Bengaluru: Alliance University will establish a green hydrogen energy plant in the Hakki Pikki Colony (HPC), located on the edge of Bannerghatta National Park. The project, estimated at ₹25 crore, will be taken up on a pilot basis and requires approval from the Karnataka forest department as well as the Union and State governments, reports The New Indian Express.
Dr. Mukul Saxena, Director of the Centre of Excellence in Public Policy, Sustainability and ESG Research at Alliance University, said the proposal was submitted last week. “The project will generate and supply hydrogen energy to HPC on a pilot basis. Depending on the outcome, a hydrogen valley will later be developed on the outskirts of Bengaluru, similar to those planned in Pune, Kochi and Amaravati,” he said.
The initiative is part of the Union government’s plan to produce five million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030.
Alliance University adopted HPC eight years ago under its CSR programme. Explaining the pilot project, Saxena said research will focus on extracting hydrogen from lake and rainwater through electrolysis over an 18-month period. About 20–30 litres of water will be needed to produce one kilogram of hydrogen. The byproducts—oxygen and ammonia—will be supplied to healthcare units and the fertilizer industry, while the plant itself will be powered by solar energy.
The announcement came ahead of a two-day national workshop on Hydrogen Fuel Technologies and Future Trends, jointly organised by Alliance University and the Indian Institute of Science on September 19–20.
Yogesh Kumar, Professor at the School of Science, Alliance University, said Bengaluru is well-suited to host a large-scale hydrogen valley. “The city has the right talent pool for technological innovation. While the HPC project is a small step, the hydrogen valley will be a much larger initiative worth ₹150–200 crore,” he said.
