NTPC is seeking overseas buyers in Japan, South Korea and Germany for green ammonia and other low-carbon fuels as it develops a proposed green hydrogen hub in Andhra Pradesh, Chairman Gurdeep Singh said on Tuesday.
The discussions are focused on securing prospective customers for output from the proposed project, which is expected to produce green ammonia and green methanol. Both fuels are considered more practical than hydrogen for transportation and international trade, according to the report.
Singh made the remarks at an event organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce. His comments place customer commitments at the centre of NTPC’s effort to move its green-fuel plans beyond pilot projects and towards commercial-scale operations.
“We have to make hydrogen a business,” Singh said, adding that the focus was shifting from pilot projects to commercially viable ventures.
The search for overseas buyers highlights one of the key commercial challenges facing large green hydrogen and derivative-fuel projects. India has outlined plans to become a major green hydrogen producer, but developers worldwide have struggled to secure the long-term offtake agreements needed to support large-scale investment.
For projects such as the proposed Andhra Pradesh hub, the availability of buyers is therefore closely linked to whether production capacity can be developed at scale. Green ammonia and green methanol can be transported and traded internationally in forms that are considered more practical than hydrogen itself, making them central to the project’s proposed market strategy.
NTPC’s discussions cover customers in Japan, South Korea and Germany, three overseas markets identified in the report as potential destinations for the company’s green ammonia and other low-carbon fuels. The report did not specify the names of the prospective buyers, the quantities under discussion, the proposed investment size or the timeline for commissioning the Andhra Pradesh hub.
The development also reflects the changing commercial language around green hydrogen in India. Rather than focusing only on demonstration projects, NTPC is presenting the proposed hub through the questions of demand, export markets and long-term commercial viability. Securing offtake agreements would provide a clearer basis for determining the scale and economics of production, although no agreement was announced in the report.
NTPC is India’s top power producer, according to the report. Its proposed hub would add a low-carbon fuels dimension to the company’s existing power-sector role, while linking Andhra Pradesh to international demand for green ammonia and green methanol.
The next steps are expected to include continued discussions with prospective overseas customers as NTPC develops the proposed green hydrogen hub. The company has not disclosed a final buyer agreement, production capacity or commissioning schedule.
