Research Projects

The global interest in hydrogen production is driven by the promise of clean operation and high efficiencies of hydrogen fuel cells. Currently, most hydrogen is produced from non-renewable fossil sources. However, hydrogen can be produced from renewable biomass through biological dark fermentation, but current techniques have low yields. Microbial electrolysis (MEC) can overcome these challenges, but challenges include difficulty in utilizing biomass directly, low H2 production rates due to inefficient reactor designs, high cathode over potential, and high solution resistance, and high capital costs. This project aims to develop a hybrid system that integrates dark fermentation and MEC processes, overcoming these challenges. The proposed MEC setup is self-pressurised, cost-effective, and efficient with a unique cloth electrode assembly (CEA) for suitable H2 production. This research combines a novel hybrid MEC reactor configuration and the intrinsic strengths of microbes with novel electrode assemblies, expected to lead to breakthroughs in the development of highly efficient hydrogen production processes. Producing H2 energy from agricultural and brewery industrial wastes/wastewater can reduce India's reliance on foreign oil and strengthen its National Hydrogen Mission, making India a hub for green hydrogen production and export.