How do the GHCI water emission guidelines affect compliance calculations?

Producers who have already calculated GHCI compliance scores without water-emission inputs may find their GHG intensity scores shift once the guidelines are finalised. Any producer drawing offsite water for electrolysis must add this as a new calculation input.

Are the MNRE water emission guidelines for GHCI final?

No. As of March 2026, the guidelines are still in draft form. A formal gazette notification from MNRE is required before they become binding.

MNRE Draft Guidelines Extend GHCI to Include Water-Use Emissions

Q: How does HyGOAT help producers adapt to GHCI methodology updates?

HyGOAT monitors GHCI scheme changes and supports producers in identifying recalculation needs when methodology boundaries expand - so compliance scores stay current without manual tracking of every MNRE notification.

Key Highlights

MNRE issued draft guidelines on February 25, 2026 extending GHCI system boundaries to cover water-use GHG emissions
Section 7.4 of the GHCI scheme now includes emissions from offsite water drawal and treatment
Methodology aligns with ISO standards - requiring precision inputs, not approximations
Public comment period closed March 13, 2026; final gazette notification pending
MNRE's official GHCI page updated March 13, 2026 - the framework is actively evolving

What Changed

On February 25, 2026, India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) issued draft guidelines to account for greenhouse gas emissions associated with water use in green hydrogen certification under the Green Hydrogen Certification of India (GHCI) scheme.

The new guidelines cover GHG emissions from:

Offsite water drawal for electrolysis
Water treatment processes before electrolysis

The methodology aligns with ISO standards - meaning calculations must be precise, not estimated. Any producer drawing water from offsite sources and treating it for electrolysis will need to add this as an input to their GHCI compliance calculation.

Public comments were invited from February 25 to March 13, 2026. The guideline is not yet finalised - a formal gazette notification is required before it becomes binding.

Why It Matters

GHCI is not a static framework. The scheme page now shows "Last Updated: March 13, 2026," and this water-emission guideline is part of a broader pattern of MNRE tightening system boundary definitions as the scheme matures.

Producers who have already calculated GHCI compliance scores without water-emission boundaries may find their scores shift when guidelines are finalized. Teams relying on earlier calculations should plan for a recalculation exercise.

The compliance burden in India's green hydrogen sector is compounding over time - not simplifying. Producers need certification infrastructure that can adapt.

HyGOAT Implications

The H2GS screening tool may need a water-emission input field once guidelines are finalised. This signals a broader advisory opportunity: producers who certified earlier may need recalculation support, and any producer now in pre-certification planning must account for this new input layer.

Watch for: the final gazette notification from MNRE; any updated GHCI scheme PDF on the official notice page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are India's MNRE water emission guidelines for GHCI?

On February 25, 2026, MNRE issued draft guidelines requiring green hydrogen producers to account for GHG emissions from offsite water drawal and treatment under Section 7.4 of the GHCI scheme. The public comment period closed March 13, 2026; a formal gazette notification is still pending.

How do the water emission guidelines affect GHCI compliance calculations?

Producers who calculated their GHCI GHG intensity without water-emission inputs may find their scores shift once the guidelines are finalised. Any producer drawing water from offsite sources for electrolysis must add this as a new calculation input aligned with ISO standards.

Are the MNRE water emission guidelines final?

No. As of March 2026 the guidelines are in draft form. They become binding only after a formal gazette notification from MNRE. Producers should monitor the official GHCI scheme page for updates.

How does HyGOAT help producers adapt to GHCI methodology updates?

HyGOAT tracks GHCI scheme changes and helps producers identify when recalculation is needed - so compliance scores stay current as MNRE expands system boundary definitions, without requiring manual monitoring of every regulatory notification.