SFC Energy and FCTec to develop hydrogen and methanol fuel cells in India

SFC Energy and FC TecNrgy PVT (FCTec) have signed a strategic cooperationagreement to a hydrogen and methanol fuel cell manufacturing facility in India.  

SFC Energy will establish a subsidiary, SFC India, and will be responsible for the manufacturing of EFOY Hydrogen and EFOY Methanol fuel cell and quality assurance.  

FCTec will be its ‘go to partner’ and handle the design, development, installation and integration of custom fuel cell solutions, as well as the development of other key peripheral system components for such solutions and after-sales service.  

The 35,000sqm manufacturing facility will be located in Uduog Vihar, Gurgaon, in the hi-tech zone of Greater Delhi and construction will take place in several phases.  

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present during the signing of the corporation agreement, which fulfils the strategic framework of the ‘National Green Hydrogen Mission’ which envisages a clean energy supply and carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction in India.  

Dr. Peter Podesser, CEO of SFC Energy, said, “We are benefiting from the clear political will of the Indian Government to massively promote the production of clean energy and the reduction of CO2 emissions.  

“We can contribute to this with our fuel cells, for example, to replace the diesel generators that are widely used in India. The opening in Gurgaon is therefore also a strong signal in the global Race-to-Zero.”  

India wants to reduce CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030 compared with 2005 and aims to be carbon neutral by 2070. The country also wants to ensure an independent and sustainable energy supply and guarantee the protection of public health. 

Diesel and gasoline generators currently in use are to be replaced by fuel cells in the transportation, military and critical infrastructure sectors. Decentralised fuel supply with green hydrogen and methanol is ‘decisive’ and planned for all projects in India.  

Swiss-based EH Group recently established an Innovation Lab in India to develop fuel cell technologies following India’s latest green hydrogen policy commitments.  

Last month, India approved a comprehensive $2bn incentive plan to boost its green hydrogen development, the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT).  

Under the agreement, the two companies have agreed on mutual equity participation of the local companies. The corporate integration as well as the joint plans for the future are intended to meet the requirements of the ‘Make in India’ initiative, which aims to stimulate investment in India.  

The country’s National Green Hydrogen Mission is a broad-based support program with an estimated investment of $44bn by 2030.  

(from H2-view)