IIT Roorkee Hosts International Symposium on Biomass to Hydrogen

Roorkee, September 9, 2025: The Department of Hydro and Renewable Energy (HRED), IIT Roorkee, organized the International Symposium on Biomass to Hydrogen: Technologies, Synergies, and System Integration (ISB2H). The event was supported by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), and industry sponsors—Mars Technologies & Services, Elementar, and TA Instruments Waters.

The symposium was held under the patronage of Prof. K. K. Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, who emphasized the need for this symposium and its role in promoting sustainable transition to a hydrogen economy in India. The inauguration was attended by Prof. Sanjeev Kumar Prajapati, Head, HRED, with Prof. Sonal K. Thengane, Convener, welcoming participants and outlining the objectives of the symposium, and Prof. Pratham Arora delivering the vote of thanks.

Chief Guests Dr. Ranjith K. Pai, Scientist F, DST, and Dr. G. Sridhar, Director General, SSS-NIBE, underlined the importance of biomass-based hydrogen in India’s clean energy transition.

A panel discussion on “Biomass to Hydrogen – Prospects and Challenges” featured leading experts, including Dr. Pai, Dr. Sridhar, Dr. Priyanka Kaushal, Dr. R. K. Malhotra, and Dr. Bijendra Negi. The discussion addressed technological readiness, policy frameworks, and industry adoption for biohydrogen in the Indian context.

The symposium drew around 75 participants from across India, including researchers, industry representatives, and students. Expert speakers from IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Delhi, SSS-NIBE, and other premier institutes enriched the sessions with their insights.

A special highlight was the session on BIS Standards related to Biomass and Hydrogen, conducted by Prof. Sonal, Co-ordinator of HRED BIS Student Chapter. Speakers from BIS and IIT Roorkee discussed the evolving role of standards in advancing renewable hydrogen technologies. The session was presided by BIS Chair Prof. Deepak Khare and concluded with an interactive quiz, which saw enthusiastic student participation. The valedictory session was addressed by Prof. Vivek K Malik, Dean SRIC followed by the awards and prizes to best presenters and quiz winners.

ISB2H successfully combined research, policy, and standardization perspectives, reinforcing IIT Roorkee’s role as a hub for innovation in renewable energy and hydrogen technologies.