SECI Invites Nationwide CO2 Source Mapping To Support Green Methanol And Green Urea Development

The Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI), a Government of India enterprise, has issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) to identify and map potential Carbon Dioxide (CO2) sources across India. Released on August 3, 2026, the initiative is part of SECI’s role as the Scheme Implementation Agency under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for the National Green Hydrogen Mission. The exercise is intended to collect important industry data that will help shape future policy and support the development of Green Urea and Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) compliant Green Methanol.

According to the EOI, SECI is seeking information on the availability, location, purity, seasonal supply, and infrastructure readiness of CO2 sources across the country. The corporation has clarified that this is only an information-gathering exercise and does not involve any financial commitment, procurement process, or project award. The data collected will be used to understand the country’s CO2 supply landscape and support future planning under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

The EOI has been divided into two separate sections based on the intended end use of the captured CO2. The first section focuses on Green Methanol production, mainly for international maritime fuel markets and exports to Europe. To qualify under European Union Renewable Energy Directive (RED II/III) regulations, the CO2 used for Green Methanol must comply with RFNBO requirements. SECI has highlighted that biogenic CO2 from sources such as distilleries, sugar mills, and biogas upgrading facilities, along with Direct Air Capture (DAC), is considered the most sustainable and future-ready option because these sources are not affected by regulatory sunset deadlines.

The document also notes that fossil-based industrial CO2 can only be used under strict regulatory conditions. CO2 from power plants will be accepted only until January 1, 2036, while emissions from other industrial sectors will remain eligible until January 1, 2041, subject to compliance with European carbon pricing rules. SECI has therefore indicated that biogenic CO2 offers the strongest long-term opportunity for Indian suppliers. For Green Methanol projects, locations close to major ports such as Deendayal Port Authority in Kandla, Gujarat, and V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, are considered preferable due to export requirements.

The second section of the EOI focuses on Green Urea production for the domestic agricultural sector. Unlike Green Methanol, Green Urea can utilize a wider range of industrial CO2 sources, including emissions from petroleum refineries, cement plants, steel mills, paper industries, and fertilizer factories. SECI has stated that preference will be given to CO2 sources located near existing or proposed urea manufacturing facilities to reduce transportation costs and improve project economics.

SECI has kept participation in the consultation process simple and free of cost. The application fee is nil, while no Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) or Performance Bank Guarantee (PBG) is required since the EOI is not a competitive bidding process. The document was officially released on August 3, 2026, and an online pre-EOI consultation meeting for interested stakeholders is scheduled for August 18, 2026, at 2:30 PM IST through Microsoft Teams. Interested organizations can submit their responses either offline at SECI’s corporate office in New Delhi or online through the Google Form specified in the EOI document.