Lucknow: With the objective of promoting green transportation, the Uttar Pradesh government under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken an important step in the field of green hydrogen. Approval has been granted for setting up two Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to encourage research, technological development, human resource empowerment and industrial use of green hydrogen in the state.
The first Centre of Excellence will be established by IIT Kanpur in collaboration with Harcourt Butler Technical University (HBTU), Kanpur. The second Centre will be set up jointly by IIT (BHU) and Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology (MMMUT), Gorakhpur. Both Centres will operate from the campuses of the partner institutions.
MD and Director of UPNEDA, Inderjeet Singh, said that in the projects undertaken at these Centres, both institutions will take turns in leading initiatives. The Centres will function on a hub-and-spoke model, under which other engineering and technical institutions across the state will be connected. Research and technological development will focus on biomass-based and electrolyser-based green hydrogen.
Under the Green Hydrogen Policy–2024, an incubation centre will also be established within the Centres of Excellence. Through this, 10 startups will be supported every year and at least 50 startups over a period of five years. Financial assistance of ₹25 lakh per year for five years has been provisioned for this purpose. The Centres will also support curriculum development, mentoring, technical exhibitions and conferences for engineering colleges and polytechnic institutions in the state. In addition, they will provide policy inputs to the state government on issues related to the production, storage, transportation and utilisation of green hydrogen.
At least 50 percent industrial participation in the Centres of Excellence will be from Uttar Pradesh, ensuring greater benefits to the state in the industrial and commercial use of green hydrogen. To promote green transportation, efforts will also be made in collaboration with the Ministry of Railways to operate green hydrogen-based trains. Additionally, through the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC), green hydrogen buses are proposed to be run on routes such as Kanpur–Lucknow, Varanasi and Gorakhpur.
The establishment of these Centres of Excellence for green hydrogen is a significant step towards positioning Uttar Pradesh as a leading hub for innovation and industry in this sector. With collaboration among researchers, startups and industries, this initiative will help promote clean energy, reduce carbon emissions, attract investments and create new employment opportunities in the state.
