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The Department of Science and Technology (DST), under its Advanced Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Call—2021, tests the deployment of first-of-its-kind hydrogen-based fuel cells to power telecom towers. The demonstration was conducted at a telecom tower of a reputed service provider in the Pune Municipal Corporation limits, with Resicorre Technologies, Nashik, as the industrial partner through a mobile, plug-and-play setup of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC)-based backup power solution.
The innovative technology and its setup have been developed by the Centre for Fuel Cell Technology (CFCT) at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), an autonomous institute under the DST.
Wherever Needed, Whenever Needed
Unlike fixed installations, this innovative setup of Mobile PEMFC enables a shared power generation unit to support multiple telecom towers, facilitating backup power whenever needed. It allows telecom towers to access a common backup power source. It helps the seamless operation of telecom towers deployed in areas where diesel generators are challenging to install or maintain.
Meant for 24/7 Operations
India has more than a million telecom towers, with tens of thousands in remote areas, where maintaining 24/7 operations is challenging due to limited grid access. In such a case, diesel generators have always been the backup source, but their cost and environmental repercussions go far beyond.
In such a case, a PEM fuel cell is an efficient and clean energy solution for powering telecom towers, particularly as a backup during grid outages.
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Operating on Clean Fuel
These run on hydrogen fuel, which can be stored and transported for refueling. These require significantly less maintenance than traditional backup power sources and generate electricity with only water vapor as a by-product, offering an environmentally friendly solution.
National Goals
Forwarding this innovative solution would further The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) 2012 directive that mandates at least 50% of rural telecom towers and 33% of urban towers transition to hybrid renewable energy sources. Conclusively, it empowers the nation's mission to establish a reliable fuel cell-based backup power solution that ensures a steady hydrogen supply and power resilience during outages.
