IIT Kanpur Partners with UPNEDA to Set Up Green Hydrogen Centre of Excellence
In a major step toward clean energy and sustainable innovation, the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) has received official approval to establish a specialized Centre of Excellence (CoE) focused on green hydrogen. The new initiative, officially named the Centre of Excellence on Innovative and Integrated Ecosystem for Green Hydrogen (ECOGEN), is supported directly by the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) and forms a cornerstone of the state’s Uttar Pradesh Green Hydrogen Policy 2024.
The initiative aims to position Uttar Pradesh as a leading regional hub for clean energy while directly assisting India’s broader vision of reaching net-zero carbon emissions.
Understanding Green Hydrogen
To appreciate the impact of this new centre, it helps to understand what green hydrogen is and why it matters.
Unlike traditional “grey hydrogen”—which is extracted from natural gas using methods that release carbon dioxide into the air—green hydrogen is produced through a process called electrolysis. During electrolysis, clean electricity generated from renewable sources (like solar or wind power) is used to split water molecules ($H_2O$) into hydrogen and oxygen.
Because the entire process uses clean energy and releases no direct greenhouse gases, green hydrogen is considered one of the most promising alternatives to fossil fuels, particularly for heavy industries like steel manufacturing, oil refining, fertilizer production, and long-distance transport.
Key Goals of the ECOGEN Centre
While green hydrogen holds massive potential, two big challenges stand in the way of widespread adoption: high production costs and complex storage requirements. The ECOGEN facility at IIT Kanpur will focus its research precisely on these hurdles.
Led by Dr. Prabodh Bajpai, a professor in the Department of Sustainable Energy Engineering at IIT Kanpur, the centre will assemble an interdisciplinary team of researchers and industry partners to work across the complete energy value chain.
The core activities of the centre include:
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Lowering Production Costs: Developing cost-effective technological processes and equipment to make green hydrogen competitive with traditional fuels.
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Advanced Storage & Safety: Designing safe, high-capacity storage materials and setting rigorous testing standards for pressurized gas or liquid hydrogen handling.
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System Integration: Creating seamless mechanisms to integrate hydrogen fuel cells and systems into power grids, commercial vehicles, and factories.
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Industry & Ecosystem Collaboration: Acting as a shared platform where technical academic findings can be commercialized and put to work by industrial partners.
Supporting Uttar Pradesh’s Green Energy Ambitions
The establishment of ECOGEN is a key milestone under the Uttar Pradesh Green Hydrogen Policy 2024. By funding specialized hubs, the state government aims to encourage local technology creation, reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports, and attract investment into clean tech sectors.
Beyond laboratory research, the policy ecosystem is designed to build localized talent and business opportunities. The facility is expected to serve as a resource hub for students, engineers, and government agencies, while providing incubation support for clean energy startups across the state.
By tackling the core engineering and economic challenges of hydrogen energy, IIT Kanpur and UPNEDA are creating a practical roadmap to help turn green hydrogen from an ambitious concept into a reliable energy standard
