand quicker refuelling, more range and minimal payload compromise. Hydrogen fuel cell trucks capable of over 600 km range with under 10-minute refuelling time may offer a practical solution. As India’s freight volume is projected to triple by 2050, Agrawal asserts that green hydrogen will serve as the backbone of scalable zero-emission logistics. He suggests that India’s vast transport network, combined with increasing pressure to decarbonise, requires more than one clean mobility solution. While BEVs suit urban use, hydrogen will likely define the next wave of decarbonisation in heavy-duty mobility.
The company’s transition into hydrogen generation stems from its core expertise in industrial gas systems, oxygen, nitrogen and biogas. This foundation gave the company an early advantage in understanding purity levels and operational uptime for mobility-grade hydrogen. Their shift to hydrogen is not opportunistic but a continuation of a long-term technical evolution.
Airox Nigen’s indigenously developed alkaline electrolysers are at the centre of this transition. Built to accommodate India’s intermittent renewable energy supply, these modular systems are designed for scalability and durability. The company claims that unlike imported systems, which often struggle with fluctuating inputs, Airox’s electrolysers operate with efficiency levels of around 80% and are up to 25% cheaper due to domestic sourcing. Agrawal argues this makes them better suited for the Indian market’s cost-sensitive yet high demand.
Localised Hydrogen Plants
Airox Nigen is now preparing to launch a 3 GW electrolyser plant in Haryana, aimed at meeting both industrial and transport-linked hydrogen needs. Agrawal estimates India’s green hydrogen demand will grow to 3–4 million tonne annually by 2030, with a significant share coming from the mobility sector. The company is also targeting the deployment of 100 decentralised hydrogen generation units across India.
These units are being designed with compression and storage capabilities of up to 200 bar, tailored to suit transport corridors and public fleet zones. This distributed generation approach supports on-demand hydrogen supply for fleet operators helping bypass the current logistics bottlenecks related to hydrogen storage and delivery.
Infrastructure Barriers
A major challenge by far to hydrogen adoption in mobility remains the lack of infrastructure. Agrawal points out that vehicle adoption is hampered by the absence of refuelling stations, and vice versa. Setting up a hydrogen station involves high costs related to safety compliance, compression (up to 700 bar), and high-pressure storage. Moreover, transporting hydrogen via cryogenic tankers or tube trailers is currently inefficient and unviable at scale.
Agrawal stresses the need for a national hydrogen corridor network akin to the CNG expansion seen two decades ago. He also recommends policy-level support, such as land fast-tracking and capital subsidies, to lower the entry barrier for investors.
Electrolyser Efficiency
Airox Nigen’s alkaline electrolysers are designed from the ground up for local demands. Agrawal says their key features include modularity, adaptability to renewable fluctuations, and a domestic supply chain that avoids international delays. Compared to imported alternatives, these systems, he claims, are more cost-effective and easier to maintain. With efficiency already at 80%, the company is working with technology partners to push performance higher through improved catalysts and membranes. The advantage would be faster uptime, easier servicing, and greater independence from global logistics.
Public Sector Partnerships
Recognising the capital-intensive nature of hydrogen projects, Airox Nigen has aligned itself with major public sector undertakings such as NTPC, BHEL, and SJVN. These partnerships de-risk early-stage investments by ensuring policy support, regulatory compliance, and guaranteed offtake.
As an example, Agrawal highlights a green hydrogen microgrid project with SJVN and a 1 MW installation in Russia that blends innovation with long-term viability. These associations also ensure conformity with global hydrogen safety and performance standards like EN/ISO 14687 and ISO 22734 vital for future export readiness.
Policy Dynamics
To accelerate progress toward the national 5 MMT green hydrogen target by 2030, Agrawal outlines key policy recommendations. These include Viability Gap Funding for hydrogen hubs, introduction of Hydrogen Purchase Obligations for transport and industry, and faster PESO clearances for high-pressure systems.
He further argues for GST rationalisation on hydrogen-related equipment and a comprehensive Make-in-India initiative to build domestic capacity for electrolysers, dispensers, and storage systems. Without these systemic supports, he warns, India risks falling behind in creating a hydrogen economy at scale.
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