NITK initiates pilot project to generate hydrogen from biogas

1 min readUpdated on Sep 23, 2022 16:39 IST
A unit, Steam Biogas Reformer, which the team intends to develop to extract hydrogen from biogas can be shifted from one place to another, like a mobile generator set, to generate hydrogen from biogas plants located elsewhere.

A unit, Steam Biogas Reformer, which the team intends to develop to extract hydrogen from biogas can be shifted from one place to another, like a mobile generator set, to generate hydrogen from biogas plants located elsewhere. 

As per a report published in The Hindu, the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal, has initiated a pilot project to produce hydrogen from biogas. A unit, Steam Biogas Reformer, which it intends to develop to extract hydrogen from biogas can be shifted from one place to another, like a mobile generator set, to generate hydrogen from biogas plants located elsewhere. 

M Vasudeva, coordinator of the project and assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, said hydrogen can be used as fuel cell by transportation sector, for power generation, for industrial purpose, for oil sands processing and to build heat. 

Q:   What is NIT Surathkal famous for?
A:

The average package for both NIT Surathkal BTech (IT) andM.Tech (IT) recorded a year-on-year growth over the past three years. The highest package offered during NIT Surathkal placements 2023 for BTech stood at INR 54.75 LPA. Moreover, Out of 1,730 eligible students, 1,509 students were placed successfully. The Institute has been ranked 17 by the NIRF Rankings 2025 under the Engineering category.Additionally, the institute also provides campus facilities such as:

  • A fully Wi-Fi campus.

  • Auditorium.

  • Well-equipped Conference hall and Seminar hall.

  • Libraries with a collection of 1,30,006 volumes

  • Hostels facility for boys & girls

  • Gym and Medical facilities

Q:   What are the popular BTech streams at NIT Surathkal?
A:

As per the placement data and student reviews from various sources, the most popular NIT Surathkal BTech courses are Computer Science and IT. For admissions to these programmes you need to meet the eligibility and clear accepted entrance.

Q:   How is NITK Surathkal College?
A:

The 2023 placement drive concluded with 93% BTech and 83.05% M.Tech students placed. For MCA, MBA, and MSc courses, the placement rate stood at 94.44%, 72.09%, and 54.90%, respectively. The overall placement rate achieved was 87.22%. The overall NIT Surathkal the highest package stood at INR 54.75 LPA and was offered to BTech students. Further, the average package offered to BTech and MTech students during NIT Surathkal placements 2023 was INR 18.26 LPA and INR 12.64 LPA, respectively. The average package for MBA and MCA courses stood at INR 7.93 LPA and INR 16.76 LPA, respectively. 

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The carbon dioxide derived in the process of producing hydrogen from biogas can be used as a fire extinguisher or for refrigeration purpose. Slurry from biogas plants can be used as fertiliser or soil conditioner for farming purposes. NS Sudeep, a research scholar at the institute, who is leading an eight-member team that is working on the project, said 35 kg of biogas can be produced from a 500 kg capacity food waste biogas plant. 

From 35 kg biogas, 6.5 kg hydrogen and 3 kg of cardon dioxide can be generated. Vasudeva said NITK has a 500 kg capacity food waste biogas plant on its premises which is in operation. The project team will use the biogas generated from the plant to produce hydrogen through Steam Biogas Reformer which it intends to develop. 

NITK looks for tie-up to meet fund crunch 

Vasudeva said the total cost of the pilot project has been estimated at INR 2 crore. The project cost is partially funded by Tecnimont Private Limited (TCMPL) under its corporate social responsibility head. The institute is exploring various options to meet funds shortage. It is looking for a tie-up with industries in the field directly on the MoU route and/or through CSR funding route. 

Q:   Is NIT Surathkal good for MBA?
A:

It is one of the renowned institutes in India. The institute imparts quality education with its highly qualified faculty and excellent course curriculums. The 2021-22 MBA placement drive was concluded with 76% of students getting placed. With the placements support by the institute, candidates can grab great career opportunities.

Q:   What is the seat intake of MBA at NIT Surathkal?
A:

 NIT Karnataka offers a two-year MBA course. The mode of education is full-time. Admission to the PG Management course is entrance-based. The total seat intake for the course is 80. Before filling out the admission form, candidates must ensure that they fulfil the eligibility criteria which is Graduation with 50% aggregate.

Q:   Is NIT Surathkal good for MCA?
A:

 It is a good institute to pursue an MCA course. The institute offers great placement opportunities to students. As per the media reports, the institute has concluded 2022 placements with 88% of MCA candidates getting placed.

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Answered a week ago

NIT Surathkal has signed MOUs with organizations in India and abroad also. Below are some of the major collaborations of NITK Surathkal:
- NITK Foundation, USA

- Marelli India Pvt. Ltd.

- Kanchanaburi Campus, Mahidol University, Thailand

- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Northeastern U

...Read more

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Shruti Manchanda

Contributor-Level 6

Answered a week ago

NIT Surathkal has good and experienced faculty. The faculty members are trained and focus on improving the educational experience for the students. All the faculty members are degree holders.

S

Shruti Manchanda

Contributor-Level 6

Answered a week ago

Yes, NIT Surathkal has been ranked by QS World University. Refer to the table below for 2026 and 2025 QS rankings of NIT Surathkal:

Ranking YearCategoryRank
QS World University Rankings 2026

Asian University Rankings - Southern Asia

113
QS World University Rankings 2026

Asian University Rankings

443
QS World University Rankings 2026QS Sustainability Ranking1501
QS World University Rankings 2025

QS WUR Ranking By Subject

451-500

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Shruti Manchanda

Contributor-Level 6

Answered a week ago

NIT Surathkal provides various scholarships for the convenience of students. Below is the list of some of the common scholarships given by the college:

  1. Millennium Fellowship

  2. Institute Merit/Merit Cum Means Scholarship 

  3. Optum Stem Scholarship

  4. Ericsson Empowering Girl Scholarship Program

  5. Harshitha Chaturv

...Read more

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Shruti Manchanda

Contributor-Level 6

Answered a week ago

Yes, NIT Surathkal gives many scholarship benefits to the students. These include scholarships for both UG and PG courses. Millennium Fellowship, Optum Stem Scholarship, Harshitha Chaturvedi Scholarship etc. are some of the common scholarships given by NITK Surathkal. 

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Shruti Manchanda

Contributor-Level 6

Answered a week ago

Students cannot get direct admission to any course at NIT Surathkal. It is compulsory to give the entrance exam to take the admission. Different courses have different entrance tests like JEE Main, GATE etc. Students should check the official website for more information on the entrance test. 

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Shruti Manchanda

Contributor-Level 6

Answered a week ago

After the students have registered on the official website of NIT Surathkal, they have to complete their application form. The form may also ask to upload documents like educational qualifications, identity proofs etc. Students also have to pay the application fee at the end. 

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Shruti Manchanda

Contributor-Level 6

Answered a week ago

Yes, the application process of NIT Surathkal is online. Students who want to take admission in various courses at NITK Surathkal can easily apply on the official website. After applying, students also have to pay an application fee in the end. 

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Shruti Manchanda

Contributor-Level 6