The union territory of Ladakh holds immense strategic and geopolitical importance for India as it borders China and Pakistan. The area has a large presence of Indian troops as it provides access to the Siachen Glacier.  

In 2024, India and China finalised their border disengagement process in an effort to ease military tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the eastern Ladakh region. The government of India has since been working to boost energy and mobility infrastructure in the region and state-owned power company NTPC has been actively working in the area.

In October 2024, NTPC announced it would set up a solar hydrogen-based microgrid in Chushul, Ladakh in cooperation with the Indian Army.

The project aims to provide stable, green hydrogen-powered electricity to off-grid army locations. The foundation stone for the project was laid by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh via video conferencing. Singh was joined by the Chief of Defence Staff, NTPC’s CMD and senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, Indian Army and NTPC.

The solar hydrogen-based microgrid has been designed by NTPC and will operate independently. The microgrid itself will utilise hydrogen as an energy storage medium to supply 200 kW of power consistently all year round. The renewable energy system will replace the existing diesel generators at remote army locations and will supply power even during the harsh winter months when temperatures in the region plummet to -30°C at an altitude of 4,400 metres during winters. NTPC will maintain the project for 25 years.

The government of India believes that the microgrid offers numerous benefits, including renewable energy integration, stable power under adverse conditions, reduced carbon emissions and the promotion of a cleaner, sustainable energy ecosystem.

The systems are highly scalable and are suitable for various applications and combine battery reliability with the extended storage capacity of hydrogen, ensuring uninterrupted power, the government said.

Ladakh’s high solar irradiance and low temperatures make it an ideal location for producing and utilising green energy, reducing reliance on fuel logistics and enhancing self-sufficiency in remote areas affected by connectivity disruptions. Once operational, the project will represent a significant step in decarbonising defence operations in the remote Himalayas.

In February 2025 meanwhile, NTPC and Indian Army finalised a power purchase agreement (PPA) for sale of power (200 kW RE-RTC) from a solar-hydrogen-based microgrid at Chushul for a period of 25 years. The microgrid offers will help avoid the production of 1,500 tonnes per year of CO2, according to NTPC.

NTPC is also boosting mobility infrastructure in the region as well. In November 2024, the company began a trial run of a hydrogen bus in Leh, advancing its renewable energy targets and Ladakh’s carbon neutrality goals. The company is also setting up a hydrogen fuelling station, solar plant and five fuel cell buses for intracity routes in Leh.

NTPC aims to achieve 60 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2032 and become a leader in green hydrogen and energy storage technologies, according to the government of India. Its decarbonisation initiatives include hydrogen blending, carbon capture, electric buses, and developing smart NTPC townships.

The fleet of hydrogen buses was flagged off by India’s Power Minister, Manohar Lal, on November 23. Following the launch, the minister travelled 12 km in one of the hydrogen-powered buses from the green hydrogen filling station to Leh Airport.

The green hydrogen mobility project in Leh comprises a 1.7-MW solar plant, an 80 kg per day hydrogen filling station and five intra-city hydrogen buses. Each bus has a range of 300 km on a single fill of 25 kg of hydrogen. Notably, this project is the world’s highest-altitude green hydrogen mobility initiative, designed to operate in low-density air and sub-zero temperatures, with hydrogen filling at 350 bar pressure, according to the government.

NTPC has developed the hydrogen mobility project in cooperation with private sector company Amara Raja Infra, which has set up India’s first green hydrogen refuelling station in Leh.  

Since Ladakh has such high solar irradiance and low temperatures, the government of India believes that the region holds immense strong potential for green hydrogen mobility solutions. Using green hydrogen at such locations reduces reliance on fossil fuel logistics and supports regional energy self-sufficiency, helping India in its quest to generate 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity by 2030.