Asahi India Glass (AIS), India’s leading glass manufacturer, and INOX Air Products (INOXAP), India’s largest manufacturer of industrial and medical gases, have entered into a 20-year off-take agreement for supply of Green Hydrogen to AIS’s greenfield float glass facility in Soniyana, in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, India.
This will be India’s first ever green hydrogen plant for the float glass industry, paving the way for sustainable glass production. The plant will have a capacity to generate up to 190 tonnes per year of green hydrogen through the electrolysis process. Slated to get commissioned by July 2024, the plant will be powered by Solar Energy.
AIS is setting up the greenfield project in Chittorgarh for manufacturing high-quality float glass to be used for automotive and architectural purposes with technology collaboration from its partners – AGC Europe.
INOXAP, an affiliate of Air Products, is responsible for the design, engineering, installation, operations and a continuous supply of green hydrogen to the AIS facility for 20 years. In the first phase, 95 TPA Green Hydrogen will be supplied to AIS. As a part of the agreement, AIS will invest in the solar power plant, which would supply renewable energy for the generation of Green Hydrogen, which would be consumed in AIS’s float glass manufacturing process.
Speaking on the occasion, Rupinder Shelly, COO-Architectural Glass, Asahi India Glass Ltd said, “As a leading and responsible glass company, AIS is a strong believer in sustainability. Our partnership with INOX Air Products, for Green Hydrogen underlines the same belief. It is a matter of immense pride that AIS’s Soniyana Float Glass facility will be the first ever plant in the Float Glass industry in India to be powered by Green Hydrogen.
“AIS continues to invest in and build capabilities in Sustainability, Circularity, and De-carbonization. Our greenfield plant at Soniyana targets to use 94 percent of its power requirements through green and sustainable energy sources. In addition to investment in solar power, AIS is investing to generate electricity from flue gases before releasing through chimney.”