Mimbai: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL) has achieved a significant milestone by commissioning India’s first Solid Oxide-based Electrolyser (SOE) at its HP Green R&D Centre in Bengaluru. This groundbreaking pilot-scale electrolyzer is designed for the generation of Green Hydrogen (GH2) with an impressive purity of 99.99%, representing a crucial advancement in green hydrogen technology.

The innovative SOE system leverages electricity produced by a dedicated Solar+Wind power plant, utilising a 20 kW Solid Oxide Electrolyser stack. Notably, the SOEC does not rely on rare earth materials for its electrodes and electrolytes, making it both sustainable and cost-effective. Additionally, it boasts an energy consumption rate that is 20-30% lower than that of other electrolyzer technologies, potentially paving the way for a more economically viable Green Hydrogen Mission.

During the commissioning event, S. Bharathan, Director of Refineries at HPCL, highlighted the progress made by HP Green R&D in driving the company’s energy transition. He emphasised the role of innovation, research, indigenisation, cost optimization, and revenue generation in supporting HPCL's strategic goals.

Building on the capabilities of this SOE system, HP Green R&D Centre plans to conduct further research in several key areas. These include utilising low-quality steam and waste heat from refineries for hydrogen generation, capturing carbon through co-electrolysis to produce syn-gas and e-fuels, and exploring high-temperature hydrogen for various downstream applications.

With the commissioning of this SOE, HP Green R&D Centre now uniquely hosts all three leading electrolyzer technologies. This enables the simultaneous use of different types of electrolysers to optimise costs and study the impact of the intermittent nature of renewable energy from diverse sources, addressing associated challenges effectively.

HPCL’s successful deployment of this advanced Solid Oxide Electrolyser marks a crucial step towards sustainable energy solutions and reinforces its commitment to innovation in the field of green hydrogen generation. /BI/