IIT Kanpur to Set Up Green Hydrogen CoE

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur announced on 20 July 2026 that it will establish a Centre of Excellence on Green Hydrogen named the Centre of Excellence on Innovative and Integrated Ecosystem for Green Hydrogen, or ECOGEN. The proposal has been approved by the Uttar Pradesh government and sanctioned by the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency under the Uttar Pradesh Green Hydrogen Policy 2024.

Green Hydrogen: Basic Concept

Green hydrogen is hydrogen produced by splitting water through electrolysis using electricity from renewable sources such as solar or wind power. It is classified as a low-carbon fuel because its production route avoids direct carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-based hydrogen processes.

Centre of Excellence: Purpose and Scope

The Centre of Excellence will focus on research and innovation across the green hydrogen value chain. The value chain includes hydrogen generation, storage, transportation, safety standards, testing, demonstrations, and industrial use. The centre will also work on reducing the production cost of green hydrogen. Its stated academic and technical objective is to strengthen India’s clean energy research base and support Uttar Pradesh’s net-zero emissions goal.

Institutional Framework and Leadership

Dr. Prabodh Bajpai, Professor in the Sustainable Energy Engineering Department at IIT Kanpur, will serve as the Principal Investigator for the centre. The initiative is linked to state-level renewable energy planning in Uttar Pradesh and to institutional research capacity at IIT Kanpur. On 16 December 2025, the Uttar Pradesh government also approved a joint Centre of Excellence for Green Hydrogen involving IIT Kanpur and Harcourt Butler Technical University under the same policy framework. That joint centre will operate from both campuses and will cover production, storage, transportation, safety standards, testing, demonstrations, and industrial applications.

Important Facts for Exams

• Green hydrogen is usually produced through electrolysis of water using renewable electricity.
• UPNEDA stands for Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency.
• The Uttar Pradesh Green Hydrogen Policy 2024 provides the policy framework for these centres.
• Harcourt Butler Technical University is also part of a separate joint green hydrogen CoE with IIT Kanpur.