ECOGEN: Centre of Excellence for Green Hydrogen
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur announced on 20 July 2026 that it will establish a Centre of Excellence for Green Hydrogen, named ECOGEN. It stands for the Centre of Excellence on Innovative and Integrated Ecosystem for Green Hydrogen.
The proposal has been approved by the Uttar Pradesh Government and sanctioned by the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA). It has been established under the Uttar Pradesh Green Hydrogen Policy 2024.
ECOGEN aims to strengthen research, innovation, and technology development across the green hydrogen ecosystem.
What is Green Hydrogen?
Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis. The electricity required for this process comes from renewable sources such as solar or wind energy.
Types of Hydrogen
- Green Hydrogen: Produced using renewable electricity with very low emissions.
- Grey Hydrogen: Usually produced from natural gas without capturing carbon emissions.
- Blue Hydrogen: Fossil-fuel-based hydrogen where carbon capture and storage is used to reduce emissions.
Green hydrogen can help decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, fertilisers, refining, shipping, and heavy transport.
Key Objectives of ECOGEN
The Centre of Excellence will conduct research across the entire green hydrogen value chain.
Its major focus areas include:
- Green hydrogen production and cost reduction.
- Hydrogen storage and transportation.
- Safety standards and testing.
- Technology demonstrations.
- Industrial applications and commercialisation.
The centre will be led by Dr. Prabodh Bajpai, Professor in IIT Kanpur’s Sustainable Energy Engineering Department, as Principal Investigator.
Green Hydrogen Initiatives in Uttar Pradesh
ECOGEN forms part of Uttar Pradesh’s wider strategy to develop a green hydrogen ecosystem and support its long-term net-zero goals.
In December 2025, the state also approved a joint Green Hydrogen Centre of Excellence involving IIT Kanpur and Harcourt Butler Technical University (HBTU).
Important Facts for Exams
- ECOGEN: Centre of Excellence on Innovative and Integrated Ecosystem for Green Hydrogen.
- Institution: IIT Kanpur.
- UPNEDA: Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency.
- Policy: Uttar Pradesh Green Hydrogen Policy 2024.
- Electrolysis: Process of splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity.
- Green hydrogen uses renewable electricity for electrolysis.
- Major applications include:
- Fertiliser production
- Oil refining
- Steel production
- Heavy transport
- Shipping
- At the national level, India launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission in 2023.
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