Thiru. M.K. Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu recently virtually laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art green ammonia plant in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu.
In his address the Chief Minister said, “Tamil Nadu has been a frontrunner in renewable energy initiatives, playing an important part in advancing India’s energy transition targets. I am confident that this project in Tuticorin will be a stepping stone to establish Tamil Nadu as a global hub for green hydrogen production. This collaborative project reflects the commitment of all the partner nations – India, Singapore, and Japan – to work towards a sustainable future for the region.”
The laying of the foundation stone builds on an earlier Heads of Terms signing between Sembcorp Green Hydrogen Pte. Ltd., Kyushu Electric Power Co., Sojitz Corporation, and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha about a cross-border green ammonia offtake from India to Japan.
Speaking on the occasion, Vipul Tuli, Chairman – South Asia, and CEO – Hydrogen Business, Sembcorp Industries, said, “With its renewable resources and investorfriendly policies, Tamil Nadu is a frontrunner state in realising India’s green hydrogen ambitions. Sembcorp is honoured to be part of this historic moment, as the efforts of India, Japan, and Singapore come together in Tamil Nadu to make a mark on the global green hydrogen industry.”
“This marks a significant milestone in the collaboration between Singapore and India to advance the development of green energies. It highlights the role that Singapore companies with deep expertise can play in partnering India along its economic development journey. With Japan as the end market, this project also showcases the bridging role that Singapore companies can offer in 3rd country collaboration. We congratulate Sembcorp on this latest achievement,” said Tan Soon Kim, Deputy Managing Director of Enterprise Singapore.
Tamil Nadu’s unwavering commitment and supportive policies towards renewable energy initiatives, along with the supportive policies and subsidies from the Government of India and the proposed financial support (Ammonia/Hydrogen CfD) from the Government of Japan, is poised to position Tamil Nadu as a leader in energy transition efforts.
Sembcorp will operate and produce green ammonia from the plant, spread over 160 acres in the key port area of Tuticorin. The plant will initially produce 200,000 metric tonnes per annum of green ammonia for exporting to Japan. The front-end engineering and design work for the plant has commenced.
Earlier this year, Sembcorp had signed a Memorandum of Understanding during the Global Investment Meet with the Government of Tamil Nadu to set up a green ammonia manufacturing facility within the state. The proposed project is expected to create local employment opportunities in the Tuticorin region and promote the overall development of this key port area.
Sembcorp is collaborating with various partners to explore the production and export of green ammonia as a pathway to advance the region’s energy transition. With one of the highest wind asset productivities which holds the key to large-scale low-cost green hydrogen production, Sembcorp will leverage its strong. capabilities demonstrated through its existing renewables portfolio of 4.7GW in India, to produce competitively priced green ammonia in India.
