Pune: Ravi Pandit, Chairman and Co-Founder of KPIT Technologies, has announced his long-term commitment to the HRIDAY Energy Network (Hydrogen Revolution for India’s Development of Agriculture and Energy), a not-for-profit initiative focused on advancing biomass-based green hydrogen in India.
According to Pandit, the HRIDAY Energy Network aims to address one of the biggest challenges in clean mobility – making hydrogen both green and affordable.
While batteries and hydrogen were both considered as pathways, he highlighted that long-distance mobility cannot rely solely on batteries due to weight limitations, making hydrogen a more viable option.
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Why Biomass is Central to HRIDAY Energy Network
Electrolyzers powered by renewable energy can generate green hydrogen, but the dependency on solar energy and backup batteries significantly increases infrastructure costs. Pandit emphasized that biomass offers a more indigenous and scalable solution.
By processing biomass, it is possible to generate Bio-H2 and Bio-Coal while ensuring that energy crop cultivation does not compete with food crops. India’s 97 million hectares of degraded land can be restored using energy crops like Energy Cane and Napier grass, making the approach sustainable and inclusive.
Key Benefits of HRIDAY Energy Network’s Biomass Approach
Pandit outlined three major outcomes of the HRIDAY Energy Network initiative:
- Indigenous and affordable production of Bio-H2 and Bio-Coal
- Restoration of degraded land, contributing to India’s green cover
- Creation of rural livelihoods by integrating farmers into the clean energy value chain
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A Long-Term Vision for India’s Energy Independence
“Hydrogen cannot just be a fuel—it must become an ecosystem that is sustainable, inclusive, and rooted in India’s strengths,” Pandit said, explaining why the next 25 years of his life will be dedicated to the HRIDAY mission.
The initiative aligns with India’s goals of clean energy transition, rural empowerment, and energy independence. Pandit emphasized that HRIDAY is designed not just to produce green hydrogen but to create an ecosystem that benefits both the environment and rural communities.
He concluded by stating that the HRIDAY Energy Network is only at its beginning stage, with more insights to be shared in the coming months on how biomass-based hydrogen can become a cornerstone of India’s rural prosperity and energy self-reliance.
