KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the Green Hydrogen Production and Refueling Center at Kathmandu University (KU) in Dhulikhel today.
As part of the 29th Convocation Ceremony of KU, he also unveiled a green hydrogen-fueled car, with registration number Ba 1 Jha 1111, and rode in it to the convocation venue.
During the event, PM Oli praised KU’s construction of the green hydrogen production and refueling station as exemplary.
He emphasized the importance of expanding such innovative projects to other locations, with a particular focus on hydrogen-powered vehicles.
PM Oli, who is also the Chancellor of KU, recalled initiating discussions on green hydrogen and wind power production during his previous term as Prime Minister.
He noted that the current work should be further expanded.
Associate Professor Biraj Singh Thapa, head of KU’s Nepal Hydrogen Initiatives, explained that the green hydrogen is produced by processing electricity with water.
KU began studying and researching the production and use of green hydrogen fuel two years ago, achieving their first production on April 2, 2023.
The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) provided financial assistance to KU for this initiative, including the operation of the hydrogen-fueled car.
The car, manufactured by Hyundai, was imported from South Korea last November with NOC’s support.
A hydrogen refueling center was established on the university campus with technical assistance from a Korean green hydrogen production company.
NOC contributed Rs 50 million to KU for this project, from which the university invested 33,000 USD to remodel the car and Rs 13 million to build the refueling center.
Associate Professor Thapa detailed the hydrogen production process, which involves the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen, which is then purified, stored in a low-pressure tank, and transferred to the car’s fuel tank via a high-pressure system.
On average, the hydrogen refill center produces two kilograms of hydrogen daily for research purposes, requiring ten liters of water and 40-45 units of electricity to produce one kilogram of hydrogen.
The car can hold up to six kilograms of hydrogen, allowing it to travel up to 650 kilometers on a full tank.
KU aims to develop a pilot project for a hydrogen refueling center with the capacity to refuel 30 to 35 hydrogen-fueled cars, marking the first such initiative in Nepal for operating hydrogen-powered transport.
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