The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has floated draft guidelines for mixing 5 per cent hydrogen in natural gas for domestic piped natural gas (D-PNG) consumers served through the city gas distribution (CGD) network.
The guidelines prescribe minimum requirements for commercial supply of HNG (hydrogen-natural gas mix). They address single-point injection into small, hydraulically defined commercial deployment areas confined to domestic consumers.
The regulator emphasised that five per cent is the maximum commercial concentration, and not the routine control target. The normal operating setpoint shall be lower sufficient to prevent higher percentage of hydrogen injection during peak or minimum demand, start-up, shutdown and disturbances
In March 2024, the regulator had said that it is working on avenues for transporting green hydrogen through natural gas transmission lines by blending hydrogen with natural gas. It was considering gas transmission lines as a first choice for transporting green hydrogen.
Hydrogen is a flexible energy carrier and can be used for many energy applications like integration of renewables and transportation.
“Maximum Commercial Blend Limit means 5 per cent hydrogen by volume as demonstrated in accordance with the measurement and verification arrangements in the approved area,” PNGRB said in the draft guidelines.
The regulator has sought comments from stakeholders by November 11, 2026. The draft guidelines, however exclude compressed natural gas (CNG) and HCNG, automotive use, transmission pipelines, pure-hydrogen supply, refuelling, de-blending and non-domestic PNG.
The guidelines propose that CGD entities should have a ‘Hydrogen-Ready Infrastructure’, which means that portion of a CGD network, together with associated equipment, meters, regulators and validated appliance classes, established as suitable for HNG service up to the approved commercial concentration, not exceeding 5 per cent hydrogen by volume.
They also propose a hydrogen receipt and interface point, which is a defined physical point at which hydrogen is received from the upstream supply system into the blending facility.
“These Guidelines apply from the Hydrogen Receipt and Interface Point, through the Blending Facility, to the downstream Commercial Deployment Area and domestic installations,” PNGRB said.
The scope includes hydrogen-side receipt, regulation, measurement, isolation and injection equipment downstream of that interface point and upstream of the mixing point, it added.
However, hydrogen production, transportation, compression and storage upstream of the interface point, including upstream mobile-cascade systems, remain outside the scope of these guidelines and shall independently comply with applicable laws and competent-authority approvals.
State-run Engineers India (EIL) and IIT Kanpur have studied the impact of green hydrogen on city gas distribution (CGD) pipelines and the findings of the report have been submitted to the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG).
EIL’s study suggested that 3-5 per cent hydrogen can be blended in natural gas.
India’s annual demand for hydrogen is around 6 million tonnes, which accounts for about 6 per cent of the global demand.
Published on October 13, 2026
