The University of the West Indies has partnered with with Japanese company Niterra Co Ltd. and local company Kenesjay Green under the H2TT Transform Project to develop a green hydrogen center of excellence at UWI.
Driving this initiative is the pressing need for the nation to accelerate its energy transition and address its high carbon footprint. Professor Bheshem Ramlal, Dean of UWI’s Faculty of Engineering, emphasized that the new Centre is poised to create a new track of global research into green hydrogen implementation. Crucially, he noted the long-term economic benefits: “This project is going to stimulate a new manufacturing sector and that in itself will bring value, especially in making sure that we can secure more foreign exchange, something that we have had some major challenges with over the last few years.”
Philip Julien, Chairman of Kenesjay Green, states that the country's ongoing natural gas shortfall creates a viable and urgent market for green hydrogen. He hailed the partnership as a "game changer," fundamentally shifting the nation’s energy approach. Julien pointed out that the history of the country's energy sector "has been predicated on the importation of technology," specifically referencing the production of ammonia, methanol, and LNG. This project, he stated, "marks the first time where Trinidad and Tobago no longer needs to think about just importing technology but developing its own technology with strong international partners such as Niterra."
The Centre represents a tangible escalation of existing hydrogen research collaborations. Its core innovation revolves around Niterra’s prototype of a new ceramic Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC), which uses electricity to extract hydrogen from water. Dr. Graham King explained the technology’s critical advantage: "The distinctive about this particular technology... is that it's 30% more efficient than conventional electrolyzers," achieving this through high-temperature operation. Dr. King further emphasized the project's broader market impact, stating, “What we’re doing in this project is creating a big demand for green power, a big incentive that’s going to make that green power investment worthy.”
Given its existing expertise in natural gas, methanol, and ammonia exports, stakeholders believe Trinidad and Tobago is well-positioned, possessing the necessary skills and infrastructure to maximize this opportunity. The expected outcome of deploying this technology is a substantial reduction in the carbon intensity of exported ammonia, which is critical for maintaining market viability in countries with increasingly stringent carbon border adjustments. The initiative has a clear roadmap: once the research centre is fully established, a pilot electrolyzer plant will be installed at an industrial facility, with the ambitious long-term goal of having five such plants assembled locally. The partnership team, including representatives from UWI, Niterra, and Kenesjay Green, recently visited the Energy Chamber to meet with President and CEO Dr. Dax Driver, signaling strong industry engagement.