Author: abhishek2019cs034abesit@gmail.com

India’s geothermal energy ambitions received a significant boost as ONGC Energy Centre successfully completed two deep geothermal wells, GT#02 and GT#03, at the Puga Geothermal Project in Ladakh. Marking the milestone, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena unveiled a commemorative plaque at the project site, underscoring the progress of India’s first demonstration-scale geothermal power project aimed at delivering reliable, round-the-clock clean energy to the region while strengthening the nation’s clean energy and energy security goals.

Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena unveiled a commemorative plaque at the Puga Geothermal Project site, marking the successful completion of geothermal wells GT#02 and GT#03 by ONGC Energy Centre

The milestone advances the development of India’s first demonstration-scale geothermal power project at Puga and opens new possibilities for clean, dependable and round-the-clock energy in Ladakh. The project shall help strengthen energy access in remote areas, reduce dependence on conventional fuels and support reliable power availability during the region’s severe winters.

Beyond electricity generation, geothermal energy has the potential to support space heating, greenhouse cultivation, year-round agriculture, food processing, geotourism and sustainable livelihoods. These applications could contribute significantly to Ladakh’s socio-economic development and its aspiration to emerge as a carbon-neutral region.

At the national level, the project strengthens India’s clean-energy portfolio, advances technological self-reliance and supports the country’s long-term energy-security and Net Zero objectives. The initiative is being advanced jointly by ONGC Energy Centre, the UT Administration of Ladakh and LAHDC-Leh under a five-year collaboration renewed in June 2026.

The occasion was attended by Administrative Secretary Shri Himanshu Gupta, IAS; Secretary to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor Ms Shashanka Ala, IAS; Deputy Commissioner, Changthang, Shri Nitish Rajora; and Superintendent of Police, Changthang, Shri Abbas Jaffari.

The Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor highlighted the project’s national and regional significance and commended the ONGC Energy Centre team. Representing ONGC, Director (Technology and Field Services) Shri Vikram Saxena said the achievement reaffirmed ONGC’s commitment to innovation, energy security and a sustainable future for Ladakh and India.

India added 30.6 GW of renewable energy capacity during the January–June 2026 period, marking a 25% increase over the 24.5 GW added in the corresponding period last year. The growth was driven primarily by record solar installations, reflecting the country’s continued push towards expanding clean energy capacity.

Solar power accounted for the bulk of the additions, with 26 GW of new capacity installed in the first six months of the year, a 43% year-on-year increase. The surge was led by strong growth in utility-scale projects as well as rooftop solar installations, supported by policy initiatives and rising demand. In contrast, wind capacity additions declined to around 3 GW, down 16% from the year-ago period.

India’s total installed renewable energy capacity reached about 230 GW by the end of June 2026, further strengthening the country’s position among the world’s leading renewable energy markets. Solar continued to account for the largest share of the renewable energy mix, followed by wind, large hydro, bioenergy and small hydro projects.

The report noted that rooftop solar recorded exceptional growth during the period, aided by the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, while utility-scale solar installations also maintained strong momentum. At the same time, the pace of wind power additions remained relatively subdued despite continued capacity expansion.

India has been accelerating renewable energy deployment to achieve its target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based installed power capacity by 2030. The robust capacity addition during the first half of 2026 highlights the sector’s sustained growth, with solar energy continuing to lead the country’s clean energy transition.

India’s ambitions to become a global export hub for clean fuel are rapidly moving from policy documents to active construction sites. The National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), backed by an initial ₹19,744 crore outlay, is beginning to reshape the industrial landscape in 2026. For developers and EPCs operating in the renewable energy markets, the secondary effects of this mission are creating an unprecedented pipeline for utility-scale solar and wind projects.

Here is a breakdown of the mission’s 2026 milestones, the mechanics of the SIGHT incentive scheme, and what this means for the broader renewable energy ecosystem.

1. The Core Objective: 5 MMT by 2030

Launched in 2023, the NGHM aims to achieve a green hydrogen production capacity of 5 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) per annum by 2030. Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water in an electrolyser powered exclusively by renewable energy, ensuring a zero-carbon footprint.

The 2026 Reality Check: As of February 2026, India has successfully commissioned approximately 8,000 tonnes per year of green hydrogen capacity. While this is a fraction of the 2030 target, it represents tangible, physical progress after years of regulatory setup. The near-term demand is being driven almost entirely by the fertilizer and oil refining sectors, which are actively replacing fossil-fuel-derived “grey” hydrogen to reduce their Scope 1 emissions.

2. The SIGHT Programme: Breaking Price Barriers

The engine driving this adoption is SIGHT (Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition), administered by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). SIGHT provides direct financial incentives across two main components:

• Mode 1: Incentives for the domestic manufacturing of electrolysers (building a localized supply chain).
• Mode 2: Direct production incentives (in ₹/kg) to reduce the final cost of the green hydrogen itself.

A Historic 2026 Milestone: The most significant development this year has been SECI’s competitive bidding for Green Ammonia (a hydrogen derivative used in fertilizers). The SIGHT tender achieved discovered prices of ₹49.75 to ₹64.74 per kg. This is a massive breakthrough, coming in significantly lower than the prevailing global benchmark of roughly ₹110 per kg.

This pricing proves that domestically produced green ammonia can achieve near-parity with conventional grey ammonia in specific industrial use cases.

3. Why This is a Goldmine for Solar EPCs

The National Green Hydrogen Mission is not just a hydrogen story; it is fundamentally a renewable energy story. Producing 5 MMT of green hydrogen requires massive amounts of electricity.

To meet the 2030 production target, India will need to add an estimated 125 GW of dedicated renewable energy capacity just to power the electrolysis process.

• The EPC Opportunity: Green hydrogen producers (like Reliance, Adani, and L&T) must build gigawatt-scale solar energy and wind parks to feed their electrolysers. This creates an enormous secondary market for solar EPC contractors who will design and construct these dedicated power generation assets.
• Energy Storage Integration: Because electrolysers require a constant, stable power supply to be economically viable, these projects cannot rely on daytime solar alone. They demand integrated solar-plus-storage or solar-wind hybrid systems, accelerating the demand for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

4. State-Level Policies and Port Hubs

The central government is not acting alone. To attract the estimated ₹8 lakh crore in total investments required by 2030, individual states are rolling out aggressive green hydrogen policies.

States like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan are offering 100% exemptions on electricity duty, waivers on land conversion charges, and extended 30-day banking of renewable power for green hydrogen production units.

Furthermore, to facilitate international export, the government has officially designated Deendayal Port (Kandla), V.O. Chidambaranar Port (Tuticorin), and Paradip Port as specialized “Green Hydrogen Hubs,” equipped to handle the bunkering and shipping of green fuels.

THDC India Ltd. has declared the Commercial Operation Date (COD) for its 11 MWac Floating Solar Plant located on the Raw Water Reservoir of the Khurja Super Thermal Power Project (STPP) in Uttar Pradesh. The plant commenced commercial operations on July 17, 2026, following successful commissioning and receipt of the necessary approvals.

With the commissioning of the floating solar project, THDC India’s total installed and commercial power generation capacity has increased to 3,918 MW. The addition also strengthens the renewable energy portfolio of the company, which is a subsidiary of NTPC Ltd.

The new solar installation has also enhanced the overall capacity of the NTPC Group, taking its total installed capacity to 90,965 MW, while its commercial capacity has reached 89,885 MW.

The floating solar plant has been developed on the raw water reservoir of the Khurja STPP, enabling clean energy generation without requiring additional land. The project forms part of THDC’s strategy to expand its renewable energy footprint while making efficient use of existing infrastructure.