KOCHI: Kerala is set to enter the ‘hydrogen’ era, as south India’s first green hydrogen plant and refuelling station, located near the Kochi airport premises at Nedumbassery, is set to be commissioned by the middle of May.
The first-ever green hydrogen plant inside an airport in the country is jointly developed by the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL). While BPCL is entrusted with the building and operation of the 1,000-kilowatt green hydrogen plant, CIAL contributes land, water and green energy resources.
“The plant will have a capacity to produce 200 kg of green hydrogen daily. The hydrogen plant will have four electrolysers producing 200 NNG (Normal Cubic Metres) of hydrogen per hour. The initial output will be used to power the vehicles in the airport, while the commercial sale of the fuel to the public will begin at a later stage when more hydrogen-fuelled vehicles are introduced in the state. The opening of the hydrogen refuelling outlet is expected to bring in a revolution in terms of emission-free transport,” said a senior BPCL official.
The authorities had initially planned the inauguration of the fuel outlet on May 2. “However, the same has been postponed as some more work is pending. We are now looking to commission the plant by mid-May,” the official said. Upon the Rs 25-crore plant becoming operational, CIAL will operate a hydrogen-fuelled bus, which uses the hydrogen fuel cells indigenously developed by Pune-based private firm KPIT Ltd. Three more hydrogen buses will be rolled out if the trial becomes successful.
The BPCL is also setting up another hydrogen refuelling station in Thiruvananthapuram. “The land for the project is being finalised and the work of setting up the plant and refuelling station will start in a couple of months,” the official said.
Green hydrogen, which is produced from water using renewable energy sources, is recognised as a future fuel and aligns with carbon-neutral strategies. Earlier, the BPCL entered into a pact with KPIT Technologies to promote hydrogen-based mobility initiatives in the state. The hydrogen refuelling stations in Kochi and Thiruvananthapurm are part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, and aims to support pilot mobility projects between the two cities, thereby paving the way for safe and sustainable hydrogen-powered public transport.
“The Hydrogen Refuelling Stations (HRS) in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram are strategically positioned to facilitate research and pilot projects within Kerala’s Hydrogen Valley Program. These stations will be essential in promoting commercial hydrogen applications and encouraging the wider uptake of hydrogen-powered transportation solutions.