Jadavpur University (JU) is set to launch a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for research and development in green hydrogen, with the initiative bringing together the university, Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL).
The Centre will be inaugurated at the Technology Bhavan on the Jadavpur University campus, following approval from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
The proposal submitted by Jadavpur University in collaboration with DVC, SAIL and HURL is among four proposals selected by MNRE for establishing Centres of Excellence focused on green hydrogen research and development.
₹8.2 crore green hydrogen research centre
According to The Times of India, Jadavpur University Vice Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee said the Centre has a budget of ₹8.2 crore, which will be contributed equally by MNRE and DVC.
Under the proposed structure, JU will serve as the knowledge partner, with its primary role focused on research and technology development. SAIL and HURL will participate in applying and testing the technologies developed through the Centre at their industrial facilities.
The university’s project budget was reported by PTI as ₹8.18 crore, with equal funding from MNRE and DVC.
Focus on green hydrogen use in power, steel and fertiliser
The Centre will focus on expanding the application of green hydrogen across three major industrial sectors — power, steel and fertiliser.
Bhattacharjee told The Times of India that the CoE would focus on the application of green hydrogen in these industries.
The university will therefore concentrate on research and development, while SAIL and HURL are expected to provide industrial environments in which relevant technologies can be applied.
PTI also reported that the project will examine more efficient methods of compressing hydrogen for storage and different applications.
Industry partners bring application focus
The participation of SAIL and HURL gives the Centre an industry-oriented research structure.
SAIL is one of India’s major steel producers, making hydrogen applications in steelmaking a potential area for technology development and testing. HURL operates in the fertiliser sector, creating a potential industrial pathway for green hydrogen applications in fertiliser production.
DVC’s equal funding contribution alongside MNRE also places the power-sector utility within the Centre’s institutional framework.
The arrangement is intended to connect university-based research with industrial technology deployment rather than limiting the Centre’s work to laboratory research.
Part of India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission
The Jadavpur University Centre is being established under the broader research and development framework of India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission.
MNRE’s Green Hydrogen Mission identifies research, innovation and technology development as important elements in advancing green hydrogen production, storage and utilisation. The government has also stated that Centres of Excellence are intended to support integrated research across different parts of the green hydrogen value chain.
The Mission’s broader objective is to establish India as a global hub for green hydrogen production, use and export while supporting decarbonisation across sectors.
From research to industrial deployment
The structure of the Jadavpur University CoE places emphasis on moving technologies from research towards industrial application.
JU’s role as knowledge partner will centre on research and technology development, while SAIL and HURL will participate in applying the technologies at their respective facilities. This could allow research outcomes to be assessed under industrial operating conditions.
For the power sector, green hydrogen could be investigated for applications where hydrogen can complement or replace conventional fossil-based fuels. In steel, research can focus on hydrogen-based processes that can reduce the use of carbon-intensive reducing agents. In fertilisers, hydrogen is already a fundamental feedstock for ammonia production, making low-carbon hydrogen relevant to the industry’s decarbonisation efforts.
The exact technologies and pilot applications to be developed at the new Centre, however, will become clearer as the programme progresses.
Bioenergy Business Analysis
The Jadavpur University CoE adds an important research and industrial-application layer to India’s green hydrogen ecosystem. Its significance lies in the partnership model: a university leads research and technology development, while a power utility and two industrial companies provide funding and potential routes for testing applications.
The focus on power, steel and fertiliser is also aligned with sectors where hydrogen could have a role in reducing fossil-fuel use or replacing conventional hydrogen derived from fossil fuels. However, the Centre’s eventual impact will depend on the technologies developed, their performance at industrial sites and the ability to move successful research from pilot applications to commercial deployment.
For India’s hydrogen industry, the project also illustrates the growing emphasis on developing domestic technology capabilities alongside production capacity. The National Green Hydrogen Mission’s R&D framework specifically aims to advance technologies covering production, storage and utilisation of green hydrogen.
