HERCHET: One-Day Seminar on Hydrogen and Enabling Technologies

Inaugural Session

The seminar commenced with a warm welcome from Dr. A. Rajeswari, Principal, CIT, who greeted all project partners and attendees. Mr. R. Santossh, Managing Trustee/Chairman, CIT Institutions, delivered a special address, emphasizing hydrogen's critical role in a sustainable future as a clean energy source. He reiterated CIT's commitment to the project, assuring full support for its successful implementation.

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Dr. Dhayalan Velauthapillai, HERCHET Project Coordinator, provided a comprehensive overview of the project. He detailed the activities planned for each partner institution, their timelines, modalities for student and faculty mobility, the development of Master's and Ph.D. courses, strategies for industry linkages, and anticipated outcomes and deliverables.

Research Insights & Presentations 

Following a brief tea break, the technical sessions began.

• Dr. C. Anandharamakrishnan, Director, CSIR-NIIST, highlighted CSIR's active involvement in hydrogen research, focusing on indigenous technologies for green hydrogen production, electrolyzers, fuel cells, and storage.

• Dr. S. Agilan from CIT's Department of Physics outlined ongoing research activities and expressed that the HERCHET project will bolster hydrogen production research within the department.

• Dr. S. Balakumar of the University of Madras presented on tuning the band gap of oxide materials for hydrogen production.

• Dr. R. Balasundaraprabhu from PSG College of Technology discussed available research facilities and expertise, emphasizing the need for simpler hydrogen production and transport methods.

• Dr. Sudip Kumar Batabyal of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham showcased novel materials synthesized for energy harvesting and storage.

• Dr. P. Ravirajan from the University of Jaffna shared insights into their collaboration with HVL and clean energy research.

• Dr. M. Jeyanthinath of Madurai Kamaraj University explored silicon solar cell technology and the potential of nanocrystalline silicon for hydrogen production.

• Online participants included Dr. Sachin Maruti Chauhan from the University of Stavanger, who discussed high surface area materials for economical hydrogen and methane storage, and Dr. Velaug Myrseth of FME HyValue, who spoke about their research center's focus on hydrogen and its value chain.

Industry Perspectives & PhD Scholar Presentations

After lunch, industry professionals shared their insights into commercial hydrogen production and its challenges.

• Mr. Sturle Pedersen of Greenstat Asia (online) highlighted Greenstat's policy of promoting green hydrogen production as a clean energy technology.

• Mr. Umesh Sahdev of Hydro-Genium shared techno-commercial experiences, discussing project feasibility and establishing industry linkages.

• Mr. Mahalingam from H2NEXT described scalable hydrogen production technologies using AEM, PEM electrolyzers, and biohydrogen production membranes.

The session also featured concise research presentations by twenty-six Ph.D. research scholars from host, partner, and allied institutions, who highlighted their key findings.

Way Forward: Discussion & Panel Discussion

The seminar concluded with a "Way Forward" discussion and panel discussion, setting the stage for future collaboration.

• Dr. Dhayalan Velauthapillai emphasized strengthening research capabilities to transition "lab to fab," suggesting the development of hydrogen energy courses from introductory to advanced levels, covering production, storage, transportation, and safety.

• Dr. S. Balakumar proposed regular online seminars on hydrogen basics and diverse production methods, advocating for strong networking to utilize research facilities and expertise across institutions.

• Dr. S. Prasanna encouraged short-term mobility for research scholars to maximize the use of available research facilities.

• Dr. M. Jeyanthinath agreed that scholar exchange would enhance research quality.

• Mr. Umesh Sahdev offered assistance in identifying suitable industries for scholar training and research.

• Mr. Mahalingam committed to providing industry-relevant hydrogen production problems for scholars to address.

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Dr. Dhayalan also announced the creation of an exclusive project website, to be managed by Dr. P. Balraju, for showcasing research facilities and expertise from partner institutions. He also proposed quarterly meetings to review project progress.

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Dr. N. Muthukumarasamy delivered the concluding remarks, emphasizing the importance of industry exposure for scholars to develop prototypes and working models. He also highlighted that the lively interaction between Indian and Norwegian faculty and students would integrate research activities and strengthen educational and research collaboration.

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Dr. Dhayalan Velauthapillai extended his gratitude to all participants for their active involvement in the seminar.