More than 200 policymakers and industry leaders are gathering in New Delhi on September 24 and 25 for Horizons Clean Energy Expansion India 2026, a two-day forum focused on turning India’s clean-energy ambitions into commercially viable projects, according to the event organisers.
The event — formerly known as World Hydrogen India — is being convened by S&P Global Energy, according to a report by The Aryan Age. Its broader name reflects the expanding and increasingly interconnected scope of India’s energy transition, spanning hydrogen, renewable power, industrial decarbonisation, infrastructure, shipping, mobility, manufacturing, investment and international trade.
Discussions are expected to focus on project bankability and demand creation, infrastructure and technology deployment, domestic manufacturing and supply-chain resilience, and international market access.
Green hydrogen: the headline and the gap
Green hydrogen has been one of the most closely watched elements of India’s energy strategy since the launch of the National Green Hydrogen Mission in 2023. The mission targets 5 million tonnes a year of green hydrogen production capacity by 2030, with the aim of reducing import dependence, decarbonising heavy industry and creating an export industry.
The timing is apt: global energy markets remain volatile, with crude prices hovering around $100 a barrel this week, sharpening the case for domestic clean fuels.
Incentives under the mission now support 862,000 tonnes a year of green hydrogen production capacity and 3,000 MW a year of electrolyser manufacturing capacity, according to figures cited in the event’s preview coverage. But as of February 2026, only about 8,000 tonnes a year of green hydrogen production capacity had actually been commissioned.
That gap — between capacity awarded incentives and capacity actually operating — is likely to frame much of the conversation in New Delhi. It is not unique to India; green hydrogen projects worldwide have faced delays as developers struggle with costs, financing and uncertain demand.
The cost challenge
Cost remains the central obstacle. Green hydrogen — produced by splitting water using electricity from renewable sources — remains significantly more expensive than grey hydrogen made from natural gas.
In India, green hydrogen production costs range from about ₹397 to ₹560 per kilogram, according to industry analysis, compared with roughly ₹150 to ₹200 per kilogram for grey hydrogen. The lowest price discovered through competitive bidding under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme stands at about ₹397 per kilogram including GST, for supply to Indian Oil Corporation’s refineries.
Renewable electricity accounts for 50% to 70% of green hydrogen production costs, making access to cheap, round-the-clock clean power essential. That links the hydrogen conversation directly to India’s broader progress on solar, wind, storage and transmission.
India’s cost advantage in solar power gives it a structural edge in this race. Solar tariffs discovered in Indian auctions are among the lowest in the world, and pairing low-cost solar with wind and storage to provide more consistent power is central to bringing green hydrogen costs down.
Water availability is another practical consideration. Electrolysis requires large volumes of purified water, and many regions with the best solar resources are also water-stressed, making desalination and water planning part of the project economics.
Bankability and demand
