Nornickel presents palladium developments for India's hydrogen industry
POWER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Nornickel presents palladium developments for India's hydrogen industry

India is one of the key countries in the development of hydrogen energy. The country is expected to produce at least 5 million tonnes of pure hydrogen per year by 2030 and at least 25 million tonnes by 2050 will be required to fuel transport, steel and ammonia production. However, to achieve these goals, India needs innovative solutions to modernise production and scale up green hydrogen applications.

The Hydrogen Technology Expo event in Delhi brought together industry experts to discuss cutting-edge technologies in the hydrogen and fuel cell industries. Nornickel presented its innovative palladium-based developments to Indian experts, suggesting their developments are capable of increasing the efficiency of green hydrogen production in the country.

Nornickel is a leading supplier of a wide range of base and precious metals that improve the efficiency of green technologies. The chemical properties of palladium, a critical metal of the future, are studied at Nornickel's Palladium Technology Centre. At the Delhi event, company representatives spoke about the results of their tests and the potential application of palladium products in the global hydrogen industry.

Palladium has the unique ability to split a hydrogen molecule into atoms that pass through the metal and are then reunited into a molecule using the same palladium. Palladium is impervious to other gases. This is why palladium membranes are used to produce ultra-pure hydrogen. The diffusion of hydrogen in palladium allows easy gas recovery at a relatively low temperature.

The palladium prototypes developed by Nornickel have been successfully tested in Russia and have shown improved performance compared to existing commercial analogues. For example, a catalyst for an electrolyzer with 30% palladium increases its activity by a factor of three, while the application of palladium in a tubular membrane has demonstrated a fourfold increase in membrane throughput in the production of ultra-pure hydrogen.

In the hydrogen energy industry, palladium-based catalysts show efficiency gains at every stage of the production chain, in the electrolysis of hydrogen from water, in transport and directly in the fuel cell. In turn, palladium membranes are used to purify and produce ultra-pure hydrogen, which is needed for microelectronics, solar energy and the production of artificial diamonds, explains Anna Karzhavina, Head of Commercialisation of New Products at Nornickel.

Nornickel is open to working with Indian companies involved in hydrogen production and consumption to implement palladium-based prototypes to increase productivity and expand the use of green hydrogen in India.

India is one of the key countries in the development of hydrogen energy. The country is expected to produce at least 5 million tonnes of pure hydrogen per year by 2030 and at least 25 million tonnes by 2050 will be required to fuel transport, steel and ammonia production. However, to achieve these goals, India needs innovative solutions to modernise production and scale up green hydrogen applications. The Hydrogen Technology Expo event in Delhi brought together industry experts to discuss cutting-edge technologies in the hydrogen and fuel cell industries. Nornickel presented its innovative palladium-based developments to Indian experts, suggesting their developments are capable of increasing the efficiency of green hydrogen production in the country. Nornickel is a leading supplier of a wide range of base and precious metals that improve the efficiency of green technologies. The chemical properties of palladium, a critical metal of the future, are studied at Nornickel's Palladium Technology Centre. At the Delhi event, company representatives spoke about the results of their tests and the potential application of palladium products in the global hydrogen industry. Palladium has the unique ability to split a hydrogen molecule into atoms that pass through the metal and are then reunited into a molecule using the same palladium. Palladium is impervious to other gases. This is why palladium membranes are used to produce ultra-pure hydrogen. The diffusion of hydrogen in palladium allows easy gas recovery at a relatively low temperature. The palladium prototypes developed by Nornickel have been successfully tested in Russia and have shown improved performance compared to existing commercial analogues. For example, a catalyst for an electrolyzer with 30% palladium increases its activity by a factor of three, while the application of palladium in a tubular membrane has demonstrated a fourfold increase in membrane throughput in the production of ultra-pure hydrogen. In the hydrogen energy industry, palladium-based catalysts show efficiency gains at every stage of the production chain, in the electrolysis of hydrogen from water, in transport and directly in the fuel cell. In turn, palladium membranes are used to purify and produce ultra-pure hydrogen, which is needed for microelectronics, solar energy and the production of artificial diamonds, explains Anna Karzhavina, Head of Commercialisation of New Products at Nornickel. Nornickel is open to working with Indian companies involved in hydrogen production and consumption to implement palladium-based prototypes to increase productivity and expand the use of green hydrogen in India.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India Advances in Sustainable Solid Waste Management Technologies

In a significant step towards environmental sustainability, Indian scientists and research institutions have pioneered advanced technologies for the management of solid and plastic waste. These innovations span across various sectors, offering decentralised, eco-friendly solutions that bridge scientific advancement with practical implementation. A range of cutting-edge technologies have been developed for efficient solid waste management: Bio-Methanation for Organic Waste: The CSIR–Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) has developed a high-rate bio-methanation technology tail..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India Sets Up Anusandhan Foundation to Boost National Research

In a landmark move to strengthen India’s scientific research and innovation ecosystem, the Government has established the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) under the ANRF Act, 2023, which was officially notified in February 2024. The foundation is designed to mobilise and manage significant funding across multiple streams for research and development activities across the country. The ANRF will receive financial support through various dedicated streams—the ANRF Fund, Innovation Fund, Science and Engineering Research Fund, and Special Purpose Funds. A budgetary provision of R..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

DST Clarifies Media Reports on State Science Policy Responses

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has issued a clarification concerning recent media reports alleging a contradiction in its responses to Parliamentary questions regarding the first Indian state to implement a science policy. The department emphasised that the two queries raised in 2022 and 2025 differed in both scope and intent, and that the replies provided were accurate and aligned with the specific questions posed. In response to a Parliamentary Question dated 21 July 2022, which sought to ascertain whether any state government had ever initiated a science policy since Indiaâ..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?