The Jharkhand government on Friday paved the way for the country’s "first" hydrogen fuel project, inking a pact with TCPL Green Energy Solutions Private Ltd (TCPL GES) to set up an over Rs 350-crore facility at Jamshedpur.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who termed the occasion as “momentous”.

TCPL GES is a joint venture between Tata Motors and Cummins Inc, USA.

The capacity of the proposed unit, which would entail an investment of Rs 354.28 crore, will be over 4,000 hydrogen IC engine/fuel agnostic engine and more than 10,000 battery system.

Soren said this is the first hydrogen fuel project of the country, and hydrogen engines built in Jharkhand would be sent across India.

"Climate change is a matter of concern, and to mitigate environmental concerns, this will act as a milestone," he said.

The facility is expected to start commercial production in March 2024, and likely provide employment to about 1,000 people directly or indirectly, officials said.

Executive Director, Tata Motors, Girish Wagh said the company is committed to provide green, smart and safe mobility.

"We have a more than 100-year history and rich association with the state of Jharkhand. Tata Cummins Private Ltd, with its fully owned subsidiary, TCPL Green Energy Solutions will invest capital expenditure over the next few years, build and operate the state-of-the-art facility at Jamshedpur to produce zero-emission engines in India," he said.

"This (project) will create several opportunities for employment... Our initiative will be to make Jharkhand the hub for green and next-gen technologies. It will become one of the first states in India to open its door for manufacturing of advanced, technology solutions and contribute to reducing the nation’s carbon footprint," Wagh said.

Wagh said the project is also an endorsement of the company's confidence and commitment to making the 'Make in India' initiative a national priority.

"We expect to commence production in the near future in a phased manner, starting with hydrogen internal combustion engine, followed by battery-related components and related production. We are hopeful that this facility will act as a catalyst for attracting more investment and employment in Jharkhand," he added.

Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh termed the event as “historic”, asserting that Jharkhand being the largest coal producer, is set to take a leadership role to mitigate the impact of climate change, and in green energy production.

He also assured the Tata Group officials that they would not face any bureaucracy-related issues in the project, and a nodal officer will be deputed to address all concerns.

There are several advantages of hydrogen fuel, as it is available in abundance and does not emit harmful substances, the officials added.

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