SECI’s ₹55.75/kg Ammonia Auction Steals Green Spotlight
New Delhi: The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) achieved a record-low price of ₹55.75 per kilogram in its first-ever auction for Green Ammonia procurement under the National Green Hydrogen Mission’s SIGHT Scheme (Mode-2A), the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy announced today. This auction, securing 75,000 metric tonnes per annum for Paradeep Phosphates Limited in Odisha, marks the start of a series of 13 auctions planned over the coming month, targeting a cumulative procurement capacity of 7.24 lakh metric tonnes per year.
The discovered price translates to approximately USD 641 per metric tonne, a substantial drop from the ₹100.28 per kilogram (USD 1,153 per metric tonne) recorded in the 2024 H2Global auction. With grey ammonia prices reaching USD 515 per metric tonne as of March 2025, this 10-year fixed-price bid provides a strong economic rationale for offtakers to initiate their clean energy transition journey.
Green ammonia is produced using renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind, to power the electrolysis of water for hydrogen, which is then combined with nitrogen to create ammonia, resulting in a low-carbon, environmentally friendly product. Grey ammonia, in contrast, is made using hydrogen derived from fossil fuels, typically natural gas, through a process that emits significant carbon dioxide, making it less sustainable and more carbon-intensive than its green counterpart.
SECI, acting as the intermediary procurer, successfully anchored the auction under the guidance of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), with steadfast support from the Department of Fertilisers and the participation of offtakers.
This price discovery marks a watershed moment in India’s Green Hydrogen journey and reinforces the country’s vision of becoming a global hub for Green Hydrogen production, the Ministry stated. It added that the auction witnessed intense competition, reflecting the strong investor and developer confidence in India’s green energy transition framework. With robust payment security mechanisms in place, the scheme unlocks confidence across the value chain and enables large-scale adoption of Green Ammonia and other derivatives.
– global bihari bureau
