Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has cancelled the tender for its first green hydrogen project at the Panipat refinery, as announced on its website on August 6. This decision aims to revise norms and attract more bidders.
Last month, Moneycontrol reported that IOC was considering this cancellation to address the tender’s technical specifications. The project, crucial for IOC’s shift to sustainable energy, has faced delays.
The second tender, issued in March, closed on July 9 with GH4India (a consortium including IOC, ReNew, and Larsen & Toubro) and Neometrix Engineering in the race. Some renewable energy companies had lobbied for relaxed technical specs to participate. The original tender from August 2023 was challenged in court and cancelled in February.
IOC reissued the tender in March, removing the right of first refusal clause but introducing stricter eligibility criteria, which have been contentious among bidders.