Norwegian electrolyser technology company Hystar has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to establish phased local manufacturing of PEM electrolysers in India, targeting the country’s rapidly developing green hydrogen market.
The partnership will combine Hystar’s high-efficiency proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser technology with BHEL’s extensive manufacturing, engineering and project execution capabilities. The companies aim to develop a pathway toward locally manufactured, cost-competitive electrolyser systems for green hydrogen projects across India.
For Hystar, the agreement represents a significant expansion into one of the world’s largest prospective markets for renewable hydrogen. BHEL, meanwhile, is one of India’s largest state-owned engineering and manufacturing companies, with an established presence across the country’s energy and infrastructure sectors.
The collaboration is structured around the gradual localisation of electrolyser manufacturing, allowing Hystar’s technology to be deployed while building domestic manufacturing capabilities in India.
The agreement was signed at BHEL’s corporate headquarters in New Delhi by senior representatives from both companies. A delegation from the Royal Norwegian Embassy, led by Chargé d’Affaires Arvinn Eikeland Gadgil, was also present.
Targeting India’s growing green hydrogen market
India is seeking to establish a substantial domestic hydrogen industry through its National Green Hydrogen Mission, alongside the government’s broader Make in India manufacturing strategy.
Developing domestic electrolyser manufacturing capacity is an important part of that ambition. Electrolysers use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, and when powered by renewable electricity they can produce green hydrogen for applications ranging from industrial processes to energy and transport.
The Hystar-BHEL partnership is intended to combine international electrolyser technology with Indian manufacturing capacity, potentially reducing reliance on imported equipment as the country’s hydrogen sector expands.
Hystar’s patented PEM technology is designed around high efficiency, while BHEL brings large-scale industrial manufacturing capabilities and experience delivering projects across India’s energy sector.
“India will play a key role in the global transition to green hydrogen, and the collaboration with BHEL provides a clear path to deploy our unique technology in the Indian market,” said Fredrik Mowill, CEO of Hystar.
“We look forward to a long-term collaboration while building local capabilities together with such a capable partner as BHEL.”
The agreement does not specify manufacturing volumes, investment levels or a timetable for establishing local production. However, it creates a framework for Hystar and BHEL to progressively localise PEM electrolyser manufacturing as demand for green hydrogen equipment develops.
For Hystar, the partnership provides access to BHEL’s substantial industrial footprint and project capabilities. For BHEL, it adds high-efficiency PEM electrolysis technology to its potential offering as India builds the domestic supply chain needed to support large-scale green hydrogen production.