Pioneering sustainable hydrogen solutions for India’s clean energy future

Dr. Surya Moganty, Chief Technology Officer at L&T Energy Green Tech, is spearheading initiatives that are strengthening India’s green hydrogen ecosystem.  In this exclusive Q&A for Discover Green Hydrogen, Dr. Moganty discusses why green hydrogen is pivotal for India’s net-zero ambitions, the innovation priorities shaping electrolyser technology, and the multi-layered strategies advancing safety, sustainability, and industry collaboration. He also shares insights on leading transformative R&D and offers guidance for the next generation of energy innovators.

From your perspective, what makes green hydrogen a uniquely strategic solution for India’s energy independence and climate goals?

Green hydrogen enables deep decarbonisation of sectors like refining, steel, fertilisers, and heavy mobility—areas where direct electrification is challenging. It also helps reduce India’s dependence on imported fossil fuels by leveraging our abundant solar and wind resources. Beyond decarbonisation, green hydrogen supports energy storage, grid balancing, and long-term energy security, all critical for meeting India’s net-zero and energy independence targets.

What are your top innovation priorities over the next 2–3 years, particularly in electrolyser development and hydrogen production?

Our priorities focus on three core areas:

• Reducing stack CAPEX through localised sourcing and material innovation
• Improving efficiency and durability via advanced catalyst coatings, robust membranes, and optimised cell designs
• Validating integrated pilot systems to ensure stable, scalable hydrogen production across dynamic operating profiles

These initiatives are key to making green hydrogen commercially viable at scale.

Safety is a major consideration in hydrogen projects. How is your team addressing leakage, flammability, and compliance?

We use a multi-layered safety framework, including precision sealing at the stack level, hydrogen detection sensors, flame arrestors, and automated pressure relief systems. Our systems comply with ISO, IEC, and local regulatory standards, and we collaborate with international partners to ensure our safety protocols meet evolving global benchmarks, particularly for storage and transport.

Water availability and sustainability are growing concerns. How is L&T addressing the lifecycle impact of hydrogen production?

Sustainability is integral to our designs. We are:

• Implementing low-water recovery loops and dry-cooling systems in balance-of-plant
• Utilising brackish and recycled water where possible to reduce freshwater demand
• Conducting full lifecycle assessments to minimise carbon and water footprints across the value chain

How is L&T leveraging R&D and academic partnerships to drive innovation across the hydrogen value chain?

Our collaborations with global universities and institutes like IIT Bombay and Fraunhofer IFAM focus on:

• Next-generation membrane and catalyst development
• Degradation modelling and accelerated stress testing for lifetime prediction
• System-level integration and digital twin optimisation
  These partnerships shorten the path from lab-scale breakthroughs to commercial-ready products.

What excites you most about leading hydrogen innovation in India? What message would you give to young engineers?

We are at the inflection point of a once-in-a-generation energy transition. Building scalable, sustainable hydrogen solutions not only addresses climate change but positions India as a clean energy leader. To young engineers: this is your moment. Be ready to innovate, collaborate, and contribute to technologies that will shape the next century of energy.