IOCL Signs MoU With IISc to Develop Hydrogen Generation Tech

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IOCL has signed an MoU with IISc Bangalore to develop and demonstrate biomass gasification-based hydrogen generation technology.

The Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), the largest fuel retailer in India, has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (IISc) to develop and demonstrate biomass gasification-based hydrogen generation technology. As per IOCL, the process will help produce fuel cell grade hydrogen at an affordable price and accelerate its journey towards a sustainable hydrogen economy.

Welcoming the initiative, IndianOil Chairman S M Vaidya, said that this collaboration will be a step forward in the generation of green hydrogen and strengthen the promising foray made by IndianOil’s R&D teams in the hydrogen economy landscape. Hydrogen will emerge as the ultimate solution for a sustainable energy future, he added.

Giving details about the MoU, Dr. SSV Ramakumar, Director (R&D), said that IndianOil and IISc will jointly work for the optimisation of both biomass gasification and hydrogen purification processes. The technology will be scaled-up and demonstrated at IndianOil’s R&D Centre at Faridabad. The Hydrogen generated from the plant will be used in fuel cell buses as part of the Corporation’s larger aspiration to usher in a hydrogen economy in the country.

“This move will be another step by the Fortune 500 energy company to bring hydrogen fuel into India’s mainstream energy matrix while utilising the agrarian strengths of the country. The technology will provide a cleaner energy option for India and address the challenge of waste biomass disposal, thus improving the ambient air quality,” the firm issued in their statement.

Hydrogen based fuel cell technology is a sustainable and ultimate green mobility solution for India. Fuel cell electric vehicles are powered by hydrogen and only emit pure water as tailpipe emissions. IndianOil has been pioneering hydrogen research in the country and recently launched the trial of 50 HCNG fueled buses in Delhi.

In September, it was reported that the central government is in the process of setting up targets for hydrogen energy development in the country. As per Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), a committee of officials has been formed to set those specific targets to develop this source of energy.

Chaturvedi said that the targets will be set up under a hydrogen mission and will outline the quantifiable deliverables of the relatively new source of energy in the Indian sector. Hydrogen currently is not included in India’s plan to develop 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022.