Swiss tech, Indian power - TKIL bets on hydrogen

Engineering, Procurement, and Construction ( EPC) contractor TKIL Industries (formerly Thyssenkrupp Industries India Limited) has announced a partnership with Switzerland-based SoHHytec to establish a green hydrogen plant in India within the next year, the company’s top executive said.

The collaboration will deploy SoHHytec’s proprietary artificial photosynthesis (photo-electrolysis) technology, which produces green hydrogen using renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. The technology is described as one of the most cost-efficient methods globally for generating green hydrogen for industrial applications.

TKIL Industries Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Vivek Bhatia quoted “I’m quite hopeful, within the next 12 months, you will see us building out a green hydrogen plant with our technology”.

TKIL Industries, an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services provider, is currently in discussions with companies in diverse sectors, including steel and oil marketing, for potential projects. “We are the EPC players. We are talking to steel manufacturers. We are talking to oil marketing companies. So, whoever needs green hydrogen will invite us and we will build the plant for them and hand it over to them,” Bhatia explained.

Under the agreement, TKIL Industries will also serve as SoHHytec’s exclusive partner in India for the manufacture and supply of specific equipment and machinery, in addition to installing green hydrogen projects.

The initiative aligns with India’s National Hydrogen Mission, which aims to accelerate the transition towards clean energy, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and expand renewable energy capacity. The mission targets production of five million tonnes per year of green hydrogen capacity by 2030 as part of the country’s broader climate commitments.

At present, TKIL Industries is expanding its capacity by adding more bays within its existing plant rather than constructing a new facility. The company is investing progressively in this direction. “We have been spending and we will consistently spend every year somewhere around Rs 25 crore to Rs 50 crore to expand capacity. Once we are out of space, then we will have to look at a major investment,” Bhatia said.

Besides the green hydrogen initiative, TKIL Industries has also formed a partnership with German company HOPPECKE Batterien GmbH & Co to collaborate in the field of battery systems for India’s rail sector.

TKIL Industries operates across multiple sectors including mining, bulk material handling systems, and cement plants, apart from its new focus on clean energy technologies.