H2e Power to set up SOFC charging stations at IOC outlets

Pune-based H2e Power Systems is waiting for clearance from the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organization (PESO), a government body, for setting up solid oxide fuel cell-based EV charging stations at the retail outlets of India’s biggest oil refiner-cum-oil marketer, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL). 

H2e Power’s Founder President & CEO, Siddharth Mayur, told Business Line that the company would set up the units, for starters, at two of IOC’s outlet—at Rohini (in Delhi) and Faridabad. After gathering experience for a couple of months, the company will set up more, perhaps 10 or so, at other outlets of IOC. 

EV charging stations

H2e Power has been in the business of manufacturing fuel cells for nearly a decade. It developed the technology in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute of Germany, but owns the patents. More recently, the company has forayed into solid oxide electrolysers. Business Line reported on January 15 that the company is setting up a 1GW plant for the manufacture of the electrolyzers in Maharashtra. 

H2e Power will power at least some of the charging stations of IOC, particularly those that are battery-swapping centers. IOCL said in November last year that it would set up EV charging stations at 10,000 of its outlets. A number of these outlets would have battery-swapping centres, where vehicles would exchange the discharged batteries with the fully recharged ones.

For the battery-swapping stations, IOCL has tied-up with Sun Mobility, which is a joint venture of the SUN group and Chetan Maini, the man who set up the country’s first electric car company, the REVA Electric Car Company, now a part of the Mahindra group. Sun Mobility will set up battery-swapping stations at IOCL’s petrol bunks. H2e Power will provide energy to recharge the batteries there. 

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