Government notifies standards of green ammonia, green methanol

The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has notified the Green Ammonia and Green Methanol Standards for India on February 27, 2026, establishing emission thresholds and eligibility criteria for classifying ammonia and methanol as “green” fuels produced using Green Hydrogen derived from renewable energy sources.

Green Ammonia Standard

Under the new standard, green ammonia must meet strict emission limits across its entire production chain.

• The total non-biogenic greenhouse gas emissions arising from hydrogen production, ammonia synthesis, purification, compression, and on-site storage must not exceed 0.38 kg CO₂ equivalent per kg of ammonia (kg CO₂ eq/kg NH₃).
• The emission level will be calculated as an average over the preceding 12-month period.

Green Methanol Standard

For green methanol, the standard prescribes:

• Total non-biogenic greenhouse gas emissions from hydrogen production, methanol synthesis, purification, and on-site storage must not exceed 0.44 kg CO₂ equivalent per kg of methanol (kg CO₂ eq/kg CH₃OH).
• Emissions will also be calculated as a 12-month average.

Sources of Carbon Dioxide

The notification specifies that carbon dioxide used for green methanol production may be sourced from:

• Biogenic sources
• Direct Air Capture (DAC)
• Existing industrial sources

The ministry has also stated that eligible CO₂ sources may be revised periodically, with future changes implemented prospectively and accompanied by grandfathering provisions to protect existing projects.

Source: TH