Meaning
Green Hydrogen Certification is the formal process of verifying whether hydrogen has been produced within a prescribed greenhouse-gas emission threshold and according to an approved measurement and verification methodology.
Certification is important because hydrogen is chemically identical irrespective of how it is produced. Its climate value therefore depends on the emissions associated with the production pathway, not on the hydrogen molecule itself.
India’s Green Hydrogen Standard
India notified its Green Hydrogen Standard in August 2023.
Under the standard, hydrogen can qualify as green hydrogen when its non-biogenic greenhouse-gas emissions do not exceed 2 kg CO₂-equivalent per kg of hydrogen produced, calculated as an average over the preceding 12 months within the prescribed system boundary.
The standard covers hydrogen produced through:
- electrolysis using renewable energy;
- conversion of biomass through eligible pathways.
Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme of India
The Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme of India (GHCI) was issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in April 2025 under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
It establishes a formal framework for:
- measurement;
- monitoring;
- reporting;
- verification;
- certification
of green hydrogen production in India.
Certification Architecture
The framework separates production claims from independent verification.
Broadly:
Producer measures and reports emissions → Accredited verifier examines the data and facility → Verification report is submitted → Certification is issued under the prescribed framework
The certification system is intended to establish traceability and credibility rather than allow producers to self-declare hydrogen as green.
What Emissions Are Counted
Certification is based on the emissions associated with the defined production system.
Relevant emissions can arise from:
- electricity used for electrolysis;
- processing of feedstocks;
- water treatment;
- compression and associated production processes;
- other energy inputs falling within the notified system boundary.
The methodology is therefore closer to a production-emissions accounting framework than simply checking whether renewable electricity was used.
In June 2026, MNRE also issued specific guidelines for quantifying emissions associated with off-site water withdrawal and treatment under the certification scheme, reflecting increasingly detailed lifecycle accounting.
Why Certification Is Necessary
A certification system performs several functions.
Preventing Greenwashing
It prevents producers from marketing hydrogen as green without demonstrating compliance with the emissions threshold.
Market Creation
Industrial buyers can distinguish certified low-emission hydrogen from conventional hydrogen produced from fossil fuels.
Export Competitiveness
International hydrogen markets increasingly require verifiable information on:
- carbon intensity;
- renewable-energy sourcing;
- production pathway;
- traceability.
Certification therefore becomes important for Indian hydrogen and derivatives seeking access to global markets.
Policy Support
Government incentives, procurement programmes and future mandates can be linked to objectively certified production.
Certification and Colour Classification
Hydrogen is often described using colours such as:
- grey hydrogen;
- blue hydrogen;
- green hydrogen.
However, certification increasingly focuses on measured carbon intensity rather than relying solely on colour labels.
This is more rigorous because two nominally “green” hydrogen projects can have different lifecycle emissions depending on their:
- electricity source;
- operating pattern;
- water and processing requirements;
- supply-chain characteristics.
Link with National Green Hydrogen Mission
The certification framework forms part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched in 2023.
Certification complements policies aimed at developing:
- domestic green-hydrogen production;
- electrolyser manufacturing;
- green-ammonia production;
- hydrogen hubs;
- industrial adoption;
- export markets.
Without a credible certification framework, subsidies and market claims would be difficult to verify consistently.
Key Challenges
Major issues include:
- accurate measurement of renewable electricity consumption;
- treatment of grid-connected electrolysers;
- lifecycle-emissions accounting;
- verification costs for smaller producers;
- international recognition of Indian certificates;
- avoiding double counting of renewable attributes;
- harmonisation with foreign certification systems.
A domestic certificate has limited export value if major importing markets apply materially different carbon-accounting rules.
Strategic Significance
Green hydrogen certification is therefore not merely an environmental label.
It is emerging as infrastructure for:
- carbon accounting;
- industrial decarbonisation;
- international hydrogen trade;
- green finance;
- compliance with future low-carbon product standards.
For India, the critical objective is to ensure that its certification methodology is both scientifically credible and internationally interoperable.
Conclusion
India’s Green Hydrogen Certification framework converts the concept of “green hydrogen” into a measurable regulatory standard. The core benchmark is an emissions intensity of no more than 2 kg CO₂e per kg of hydrogen, supported by monitoring, independent verification and certification. Its long-term importance lies in creating credible domestic markets and enabling Indian hydrogen to compete in increasingly carbon-sensitive global trade.
