The government of the state of Maharashtra in India has signed a €15 billion (AU24.5 billion) agreement with JW Global Group and The Seed Consortium to develop a massive clean energy and high-technology hub.
The deal, which includes one of the world’s most ambitious AI data centres, positions the state at the forefront of India’s dual push for technological sovereignty and industrial decarbonisation.
Central to the agreement is the deployment of Haffner Energy’s proprietary biomass-to-energy technology.
The company has been selected to provide the technological backbone for two of the four flagship projects planned for a 680-acre site near the Ujani Dam on the Bhima River.
The centrepiece of the investment is a €10.4 billion (AU$17 billion) AI-focused campus and data centre.
With a projected capacity of 1.4 GW, the facility is designed to contribute to India’s growing artificial intelligence economy and create numerous job opportunities.
To ensure the massive facility remains sustainable, Haffner Energy will supply technology to convert local agricultural residues into renewable hydrogen and electricity.
This provides a resilient, carbon-neutral energy supply that does not rely on the traditional power grid.
The second major project featuring Haffner’s technology is a €280 million green hydrogen production plant. Utilising Haffner’s patented SYNOCA biomass gasification technology, the facility is expected to produce 6,900 metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually.
Unlike typical green hydrogen projects that rely solely on wind or solar-powered electrolysis, the SYNOCA system uses thermolysis to unlock energy from organic waste, such as crop residues. This is particularly relevant in India, where agricultural waste is abundant.
“India’s industrial growth requires energy solutions that are scalable, sovereign, and sustainable,” said JW Global founder and chairman Jaydeep Wankhede.
“Haffner Energy’s biomass-based technologies bring a unique strategic advantage by converting local residues into clean hydrogen and renewable energy.
“This capability is especially relevant for India, where agricultural resources can be transformed into long-term industrial competitiveness while accelerating decarbonisation.”
“India represents a compelling deployment environment for our technology — abundant agricultural biomass, rapidly scaling energy demand, and a government actively backing industrial decarbonisation,” said Haffner Energy CEO Philippe Haffner.
