Two centres of excellence, backed by IIT partnerships, will focus on biomass-based hydrogen, storage and transport as Uttar Pradesh sharpens its clean energy push

The Uttar Pradesh government has sanctioned Rs 100 crore for the establishment of two Centres of Excellence focused on green hydrogen, positioning the state to play a larger role in India’s emerging clean energy ecosystem. The centres will work across the hydrogen value chain, including production technologies, storage solutions and transportation infrastructure.

The Centres of Excellence will be set up through a collaborative model linking Indian Institutes of Technology with state technical universities. IIT Kanpur will partner with Harcourt Butler Technical University, Kanpur, while IIT (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, will work with Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology, Gorakhpur. Officials said the model is designed to combine advanced research capabilities with local skill development, ensuring that innovation outcomes remain anchored within the state.

According to the state government, the centres will focus on hydrogen production technologies, including biomass-based pathways and electrolyser-driven systems. They will also work on developing scalable storage solutions and hydrogen transport infrastructure, areas seen as critical for commercial deployment.

State officials said the initiative aligns with the Uttar Pradesh Green Hydrogen Policy 2024, under which the government has given in-principle approval of Rs 2,100 crore for green hydrogen-related projects. The policy aims to leverage Uttar Pradesh’s agricultural base and industrial scale to lower production costs and attract private investment.

Officials said Uttar Pradesh’s large availability of agricultural residue could provide a steady feedstock base for biomass-based hydrogen production. This, they noted, could help the state emerge as a major green hydrogen hub over the next five to ten years, while also creating new income streams for rural areas.

The collaborative framework is also expected to support research, innovation and skill development, with the involvement of national institutions such as the IITs lending credibility and access to global research networks. At the same time, the participation of state universities is intended to ensure wider dissemination of skills and technologies within Uttar Pradesh.

The move comes as states across India compete to attract green hydrogen investments, encouraged by the central government’s National Green Hydrogen Mission. With its latest funding decision, Uttar Pradesh is signalling its intent to be an early mover, focusing on cost reduction, local resources and institutional partnerships to build a sustainable hydrogen ecosystem.