Toyota and Ohmium to co-develop hydrogen microgrid in India
Toyota Kirloskar Motor has signed a new agreement with PEM electrolyser maker Ohmium to design and build a decentralised hydrogen-powered microgrid in India – expanding Toyota’s hydrogen strategy beyond vehicles and into clean, off-grid power.
The partnership, announced in New Delhi on 25 June, will see Toyota supply its fuel cell modules and integration expertise, while Ohmium leads the design and development of a modular microgrid system powered by green hydrogen.
The solution is aimed at use cases like data centres, remote industrial sites, and environmentally sensitive areas still dependent on diesel generators.
The collaboration aligns with India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched in 2023, and supports the country’s push to localise production and reduce reliance on fossil imports.
“This collaboration goes beyond mobility,” said Swapnesh R. Maru, Deputy Managing Director of Toyota Kirloskar Motor. “It’s a shared commitment to creating a hydrogen-powered India that is self-reliant, resilient, inclusive, and future-ready.”
From Mirai to microgrids
Toyota’s hydrogen journey in India began in 2022 with a government-backed pilot of its Mirai fuel cell vehicle, developed in partnership with the International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT).
Since then, it has supplied fuel cell modules to Ashok Leyland for prototype hydrogen trucks and collaborated with state governments on fuel cell feasibility studies.
By combining on-site green hydrogen production with fuel cell power generation, the Toyota-Ohmium microgrid aims to offer a clean alternative to diesel in locations where electrification is either too costly or simply not practical.
Toyota’s growing stationary power strategy
While this is Toyota’s first public hydrogen microgrid project in India, it’s not its first foray into stationary power.
Globally, the company is already working with French firm EODev to supply and assemble hydrogen fuel cell generators.
In Australia, Toyota assembles EODev’s GEH₂® units at its former Altona plant, delivering clean power to off-grid and remote mining operations.
Toyota is also supplying fuel cell modules to US-based ReHlko, which is integrating them into stationary generator products – including a 1 MW hydrogen system for critical infrastructure and emergency backup power.
These collaborations reflect Toyota’s broader commitment to a multi-pathway decarbonisation strategy, with hydrogen playing a role not just in mobility, but in energy resilience and industrial operations too.
If you’re going to build a hydrogen society – as Toyota says it is – you need a hydrogen ecosystem. And that starts with power.
Ohmium brings local electrolyser capacity
Ohmium’s modular PEM electrolysers are designed for fast deployment and lower total system cost.
Manufactured in Bengaluru, the units come pre-assembled with integrated power electronics and closed-loop cooling, reducing the need for complex site engineering.
The company has built a global green hydrogen project pipeline exceeding 2 GW, spanning sectors such as steel, ammonia, methanol, refineries, and transport.
Backed by $250 million in Series C funding raised in 2023, Ohmium has emerged as a key player in India’s hydrogen ambitions – offering home-grown technology with global reach.
“Toyota is known worldwide for its leadership in fuel cell and hydrogen technology,” said Ohmium CEO Arne Ballantine. “We’re excited to work together to make green hydrogen-powered machines practical in the near term.”
Government support and “Make in India” focus
The MoU was signed in the presence of senior Indian government ministers, including Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Minister of State for Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik, and Delhi’s Environment and Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
All three publicly endorsed the partnership and praised it as an example of home-grown clean energy innovation.
Gadkari described hydrogen as “the fuel of the future” and called on industry to scale up practical, indigenous technologies that support India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat self-reliance campaign.
Toyota and Ohmium both reaffirmed their commitment to local manufacturing, integration, and R&D as part of the project.
“By combining Toyota’s fuel cell systems and Ohmium’s PEM platforms, we aim to deliver scalable, efficient, and affordable solutions that accelerate India’s journey toward a carbon-neutral future,” said Sudeep Dalvi, Toyota Kirloskar’s Chief Communication Officer.
