The Roadmap to Make Green Urea Production a Reality

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The Department of Fertilizers (DoF) recently held a high-level meeting at the PDIL headquarters in Noida.
Officials gathered to plan India’s first commercial Green Urea manufacturing roadmap.

Green Urea is a sustainable fertilizer made using green hydrogen and green ammonia instead of fossil fuels.
It uses renewable electricity to split water molecules and extracts hydrogen for production.
Manufacturers combine this hydrogen with atmospheric nitrogen and captured industrial CO₂ to build eco-friendly fertilizer.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has provided ₹19,744 crore under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) to build a clean hydrogen ecosystem.
Under Mode 2A, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) will buy 7.24 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of green ammonia every year through online auctions.
India currently buys nearly 1 crore MT (10 million tonnes) of traditional urea from foreign markets annually.
A large-scale 12.7 lakh MT Green Urea plant needs about 10 lakh MT of captured CO₂ every single year as raw material.

Traditional fertilizer production releases huge amounts of carbon.
Shifting to green processes helps India reach its target of net-zero emissions by 2070.
Many domestic chemical plants are over 30 years old and need massive upgrades or complete replacements.
Integrated fertilizer hubs provide a ready market for factories to sell their captured carbon dioxide (CCUS).
Local production protects Indian farmers from wild price jumps in foreign natural gas and shipping delays.

NETRA, the research wing of NTPC, built the Pudimadaka 150-TPD Pilot Plant in Andhra Pradesh.
This 150 tonnes-per-day facility sets a benchmark by combining water electrolysis with carbon reuse.
Under the Offtaker-Side Differential Subsidy, SECI buys green ammonia and sells it to factories at standard market prices while the DoF pays the cost difference.
The government guarantees financial support for 10 years through binding Green Ammonia Procurement Agreements (GAPA).
The ministry launched the Srijan and Srijan DEEP digital registries to connect local technology providers and equipment makers.

Green ammonia costs much more to manufacture than standard grey ammonia because renewable power and electrolyzers are expensive.
Transporting 10 lakh MT of CO₂ from scattered factories to a central hub requires a massive, complex pipeline network.
Wind and solar power change constantly, making it hard to run a continuous chemical plant without costly battery storage.
Retrofitting three-decade-old fertilizer plants to use pure green hydrogen requires huge financial investments.

The government must quickly execute SECI reverse auctions to secure clean feedstock for investors.
Authorities should build carbon capture hubs near industrial clusters to ensure a steady supply of CO₂.
Financial institutions like the Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited should offer low-cost loans for clean fertilizer projects.
The state must build high-voltage green energy corridors to supply uninterrupted power directly to manufacturing plants.

Investing ₹19,744 crore alongside smart subsidies protects local industries from early financial shocks.
Expanding carbon networks and clean hydrogen hubs will reduce imports and secure India's farming future before 2070.