From biomass to hydrogen, IISc-Bangalore spearheads technology

Indian Institute for Science, Bengaluru researchers have developed a new technology to produce hydrogen from biomass, which is a renewable energy source.It is a two-step process.

Published: 13th July 2022 07:08 AM  |   Last Updated: 13th July 2022 07:21 AM   |  A+A-

Indian Institute of Science (IISC) in Bengaluru (File photo| EPS)

Indian Institute of Science (IISC) in Bengaluru (File photo| EPS)

By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Indian Institute for Science, Bengaluru researchers have developed a new technology to produce hydrogen from biomass, which is a renewable energy source.It is a two-step process. In the first step, biomass is converted into syngas – a hydrogen-rich fuel gas mixture – in a novel reactor using oxygen and steam. In the second, pure hydrogen is generated from syngas using an indigenously developed low-pressure gas separation unit. 

S Dasappa, Professor at Centre for Sustainable Technologies, and Chair of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Energy Research, IISc said that the hydrogen mostly comes from fossil fuels synthesised by steam methane reforming route.

The process produces 100 g of hydrogen from a kg of biomass even though only 60 g of hydrogen is present in a kg of biomass. This is because in this process, steam, which also contains hydrogen, participates in both homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions, Dasappa said. The production is carbon negative.

The technology also dovetails with the National Hydrogen Energy Roadmap, an initiative of the central government that aims to promote the use of hydrogen as a fuel, he added.  Green hydrogen can be used in steel to decarbonise steel.



Comments

Disclaimer : We respect your thoughts and views! But we need to be judicious while moderating your comments. All the comments will be moderated by the newindianexpress.com editorial. Abstain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks. Try to avoid outside hyperlinks inside the comment. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines.

The views expressed in comments published on newindianexpress.com are those of the comment writers alone. They do not represent the views or opinions of newindianexpress.com or its staff, nor do they represent the views or opinions of The New Indian Express Group, or any entity of, or affiliated with, The New Indian Express Group. newindianexpress.com reserves the right to take any or all comments down at any time.

flipboard facebook twitter whatsapp