The world is no longer asking if green hydrogen will reshape global energy - it’s asking when and who. Europe has made its move with H₂Med - a cross-border green hydrogen pipeline linking Portugal, Spain, and France to Central Europe.
But while Europe builds pipelines, India is building something far more significant: a foundation for green hydrogen leadership in the Global South - one that doesn’t follow someone else’s blueprint, but sets its own.
1. What is H₂Med?
Let’s start with the basics:
-
H₂Med is a 100% renewable hydrogen pipeline connecting the Iberian Peninsula to Central Europe.
-
It aims to deliver 2 million tonnes of hydrogen per year by 2030.
-
It’s backed by EU’s REPowerEU initiative, designed to cut dependence on Russian gas and decarbonize the bloc.
What makes H₂Med significant is that it’s not just an energy project - it’s hydrogen diplomacy, infrastructure strategy, and carbon economics, all rolled into one.
2. Why It Matters Globally
H₂Med signals three important shifts in how green hydrogen is evolving:
-
Infrastructure-first thinking: Hydrogen projects are being built before demand fully materializes - because whoever controls supply chains will control the market.
-
Cross-border alignment: Nations are willing to build together, because no single country can decarbonize alone.
-
Shift from local to regional ecosystems: Hydrogen is now viewed like oil and gas- requiring pipelines, corridors, and port access.
3. Where India Fits In - A Different Model, Same Ambition
India doesn’t need to mimic H₂Med. It’s already on its own path.
With a goal of producing 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030, India is:
-
Building hydrogen hubs in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh
-
Backing large-scale electrolyser manufacturing
-
Mapping green ammonia export routes to Japan, Europe, and the Middle East
-
And aligning hydro, solar, and wind into integrated hydrogen zones
Where H₂Med builds pipes, India is building end-to-end ecosystems - RE supply, production, consumption, and export in a single geography.
4. The Role of Hydropower in This Story
Most discussions around India’s hydrogen push focus on solar and wind - but hydropower is the silent enabler. Here’s why it matters:
-
It provides baseload renewable electricity, essential for stable electrolyser operation
-
It supports hybrid RE models to reduce variability
-
It opens pathways to 24/7 green hydrogen - especially for industrial use and export compliance
At CD Hydro, we see our role not just in energy production - but in powering hydrogen production that meets global standards, consistently and competitively.
5. The Bigger Picture: Export, Energy Security, and Strategy
As global hydrogen corridors form - from Europe to North Africa to East Asia - India’s goal shouldn’t just be to connect. It should be to lead.
That means:
-
Scaling faster than infrastructure bottlenecks
-
Using hydro strategically - not just as clean power, but as a competitive edge
-
Positioning India not just as a participant in the hydrogen economy - but as a defining voice in its future
H₂Med is a milestone. But it’s one part of a much bigger map. India’s approach is broader, more integrated, and has the potential to leapfrog into leadership - if we continue building with clarity, speed, and long-term thinking.
At CD Hydro, that’s exactly the lens we’re operating from.