Early in the morning at 7:00 am on 23 June, 2004, the first prototype of industrial filter press hydrogen generator in Nepal was put into action in Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus.

Later in the afternoon, in presence of Mr. Michael Gill, Executive Director of United States Education Foundation, Nepal, Prof. Dr. Bryan Willson of Colorado State University handed over the newly established Hydrogen Laboratory to the Dean of Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus.

The Hydrogen Laboratory consisted of a six-cell filter press alkaline electrolyser with the necessary power supply and the water displacement system for storing oxygen and hydrogen.

This first phase of hydrogen laboratory setup was funded by the Fulbright Alumni Inititiative Awards awarded to Prof. Dr. Chandra Bahadur Joshi (the first person to conduct research on Improved Water Mills in Nepal) of Dept of Mechanical Engineering by Council for International Exchange of Scholars.

This hydrogen Laboratory was jointly designed, fabricated and installed at the Insititute of Engineering by Prof. Dr. Bryan Willson and the team led by Prof. Dr. Chandra B. Joshi which consisted of Sachin Joshi, graduate Student of Colorado State University, Ajay Shah and Amir Shah, undergraduate students of Deaprtment of Mechanical Engineering.

The TCHG - Version 1.0 (Tribhuvan Colorado Hydrogen Generator- Version 1.0 ) is the product of 1st phase of the the international collaboration between IOE and CSU in the sector of energy development and independence from fossil fuel. The electrolyzer was made using locally available material and under US$500 which would otherwise would have run into tens of thousands of dollars in United States. The entire setup took a whole week with days and nights put into action.

Mr. Bikash Pandey, Country Representative of Winrock International Nepal highlighted the importance of this hydrogen laboratory setup as the first milestone in the development of the hydrogen economy for Nepal. Moreover, he also stressed on its potential fuel for vehicles, which Kathmandu Electric Vehicle Alliance was looking into. It could also be used for rural households to generate electricity, cooking fuel and lighting purpose. The electrolyzer works under the principle of dissociation of water by the application of electricity whereby 99.99% pure hydrogen and oxygen is produced.