CM Himanta at Kandla e-Methanol Plant Foundation Stone
Synopsis
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma spoke to the press at the foundation stone laying of India's 150 TPD e-methanol plant in Kandla, Gujarat — a concrete step under the National Green Hydrogen Mission toward India's 2070 net-zero goal.
Key Takeaways
A 150-tonne-per-day e-methanol facility had its foundation stone laid at Kandla, Gujarat on 26 September 2026 .
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the press on the sidelines, marking high-level political attention to the project.
E-methanol is a green hydrogen derivative prioritised under India's National Green Hydrogen Mission (2023) for shipping and chemical decarbonisation.
Kandla (Deendayal Port Trust) is targeted for green fuel projects due to its renewable energy access and maritime logistics advantages.
The project aligns with India's stated 2070 net-zero emissions target and the global push to decarbonise port and shipping sectors.
A 150-tonne-per-day e-methanol facility moved from blueprint to ground at Kandla, Gujarat on Saturday, 26 September 2026, as Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the press on the sidelines of the project's foundation stone laying — a signal that India's green fuel push is gathering physical momentum at its busiest port corridor.
What is e-methanol and why Kandla?
E-methanol — produced by combining green hydrogen with captured carbon dioxide — is rapidly emerging as a frontline fuel for decarbonising shipping and chemical industries. Kandla, home to the Deendayal Port Trust on Gujarat's western coast, sits at the intersection of abundant renewable-energy potential and direct maritime offtake routes, making it a natural anchor for such a facility.
India's National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched in 2023, explicitly targeted the scaling of green hydrogen and its derivatives, with e-methanol among the priority products. A 150 TPD plant represents one of the larger single-facility commitments to that mission so far.
Himanta's presence: a North-East dimension
Sarma is no ordinary guest at a Gujarat ceremony. As convenor of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and one of the BJP's most prominent regional leaders, his participation underlines the cross-state political cohesion the party projects on flagship infrastructure and energy investments. Whether Assam or the North-East carries a direct stakeholder role in this facility is not yet confirmed, but the optics — a North-East CM at a Gujarat green-energy milestone — speak to a wider national narrative being constructed around India's 2070 net-zero commitment.
Ports as the new frontier for green fuels
Globally, ports are racing to become green-fuel hubs: bunkering ships with methanol or ammonia is one of the fastest paths to cutting maritime emissions. Kandla's positioning mirrors a pattern seen from Rotterdam to Singapore, where proximity to production and an existing industrial ecosystem make the economics viable. India's bet on port-anchored e-methanol production could give domestic shipping lines a competitive edge well before the 2070 deadline.
Progress at Kandla will be watched closely as a benchmark for similar projects at other major Indian ports — and as a test of whether the National Green Hydrogen Mission's ambitions translate into operating tonnes of clean fuel.
Point of View
And Kandla's port-industrial ecosystem gives it better odds of execution than landlocked alternatives. If this facility reaches commissioning, it becomes a template the National Green Hydrogen Mission can replicate at Paradip, Vizag, and Mundra — turning a single foundation stone into a network effect.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the e-methanol plant being built at Kandla?
It is a 150-tonne-per-day (150 TPD) e-methanol production facility whose foundation stone was laid at Kandla, Gujarat on 26 September 2026 . E-methanol is produced using green hydrogen and captured CO2, and is considered a clean fuel for shipping and chemical industries.
Why was Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma at a Gujarat event?
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the foundation stone laying of the Kandla e-methanol facility and addressed the press there. His exact stakeholder role in the project has not been officially confirmed, but his presence reflects broad BJP leadership engagement with India's green energy milestones.
What is India's National Green Hydrogen Mission?
India launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission in 2023 to scale up domestic production of green hydrogen and its derivatives — including e-methanol — in order to decarbonise sectors like shipping, steel, and chemicals, and support the country's 2070 net-zero emissions target.
Why is Kandla chosen for green fuel projects?
Kandla , home to the Deendayal Port Trust in Gujarat, offers proximity to renewable energy sources and direct maritime export and bunkering routes — making it a commercially and logistically attractive location for e-methanol and green hydrogen projects.
What does 150 TPD mean for an e-methanol plant?
150 TPD means the facility is designed to produce 150 tonnes of e-methanol per day , a scale large enough to supply maritime bunkering demand and chemical industry customers, and one of the larger single-site commitments to green fuel production in India to date.
