Kerala has designated Rs 0.9 billion for the initial phase of the green hydrogen valley and more than Rs 124 billion for the green transport corridor projects. The allocated budget of Rs 0.9 billion will be used to establish three hydrogen valley platforms, covering the entire hydrogen value chain, including production, distribution, and transportation.
The state plans to create two green hydrogen valleys in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. The Department of Science and Technology is currently working on the proposal for the Kochi valley, and efforts are underway to prepare a proposal for the Vizhinjam project. To encourage research and development for affordable and accessible sustainable energy, the European Commission, along with 23 other nations, has launched Mission Innovation. The Department of Science and Technology is accepting applications from organizations to establish hydrogen valleys as part of this initiative.
Kerala’s vision includes transforming major transport corridors, such as the west coast canal, coastal, and hill highways, into environmentally sustainable trade corridors. The west coast canal project, with a total cost of Rs 124 billion, includes Rs 24 billion for the project itself and Rs 3 billion allocated for land acquisition. The hill highway project is estimated to cost Rs 35 billion, while the coastal highway project has a budget of Rs 65 billion. The plan also involves establishing a hydrogen and electric vehicle charging infrastructure network along the Vizhinjam to Kochi corridor.