Maruti Suzuki in a step towards cleaner manufacturing has built a 300kW green hydrogen electrolyzer in its Manesar plant in Haryana. The pilot project is the first green hydrogen initiative from the carmaker and it is to explore how hydrogen can be used in the existing industrial operations and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.
The green hydrogen plant uses surplus solar electricity generated at the Manesar manufacturing plant. Instead of wasting excess renewable power during periods of lower industrial activity to produce hydrogen, Maruti Suzuki is using that electricity to produce hydrogen through an electrolyzer. The hydrogen is stored and used in the manufacturing process.
The project is particularly aimed at making better use of renewable electricity generated on holidays and other times when the plant's regular electricity demand is lower. On normal working days, solar power generated at the facility is used for manufacturing activities. When surplus electricity is available, it can be directed towards hydrogen production.
How Maruti Suzuki's 300kW Green Hydrogen System Works
Manesar pilot combines renewable electricity generation, hydrogen production and existing manufacturing infrastructure. The excess solar power will power the electrolyzer that separates water to produce hydrogen. The hydrogen will be kept until it is required for manufacturing.
Maruti Suzuki will blend the green hydrogen with natural gas and use the mixture as process fuel. This is because the pilot does not represent a quick replacement of natural gas across the manufacturing facility. It is intended to give the company an idea of how green hydrogen can work with existing fuels and equipment.
The pilot approach will allow the automaker to assess operational performance, energy efficiency and the environmental implications of hydrogen in industrial processes. If more such systems are implemented at scale, the results may be very important in determining its impact in the future.
Green Hydrogen Pilot Could Expand To Other Plants
The Manesar facility is currently being used to test the technology before any wider rollout. Maruti Suzuki has indicated that the experience gained through the project will help it assess the feasibility of adopting green hydrogen at other manufacturing facilities.
The company’s plants in Haryana and Gujarat are potential locations. Any expansion would depend on the pilot results and the suitability of the technology for different manufacturing operations.
The green hydrogen project is part of Maruti Suzuki’s wider plan to use renewable and other energy sources and expand the use of it in manufacturing and all other sectors. The company already utilizes electricity generated using its own solar installations as well as renewable energy from other sources such as power purchase agreements with solar and wind energy.
Maruti Suzuki's Other Clean Energy Initiatives
Green hydrogen is only one part of Maruti Suzuki’s commitment to reducing manufacturing-related carbon emissions. The company is also investing in biogas, compressed biogas and energy storage technologies.
At its Kharkhoda plant, the automaker is in the process of building a biogas plant with a production capacity of 10 tonnes per day. That plant will be commissioned during FY2026-27. Maruti Suzuki has also installed a 1MWh battery energy storage system at the Kharkhoda site.
The company has started using compressed biogas as process fuel and its board approved four CBG projects with a combined budget allocation of Rs 561 crore. These initiatives are aimed at increasing the share of alternative fuels in manufacturing and supporting the company’s broader decarbonisation strategy.
Maruti Suzuki's FY2030-31 Carbon Reduction Goal
Maruti Suzuki has set a target to reduce the carbon footprint of its manufacturing operations. The company had reported for the present day, its manufacturing carbon footprint is 615,000 tonnes and it is targeting to reduce that to approximately 266,000 tonnes by FY2030-31.
The target includes a variety of measures rather than the Manesar hydrogen plant as a singular answer. Renewable electricity, solar power, alternative fuels, biogas, compressed biogas, battery storage and green hydrogen are among technologies and energy sources being explored as part of the overall strategy.
The 300kW electrolyzer at Manesar is still a pilot project, but its existence will give Maruti Suzuki practical knowledge of producing and storing green hydrogen with excess renewable energy and then using that hydrogen together with natural gas during manufacturing. If the outcome is successful, it will eventually be incorporated into the company’s clean-energy mix in more of its production facilities.
