BPCL Launches 50kW Green Hydrogen Pilot Project in Pyuthan to Advance Clean Energy Innovation

Butwal Power Company Limited (BPCL) has inaugurated a 50kW green hydrogen pilot project at Darimchaur, Pyuthan, marking a significant step in Nepal’s exploration of hydrogen as a future clean energy solution.

The project is installed within the 12MW Jhimruk Hydropower Project site and produces green hydrogen using renewable electricity through electrolysis. It is supported by the World Bank and financed under the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through UK International Development.

The facility uses a 50kW alkaline electrolyzer to produce hydrogen with 99.99% purity, which is then compressed and stored in cylinders at 150 bar for testing potential applications. The EPC contractor for the project is CPU Hydrogen Power Technology Co. Ltd, and the plant successfully began operations on 13 April 2026, producing its first hydrogen cylinder the same day.

Stakeholders from government bodies, provincial representatives, energy sector agencies, and development partners attended the inauguration ceremony, highlighting strong multi-stakeholder support.

BPC stated that the pilot will help evaluate hydrogen production, storage, safety, operational efficiency, and economic viability in Nepal’s context. The project is expected to guide future policies and commercial-scale development of hydrogen energy in the country.

With Nepal’s high hydropower potential, the initiative aligns with national interest in converting surplus renewable electricity into hydrogen for use in transport, industry, fertilizer production, and long-term energy storage, strengthening the country’s transition toward a low-carbon energy system.