Industry Experts Discuss Hydrogen Energy Commercialization at Chennai Workshop

Chennai: Industrialists, entrepreneurs, and business enthusiasts from various sectors came together to explore the challenges and opportunities of hydrogen energy commercialization at a workshop aimed at fostering start-up ecosystems for hydrogen technologies. Organized by the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), the event marked the celebration of National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day.

Dr. R Vijay, Director of ARCI, served as the Guest of Honour and emphasized the critical need to reduce hydrogen production costs to make it more attractive for the market. He highlighted ARCI’s pivotal role in advancing hydrogen technologies at both the component and system levels, noting that the institution actively supports several energy sector start-ups.

The workshop, held at ARCI’s Centre for Fuel Cell Technology at IITM Research Park, Chennai, was the seventh consecutive annual event focused on hydrogen technologies.

In his inaugural address, Prof. Mohammad Rihan, Director General of the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), underscored the importance of integrating solar power with electrolyzers for green hydrogen production, which can be converted back to electricity through fuel cells. He pointed to the synergy between solar and hydrogen technologies as a promising path toward green energy. Prof. Rihan also mentioned an ongoing partnership between ARCI and NISE, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to further this mission-mode approach.

Dr. R. Gopalan, Former Regional Director of ARCI, Chennai, discussed the need for a circular economy in hydrogen production to reduce costs and emphasized India’s growing leadership in green ammonia synthesis, alongside other developed nations.

Eminent speakers from the automotive sector, including Dr. G.A. Pathanjali, Managing Director of High Energy Batteries, Tiruchirappalli, and Shri Krishnan Sadagopan, Senior Vice President at Ashok Leyland, highlighted the potential of hydrogen for transportation. They delved into the challenges facing the automotive industry in adopting hydrogen technologies and the prospects for future growth.

Several start-up founders shared insights on hydrogen production and utilization, discussing both their capabilities and the hurdles they face in scaling up. Key challenges such as high production costs, infrastructure limitations, and regulatory barriers were recurring themes. Participants explored potential strategies to make hydrogen more economically viable, focusing on cost reduction and improving the distribution infrastructure.

The workshop concluded with a consensus on the need for stronger collaboration between industry, academia, and research institutions. ARCI’s role in facilitating these partnerships was underscored as essential for driving India’s hydrogen economy forward.