Kochi Set To Commission South India’s First Hydrogen Station

08 Oct 2025 CW Team

The project is being implemented by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in collaboration with CIAL, featuring a 1,000-kilowatt facility at Nedumbassery. BPCL has also finalised plans for a second hydrogen refuelling station in Thiruvananthapuram in partnership with ANERT (Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology).

According to a senior BPCL official,“Green hydrogen holds the potential to revolutionise aviation and urban mobility. The refuelling station at Nedumbassery is ready for commissioning and will initially produce 80 kilograms of green hydrogen per day. The fuel will cater to hydrogen-powered vessels and e-feeder buses to be introduced by Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL).”

The Kochi Water Metro, which currently operates electric-hybrid ferries built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, plans to transition to zero-emission hydrogen vessels. “The shift to hydrogen fuel is under active discussion with Cochin Shipyard. While we initially held back due to high costs and sourcing challenges, the situation has changed thanks to ANERT’s subsidy support,” a KMRL source said.

When the proposal was first made two years ago, the cost of green hydrogen was around Rs 960 per kilogram, but industry reports suggest this has now fallen by more than half, making the technology more commercially viable.

The Water Metro has also begun a pre-feasibility study to explore hydrogen-ferry services connecting Kochi airport from Aluva, via Periyar River and nearby canals such as Changal Thodu. The hydrogen-fuelled vessels for this route would be refuelled directly at the BPCL–CIAL station.

In addition, CIAL plans to deploy hydrogen-powered buses under a three-year Proof of Concept (PoC) project in partnership with EKA Mobility, KPIT Technologies, and BPCL. The 9-metre-long buses, designed by EKA Mobility, can carry over 30 passengers and will be used for airport operations and short-distance commutes. If successful, the fleet will be expanded.

BPCL is also working with BluJ Aerospace on developing a hydrogen-powered Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft ecosystem, aimed at promoting zero-emission urban and regional air mobility. The collaboration will include research into indigenous hydrogen fuel cells.

Both hydrogen refuelling stations in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram will play a key role in advancing Kerala’s Hydrogen Valley Programme, serving as research and pilot hubs for hydrogen-based mobility solutions.

Once operational, these facilities will accelerate commercial hydrogen adoption, create opportunities for hydrogen-powered transport, and position Kerala as a national leader in clean mobility and sustainable innovation.

Kerala is gearing up to embrace the fuel of the future — green hydrogen, with South India’s first green hydrogen plant and refuelling station nearing commissioning on the Cochin International Airport (CIAL) premises. The project marks a major milestone in India’s clean energy transition and could soon power the Kochi Water Metro and selected e-feeder services of the Kochi Metro.The project is being implemented by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in collaboration with CIAL, featuring a 1,000-kilowatt facility at Nedumbassery. BPCL has also finalised plans for a second hydrogen refuelling station in Thiruvananthapuram in partnership with ANERT (Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology).According to a senior BPCL official,“Green hydrogen holds the potential to revolutionise aviation and urban mobility. The refuelling station at Nedumbassery is ready for commissioning and will initially produce 80 kilograms of green hydrogen per day. The fuel will cater to hydrogen-powered vessels and e-feeder buses to be introduced by Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL).”The Kochi Water Metro, which currently operates electric-hybrid ferries built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, plans to transition to zero-emission hydrogen vessels. “The shift to hydrogen fuel is under active discussion with Cochin Shipyard. While we initially held back due to high costs and sourcing challenges, the situation has changed thanks to ANERT’s subsidy support,” a KMRL source said.When the proposal was first made two years ago, the cost of green hydrogen was around Rs 960 per kilogram, but industry reports suggest this has now fallen by more than half, making the technology more commercially viable.The Water Metro has also begun a pre-feasibility study to explore hydrogen-ferry services connecting Kochi airport from Aluva, via Periyar River and nearby canals such as Changal Thodu. The hydrogen-fuelled vessels for this route would be refuelled directly at the BPCL–CIAL station.In addition, CIAL plans to deploy hydrogen-powered buses under a three-year Proof of Concept (PoC) project in partnership with EKA Mobility, KPIT Technologies, and BPCL. The 9-metre-long buses, designed by EKA Mobility, can carry over 30 passengers and will be used for airport operations and short-distance commutes. If successful, the fleet will be expanded.BPCL is also working with BluJ Aerospace on developing a hydrogen-powered Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft ecosystem, aimed at promoting zero-emission urban and regional air mobility. The collaboration will include research into indigenous hydrogen fuel cells.Both hydrogen refuelling stations in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram will play a key role in advancing Kerala’s Hydrogen Valley Programme, serving as research and pilot hubs for hydrogen-based mobility solutions.Once operational, these facilities will accelerate commercial hydrogen adoption, create opportunities for hydrogen-powered transport, and position Kerala as a national leader in clean mobility and sustainable innovation.

Building Material

27 Nov 2025

Shalimar Paints Launches New Durable Luxury Interior and Exterior Range

Shalimar Paints has introduced three additions to its portfolio: Hero Insignia Luxury Interior Emulsion, Superlac PU Gloss Enamel and Hero Weather Guard 12 Luxury Exterior Emulsion. The new range is designed to combine finish, durability and environmental responsibility for modern residential spaces.Hero Insignia is a water-based luxury interior emulsion formulated with hybrid binder technology, providing a silky finish, stain resistance and protection from scuff marks. It offers more than 2,000 colour options, a 10-year promise and zero VOC levels, and can be applied on plaster, concrete and ..

Resources

27 Nov 2025

Trimble Promotes Harsh Pareek as VP Direct Sales for APAC

Trimble has promoted Harsh Pareek to Vice President, Direct Sales, Asia-Pacific for its Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AECO) division. Mr Pareek joined the company in 2017 and has more than 27 years of industry experience. He most recently served as Regional Sales Director for India for over eight years, during which he played a major role in accelerating Trimble’s growth and expanding its footprint across the Indian Subcontinent.Expressing his focus for the new role, Mr Pareek said that the AECO sector in Asia-Pacific is entering a phase driven by technology, sustai..

Infrastructure Energy

27 Nov 2025

Rajasthan Moves Mining Processes Fully Online From 15 December

The Rajasthan government will make all mining-related processes entirely paperless from 15 December, a senior official said. The Mines, Geology and Petroleum Department will halt all offline work across its mining modules, requiring officials to operate exclusively through online systems. Principal Secretary (Mines) T Ravikant said compliance monitoring will begin on 1 December while addressing an orientation workshop for officials from the Jaipur, Bharatpur, Ajmer, Kota and Bikaner zones. Ravikant explained that the department has developed two mobile applications and fourteen online modules..