The proposal for the Centre of Excellence on Innovative and Integrated Ecosystem for Green Hydrogen (ECOGEN) has been approved by the authorised committee constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government and sanctioned by the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA), The Economic Times reported. The Centre of Excellence will undertake research across the entire green hydrogen value chain, covering production, storage, transportation, utilisation and system integration. The initiative is aimed at supporting Uttar Pradesh’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions through the adoption of green hydrogen technologies.

According to IIT Kanpur, the centre will focus on developing innovative technologies to reduce the

cost of producing green hydrogen while improving its storage and utilisation for industrial, transport and energy applications.

The CoE is also expected to promote collaboration among academia, industry and government agencies to accelerate the commercialisation of green hydrogen technologies and strengthen Uttar Pradesh’s clean energy ecosystem. The project forms part of the state’s Green Hydrogen Policy 2024, which seeks to position Uttar

Pradesh as a major hub for green hydrogen production and related industries while supporting India’s broader clean energy and decarbonisation goals.

https://bioenergytimes.com/iit-kanpur-to-set-up-centre-of-excellence-for-green-hydrogen-under-up-policy/

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The proposed framework may also introduce generation guarantees, virtual metering, AI-based quality checks and differentiated financial assistance based on household income, location, consumer category and the services provided by rooftop solar systems to the electricity grid.

The PM Surya Ghar scheme currently provides central financial assistance for residential rooftop solar installations, with subsidies linked largely to installed capacity rather than actual electricity generation or the asset’s performance over its operational life.

A consolidated policy paper is expected within 10-15 days, followed by focused consultations over the subsequent 20 days on batteries, hybrid inverters, equipment interoperability, DISCOM readiness and regulatory changes, FE has learnt. The discussions follow a meeting chaired by a joint secretary in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

“The next phase should not be limited to continuation of the existing subsidy structure,” a senior MNRE official said, calling for a combination of regulation, market mechanisms, technology standards and public support to deepen rooftop solar adoption while gradually creating a self-sustaining market.

A split financial-assistance structure is under consideration. One component could support upfront capital expenditure, while another may be linked to electricity generation, operations and maintenance, battery storage or service delivery over the life of the asset.

According to the ofiicials, consumer adoption is likely to remain strong with a payback period of five to six years, but could weaken once it exceeds seven years. Higher-income households may continue adopting rooftop solar with lower levels of support, while lower-income consumers could require stronger or differently structured financial assistance.

Queries sent to ministry of new and renewable energy were remained unanswered till the press time.

States that provide free or heavily subsidised electricity may also consider converting recurring power subsidies into one-time solarisation support, potentially lowering their long-term subsidy burden.

Battery storage is expected to become central to the redesigned scheme as rising rooftop solar capacity increases daytime power exports and grid management challenges. MNRE will evaluate household, transformer, distribution and utility-scale storage models by comparing capital costs, grid benefits, avoided infrastructure expenditure, consumer value and operational control.

“India’s rooftop solar story is entering a new phase. The question is no longer how many panels we install, but how effectively we use the energy they generate. Storage is the missing link that can align consumer savings with grid requirements and make distributed solar more valuable for the entire electricity system,” said Ashish K Sharma, fellow, TERI.

Inputs presented at the meeting proposed two complementary storage pathways — behind-the-meter batteries installed at consumer premises and battery systems deployed downstream in the distribution network. Such systems could absorb excess daytime power exports, provide household backup, reduce reverse power flow, support peak-demand management and improve utilisation of grid assets.

Consumer-side storage could be prioritised for high-solar or network-constrained feeders, while substation-level battery energy storage systems could be deployed where grid conditions warrant them. The proposed model aims to lower electricity bills and improve power backup for consumers while enhancing DISCOMs’ hosting capacity, voltage support and utilisation of network assets.

Benefit-sharing mechanisms are also under consideration to make household batteries more affordable. Under the proposal, a portion of the savings realised by DISCOMs through power purchase optimisation and avoided network expenditure could be shared with participating consumers.

The scheme may also be expanded to cover apartment residents and households without suitable rooftops through virtual and group net metering, balcony solar, facade-mounted systems and building-integrated photovoltaics. Community solar plants of around 100 kW could also be explored for low-income consumers seeking systems of 1-2 kW.

Quality and long-term performance will receive greater attention. The chair said the programme “should shift from an installation-centric model towards an asset-performance model”. Proposals include generation guarantees, mandatory service periods, insurance against equipment failure and generation shortfall, and a digital solar passport recording output, service history and warranty status.

MNRE also plans a common data protocol covering more than 100 inverter and equipment manufacturers. Daily generation data could support monitoring, DISCOM planning, maintenance alerts and warranty enforcement, while AI may verify installations, identify components and detect defects.

https://www.financialexpress.com/business/industry/pm-surya-ghar-2-0-to-link-subsidies-to-generation-battery-storage/4303189/

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According to a joint press release issued by the Australian Government and ReNew on Tuesday, the Academy is supported by Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water and ReNew, India’s leading renewable energy company. It aims to build a skilled and inclusive workforce to support India’s rapidly expanding rooftop solar sector. 

Operating through a hub-and-spoke model, the Academy will train 2,000 rooftop solar technicians and helpers during its first two years, with a strong focus on increasing the participation of women and youth in the clean energy workforce.

The initiative draws on Australia’s expertise in rooftop solar deployment and vocational training and is intended to support India’s flagship PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana by strengthening the skilled workforce needed to accelerate rooftop solar adoption across the country.

ReNew will provide industry expertise, curriculum inputs, project management support and workforce to ensure the training remains aligned with industry requirements. The Australian Government is supporting the development of a rooftop solar training curriculum aligned with Australian standards, which will be piloted through the Academy.

The inaugural programme was attended by representatives from the Australian Government, ReNew, Pandit Deendayal Energy University and the Skills Council for Green Jobs, the project’s implementation partner. PDEU will serve as the Academy’s hub institution, delivering training in partnership with the Skills Council for Green Jobs.

Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green said, “Our Prime Ministers agreed in 2024 that we should jointly deliver a new solar rooftop academy. Today we are fulfilling their decision, and delivering on that promise. I underline Australia’s seriousness in committing to more in the Australia-India corridor, as we did in the context of PM Modi’s recent visit to Australia, and delivering on those commitments. I also take this opportunity to wish the first cohort of trainees well in their studies, and for their futures.” 

Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-founder and Chairperson, Sustainability, ReNew, said, “India’s clean energy transition will be driven not only by technology and investment, but also by a skilled workforce. The India-Australia Rooftop Solar Training Academy is an important step towards building that talent pipeline. ReNew is proud to support this initiative, which will equip young people and women with industry-relevant skills for the growing rooftop solar sector while contributing to India’s PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana and the broader India-Australia renewable energy partnership.”

Professor Sundar Manoharan, Director General of Pandit Deendayal Energy University, said, “In advocating the energy transition towards net-zero compliance, PDEU has traversed a remarkable journey–from establishing a 1 MW solar power plant to setting up a 45 MW Solar PV manufacturing line, integrating rooftop solar energy storage solutions, and launching the Rooftop Solar Training Academy. This milestone reflects PDEU’s unwavering commitment to advancing the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s shared vision of accelerating clean energy adoption, building a skilled green workforce, and fostering sustainable development.”

The press release noted that during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia on July 9, the two leaders welcomed progress under the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership, including the establishment and operationalisation of the India-Australia Rooftop Solar Training Academy.

It added that the Academy is a practical demonstration of expanding clean energy cooperation between India and Australia and supports both countries’ commitment to accelerating the energy transition while creating new opportunities for workers and communities.

https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/renewable/india-australia-rooftop-solar-training-academy-welcomes-first-cohort-in-gandhinagar/132680993

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The project, being developed jointly by NGEL, the renewable energy arm of NTPC, and the New & Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP), will have nearly 20 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity and produce green ammonia, green methanol, green urea and sustainable aviation fuel.

 Maheshwari said the next phase of growth would be driven by four interconnected pillars: renewable energy at scale, energy storage and grid flexibility, digital transformation of power systems, and the creation of new demand ecosystems.

Each additional gigawatt of capacity creates opportunities across the electrical manufacturing ecosystem, he said, adding that there will be demand for transformers, switchgear, transmission towers, cables and conductors, protection and automation systems, power electronics, communication systems, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) infrastructure, and grid equipment.

 As renewable energy penetration rises, energy storage will play a critical role in providing grid stability, frequency regulation, peak demand support, ancillary services and improved power quality, he added.

 Speaking at the same event, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) Chairman Ghanshyam Prasad said a committee had been constituted to examine the issue of grid oscillations.

 “The last event that happened in Khavda Renewable Energy Park was alarming as we lost around 9,000 MW at a single location. That region will have 40,000-45,000 MW. If a similar event occurs then, the grid will face a very serious challenge,” he said.

 “Therefore, I request all stakeholders, especially the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), to actively deliberate within the committee and come up with practical solutions,” he added.

 Prasad also spoke about the need to improve power supply quality and increase the indigenisation of power equipment.

 “In the last one to two years, we saw that lead times kept increasing, which was a matter of concern for developers, and we had to slightly slow the pace of development,” he said.

 “We should be able to reduce lead times substantially because the renewable energy industry needs to commission projects quickly,” he added.

https://www.business-standard.com/industry/news/green-hydrogen-hub-in-andhra-pradesh-offers-mega-opportunity-ngel-ceo-126073001629_1.html

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Energy security depends not only on the availability of resources, but also on the ability to translate those resources into operating infrastructure with greater predictability across development, construction and long-term operations.

That pressure is real in a market that continues to expand. According to the IEA, global LNG supply returned to double-digit growth in the second half of 2025 and is expected to accelerate again in 2026, while global natural gas demand is on track to reach a new all-time high[1]. The 2025 World LNG Report adds that global LNG trade grew by 2.4% in 2024, reaching 411.24 million tons[2].

This environment offers an opportunity to take a broader look at how different LNG project models can support market needs. Very large-scale LNG projects remain essential to global supply growth and continue to play a critical role in meeting long-term energy demand. 

Mid-scale projects can complement that landscape by giving developers another path to add capacity in phases, respond to specific market opportunities and manage execution complexity in a more targeted way.

For years, the LNG conversation was dominated by mega developments. These projects continue to be important, particularly where scale, long-term offtake and infrastructure conditions support large investments. Alongside such projects, intermediate-capacity plants may offer additional flexibility in markets where phased development, speed to market and manageable capital exposure are important considerations.

The potential benefit of mid-scale projects can be diluted if they are developed using traditional delivery models, with too many interfaces, disconnected suppliers and decisions that are chained together one after another.

On paper, a project may appear sound. In practice, it can become constrained by a series of complexities that can be difficult to identify early enough. Early design decisions shape construction, commissioning and long-term operation.

Economies of scale are well established — larger capacity projects tend to achieve lower costs per ton, supported by scale efficiencies and mature liquefaction technologies. Faster delivery, labor constraints and appetite for lower site-construction risk are leading to greater use of pre-engineered designs, mid-scale modular designs, or both. In mid-scale projects, a more integrated approach can help balance cost, schedule and operational considerations by reducing complexity and improving execution. 

Modular Design, A Path to Efficiency

The conversation is increasingly expanding from installed capacity to the execution model. When a project depends on many stakeholders, several transfers of responsibility and multiple integration points, the risk is not purely technical. It can also become financial, operational, and reputational.

By contrast, modular and integrated designs can change both the plant layout and the project’s governance model. Interfaces may be reduced, coordination can become simpler, and predictability can improve.

The IEA forecasts a wave of new LNG export capacity of around 300 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year by 2030[3]. In a cycle like this, arriving late can be as costly as designing poorly.

Talking about modules means understanding how manufacturing key units off-site, in controlled environments, can reduce uncertainty in the field, shorten timelines, and standardize processes.

For mid-scale facilities, this approach can be especially valuable because it may help contain costs and keep projects within reasonable time and capital parameters. A replicable design also makes future expansions easier when the market requires them.

However, modularity alone does not solve the entire challenge. A project can be built faster and still carry problems if process technology, automation and operating systems are treated as separate pieces.

This is where integrated design becomes important. Integrating pretreatment, liquefaction, control systems, and software from the beginning can reduce the gaps in responsibility that often emerge when each component depends on a different supplier. In other words, a well-integrated plant is easier to build, operate, maintain and scale.

This is precisely where Honeywell brings a differentiated approach. As the only technology company with differentiated end-to-end process technologies combined with cutting-edge automation and software capabilities, Honeywell can help LNG developers connect process design, automation, and operations from the earliest stages of a project. 

Its modular LNG portfolio is intended to support a more streamlined approach across the value chain, helping reduce project risk, complexity, and capital expense while contributing to stronger energy security. That breadth also allows technology to be adapted to different train sizes, from small-scale LNG and modular mid-scale designs of up to approximately 2 million metric tons per annum (MMTPA) to large single-train designs at 8 MMTPA.

Automation and digitalization systems embedded from the design stage can support more consistent operations, better visibility into plant performance, and more precise maintenance planning.

In the mid-scale segment in particular, discipline is also needed to help preserve a project’s economic viability from beginning to end.

In these types of facilities, there is often less room to absorb schedule deviations, cost overruns, or late-stage redesigns than in larger developments. Speed is important, but the quality of project implementation matters just as much. Arriving earlier creates limited value if the project carries weaknesses that later make operations more expensive or affect reliability.

This point helps explain why developers are looking for greater certainty in schedules, manageable capital exposure, and operational reliability, three variables that are often more connected than they may appear.

When development relies on multiple licensors, different equipment suppliers, and systems integrators operating under separate logic, risk can also shift to project governance. What appears to be a sum of specialized capabilities can become a fragmented network of responsibilities, where each interface adds the possibility of delay, cost pressure or technical friction.

Automation can help standardize operating practices and embed process knowledge into control systems, something especially valuable as experienced operators retire. This issue is rarely discussed, yet it is likely to carry increasing weight.

Energy infrastructure does not compete only for capital and time; it also competes for specialized talent. Designing assets that depend less on dispersed knowledge and more on integrated operational intelligence can make the difference between a plant that scales in an orderly way and one that accumulates vulnerabilities over time.

In this sense, the discussion around LNG should no longer be limited to the molecule or the volume. It can also include the technical and organizational architecture that enables a project to perform well, not merely to start up.

The next stage of LNG may be shaped not only by the size of projects, but also by their ability to combine speed, certainty and performance.

In a market that is adding new supply, multiplying trade routes and demanding greater resilience, the conversation can focus on which projects are best prepared to move from announcement to operation without losing time, value or control along the way. In that context, integrated modular design moves from being an interesting technical option to becoming a strategic advantage for the right projects, under the right conditions, as part of a broader LNG portfolio that continues to include large-scale developments. Regardless of scale, the need for well-planned integration and automation systems that are embedded at the design phase are critical to support the long-term efficiency and profitability of LNG production. 

https://mexicobusiness.news/tech/news/why-integrated-modular-design-future-mid-scale-lng

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The divergent strategies amount to opposing bets on how Europe’s gas crunch will evolve befare winter. If Middle East disruptions persist and prices keep climbing, Italy’s expensive stockpiling could prove prescient while countries with thin inventories may face even tighter supply in winter and higher costs. If fuel flows recover and prices fall, Italy risks having filled storage with costly gas at billpayers’ expense.

War and supply disruptions in the Middle East have caused European gas prices to roughly double so far this year, crimping LNG buying across the region even as it’s under pressure to build up inventories for winter. Italy was a rare exception, leapfrogging its peers this month for the first time in ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg going back to 2017.

The country’s power sector is the most reliant on gas in Europe, and saw energy needs jump during recent heat waves. But its traders also kept making use of incentives to buy LNG for refilling Italy’s storage sites, giving it a leg up on nations like Germany and France, which are lagging behind. Italy’s storage regulation contains strict refilling targets and fines for not meeting them.

The development is likely to sharpen the question of whether other European governments should. Intervene to support purchases if shipping from the Persian Gulf remains shut. Other major buyers in Asia have also been pulling away cargoes from Europe, potentially fueling a bidding war in the months ahead if the supply situation doesn’t ease.

“It’s likely that gas prices will continue to be in tension over the coming months, starting in the next few weeks,” Agostino Scornajenchi, chief executive officer of Italian gas network operator Snam SpA, said in an interview this week. Germany and other European countries will likely have to accelerate storage injections soon, he said. The company confirmed it’s on track to reach its 90% refilling target.

European gas futures have added more than 30% so far this month with the US launching fresh strikes on Iran in recent days and global markets grappling with continued uncertainty.

Winter gas contracts are trading slightly below those for summer, making stockpiling uneconomical for most traders. Still, many analysts have warned of mounting winter risks, with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. seeing the possibility of prices shooting up to €100 a megawatt-hour in December – 75% above current levels if the market remains tight.

For the time being, Italy’s gas storage sites are 75% full-below a five-year seasonal average, but the highest among Europe’s top markets. Germany’s facilities are at 47%, the lowest share of utilized capacity for this time of year in records going back to 2009. France’s gas inventories are 56% full after it faced some capacity restrictions at LNG terminals this summer.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-31/italy-becomes-eu-s-top-lng-importer-as-purchases-elsewhere-lag

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The storage of natural gas arriving by ship in liquid form – whether it is regasified when needed or transported by land tankers while remaining in liquid form – provides flexibility for energy supply security while also ensuring source diversification.

Located in Tekirdag, the Marmaraereglisi LNG terminal plays a strategic role, particularly during the winter months when natural gas consumption is high, with a daily regasification capacity of 37 million m3. The terminal accommodates not only conventional ships in the global LNG fleet, but also high-capacity vessels of the Q-Flex and Q-Max classes.

With an average of 65 LNG ships calling at the terminal each year, it single-handedly meets approximately 15% of Türkiye’s annual natural gas demand, making it one of the most critical components of energy supply security.

In addition to storing LNG delivered by ships and regasifying it for injection into the national transmission system, the terminal also conducts onshore tanker loading, fuelling, and reloading operations. It is set to expand its storage capacity. With the construction of a fourth storage tank now underway, storage capacity will increase by 160 000 m3.

Bayraktar stated that the Marmaraereglisi LNG terminal is one of the critical elements of Türkiye’s energy supply security, thanks to its ability to source natural gas from various sources, its high storage capacity, and its robust regasification infrastructure.

Noting that fluctuations in global energy markets have once again highlighted the importance of a robust infrastructure, Minister Bayraktar added: “This new investment will strengthen our natural gas infrastructure. The facility’s total LNG storage capacity will increase from 255 000 m3 to 415 000 m3. Investments like this in our natural gas infrastructure will enhance our resilience against crises.”

Türkiye has a total of five LNG entry points, consisting of two LNG terminals and three FSRUs. In addition to the Marmaraereglisi LNG terminal, the Dörtyol FSRU and the Saros FSRU are operated by BOTAS.

In line with the National Energy and Mining Policy, the LNG regasification capacity – which stood at 34 million m3/d in 2016 – has now increased approximately fivefold to 161 million m3. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources aims to increase this capacity to 200 million m3/d with two new FSRUs.

https://www.lngindustry.com/regasification/20072026/storage-capacity-to-increase-at-marmaraerelisi-lng-terminal/

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South Korea is the anchor market in both periods, accounting for the largest single share of deliveries each half with 15 shipments.

Beyond South Korea, the Netherlands emerges as the second-largest destination, displacing Spain, while China holds a steady mid-tier position.

The Netherlands is an important injector of LNG-sourced natural gas into European pipeline networks, and market observers highlight that the region, particularly northwestern Europe, is undergoing a gas refill push ahead of winter.

https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/peru-lng-vessels-change-course-dutch-open-arms

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LNG exports from this project are subject to regulatory approvals by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) because the facility is supplied with natural gas sourced from the United States. DOE has authorized 0.50 Bcf/d of LNG exports from Energia Costa Azul Phase 1 to countries that have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States and 0.44 Bcf/d of LNG exports to non-FTA countries.

Sempra has proposed a second phase of the project, which if constructed would add 1.6 Bcf/d of nominal export capacity from two large-scale trains.

Principal contributor: Jordan Young

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67884

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The cargo from Venture Global’s Plaquemines facility in Louisiana was offloaded at the Yangpu port in southern China earlier this month, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg shows. The gas was then loaded into bonded storage, where it is currently being prepared for re-export, people with knowledge of the matter said. The LNG was delivered with the intention for resale overseas, where prices are more attractive, the people said.

If the shipment were imported into the local market, then the Chinese buyer would need to pay a 25% tariff on the fuel. A nearly empty tanker recently docked at Yangpu, ship-tracking data shows, and some of the US LNG could be loaded onto the ship.

The move to re-export indicates that China isn’t in a rush to resume imports of US LNG, even as the war in the Middle East chokes deliveries from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The Asian nation has replaced US and Qatari flows by boosting deliveries from other suppliers such as Canada and Oman, ship data shows.

China’s imports of US LNG plunged early last year as trade between the world’s largest buyer and the biggest seller of seaborne gas unraveled. Beijing slapped tariffs on US LNG in February 2025 in retaliation for levies on Chinese goods by the Trump administration.

Meanwhile, higher global LNG prices over the past month have prompted Chinese importers to resell some of their long-term supply, as they can get better returns overseas than in the domestic market, according to traders.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-27/first-us-lng-shipment-to-china-in-a-year-to-be-re-exported

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