MNRE issues Green Methanol and Green Ammonia standards via memorandums

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy issued the Green Methanol and Green Ammonia Standards through official memorandums dated 27 February 2026 under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, defining emission thresholds and certification mechanisms. The standards anchor India's green hydrogen derivatives market and support decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors such as shipping and fertilisers.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) issued the Green Methanol Standard and Green Ammonia Standard through official memorandums dated 27 February 2026 under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. The Green Methanol Standard requires total non-biogenic greenhouse-gas emissions across hydrogen production, methanol synthesis, purification and on-site storage to not exceed 0.44 kg CO₂ equivalent per kg of methanol, averaged over 12 months. The Green Ammonia Standard sets a threshold of 0.38 kg CO₂ equivalent per kg of ammonia across hydrogen production, ammonia synthesis, purification, compression and on-site storage, also averaged over the previous 12 months.

The standards affect producers, project developers and investors in India's green hydrogen derivatives market seeking to label products as green methanol or green ammonia. The Green Methanol Standard permits carbon dioxide captured from biogenic sources, direct air capture (DAC) or existing industrial sources, with MNRE retaining authority to revise eligible sources prospectively and grandfathering protections for previously approved projects. Renewable electricity used in production may include power stored in energy storage systems or banked with the grid. Both standards operate under the green hydrogen definition MNRE notified in August 2023.

Producers should prepare to demonstrate compliance with the 0.44 and 0.38 kg CO₂-equivalent thresholds and await MNRE's detailed methodologies for measurement, reporting, monitoring, on-site verification and certification, which will determine how compliance is shown. For ongoing procurement, tenders issued before the notification date may continue under original terms, though procuring entities and suppliers may mutually agree to align contracts with the new standards. The standards strengthen India's ability to participate in global clean-fuel supply chains and position domestic producers to meet emerging international sustainability compliance requirements.

Key figure — Emission thresholds: Green Methanol 0.44 and Green Ammonia 0.38 kg CO₂-equivalent per kg