In an effort to promote green hydrogen ecosystem in the country, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) and Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) have signed an agreement to establish a hydrogen valley innovation hub.
The agreement was signed during the recent Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024 in the city.
The institute will be the nodal agency to establish the hub and will focus on manufacturing, skill development, validation platforms, roadmap and landscape analysis for the hydrogen ecosystem. Hyundai Motor will invest ₹100 crore of the total project cost of ₹180 crore.
Unsoo Kim, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HMIL, said the dedicated facility, which is aimed at fostering a worldwide hydrogen society by making hydrogen readily available, will act as an incubation cell to develop a framework for localisation of a hydrogen ecosystem. The initiative would generate employment and support skill development in the region.
The institute will create the hub at its campus, taking responsibility for land, building and R&D infrastructure. The institute will also develop the curriculum for skill development needed to operate and maintain the hydrogen valley.
Institute Director V. Kamakoti said the funding from Hyundai had come at an appropriate time and it shall help in the rapid growth of the consortium.
Guidance Tamil Nadu, the investment promotion agency of the State government, will support policy advocacy on hydrogen-related technologies, standards and regulations development.
The institute has proposed to establish a Centre of Excellence, which would be the think tank that conducts annual conferences and workshops, besides publishing research papers.
The proposed hydrogen valley innovation cluster comprises stakeholders from over 20 companies working in the hydrogen sector, besides investors, consulates, IIT-M, IIT-M research park, Guidance Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation.
