India Launches World’s First Nuclear Process Heat-Based Hydrogen Production Facility

India achieved the milestone as it commissioned the world’s first hydrogen production facility, which is based on the nuclear process heat. It was inaugurated by the Department of Atomic Energy Secretary Ajit Kumar Mohanty at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in Kalpakkam. This facility uses the indigenous Copper-Chlorine (Cu-Cl) Thermochemical Cycle to produce hydrogen by using the heat from a nuclear reactor.

World’s First Hydrogen Production Facility

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has inaugurated the world’s first Hydrogen Production Facility which is based on nuclear process heat at the Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research (IGCAR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu.

This project utilizes the heat generated from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) to produce hydrogen through the Copper-Chlorine (Cu-Cl) Thermochemical Cycle and it is the advanced technology which developed indigenously by the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC), Mumbai.

This facility has been established as the technology demonstrator, validating the feasibility of producing clean hydrogen by using nuclear energy rather than fossil fuels.

What Is the Nuclear Process Heat-Based Hydrogen Production Facility?

The newly commissioned facility is the advanced, capable plant that converts the water into hydrogen by using high-temperature nuclear heat instead of just relying solely on electricity.

Compared to the conventional hydrogen production methods, it heavily depends on natural gas or electricity, this process combines nuclear heat with chemical reactions to efficiently separate the hydrogen from water while producing virtually no carbon emissions.

This innovation makes the nuclear reactors capable of supplying both the electricity and clean hydrogen, expanding their role in future energy systems.

Understanding the Copper-Chlorine (Cu-Cl) Thermochemical Cycle

The Copper-Chlorine (Cu-Cl) Thermochemical Cycle is the series of chemical reactions that involves the copper and chlorine compounds that split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

How It Works

This process involves the multiple chemical reactions that,

• Uses the nuclear-generated process heat.
• Requires the temperatures of around 500°C, which are lower than many other thermochemical cycles.
• Recycle copper and chlorine compounds repeatedly.
• It produce hydrogen with minimal waste and zero direct carbon emissions.

Why Nuclear Heat Matters for Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen is widely regarded as one of the clean fuels of the future but its environmental benefits depend on how it is produced.

Most hydrogen today is manufactured by using the fossil fuels and it releasing the significant amounts of carbon dioxide.

Using nuclear process heat offers several advantages,

• Carbon-free hydrogen production
• Continuous 24×7 operation
• High energy efficiency
• Reduced dependence on fossil fuels
• Better utilization of the nuclear reactors

Since nuclear power plants operate around the clock, they provide a stable energy source for the large-scale hydrogen production.

Role of the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR)

The facility draws the its thermal energy from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) which is located at Kalpakkam.

About FBTR

• It is located at IGCAR, Kalpakkam
• It was commissioned in the year 1985
• It is the India’s first operational fast breeder reactor.
• Also supports India’s three-stage nuclear power program.