TKIL Industries is forging exclusive strategic partnerships in rail batteries, compressed biogas (CBG), and green hydrogen to enhance its portfolio and address pressing decarbonisation challenges.

The company has signed an agreement with Germany’s HOPPECKE Batterien GmbH & Co to deliver advanced battery systems for the rail sector. It has also partnered with Singapore-based KIS Group, a global leader in CBG technology, to maximise biogas production from sugar plant by-products and other biomass, leveraging green innovation to support India’s clean energy transition.

TKIL has entered the green hydrogen sector through a strategic investment in Swiss startup SoHHYtec, which develops photochemical reactor (PCR) technology. Following successful pilots in Switzerland, preparations are underway to launch the technology in India, potentially reshaping TKIL’s growth trajectory and solidifying its position in the country’s clean energy landscape.

Vivek Bhatia, Managing Director and CEO of TKIL, stated that the PCR method produces double the hydrogen of conventional electrolysers on the same land area at a lower cost. If scaled, hydrogen could fuel trucks and buses at around Rs 4 per kilometre—less than half the cost of diesel or petrol. Adoption in India’s high-mileage logistics sector could significantly reduce the country’s energy import bill. Heavy industries such as steel and chemicals, which have struggled to decarbonise, are expected to be early adopters.

Government plans for hydrogen corridors on key highways, combined with interest from industrial states such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, could further encourage uptake. Challenges include land requirements for projects and customer scepticism about non-electrolyser technologies, but the compact design and cost advantages of PCR may overcome these barriers.

In addition to hydrogen, TKIL’s collaborations with KIS Group on compressed biogas and HOPPECKE on industrial batteries for rail electrification underscore the company’s aggressive diversification beyond its legacy businesses.