Could a new hydrogen fuel cell-based backup power solution for telecom towers revolutionise power supply in India by providing a cleaner, more efficient alternative to traditional diesel generators?
This appears to be the thinking behind a government announcement earlier this week, which highlighted proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells as a way to offer an environmentally friendly, efficient, and reliable energy source.
PEM fuel cells generate electricity by using hydrogen as fuel; water vapour is the only by-product. They also offer quick start-up times, operate at relatively low temperatures, and require much less maintenance than diesel generators.
News service IANS explains that the fuel cell technology works by an electrochemical reaction, where hydrogen gas is fed into the anode, oxidised to release protons, and then travels through a polymer membrane to the cathode. It reacts with oxygen to generate electricity and water, providing a clean energy solution.
India has over a million telecom towers, many in remote areas where diesel generators are often used as backup power sources. However, these generators are costly, inefficient and contribute significantly to carbon emissions,
Regulator TRAI in a 2012 directive mandates that at least 50% of rural telecom towers and 33% of urban towers switch to hybrid renewable energy sources.
Integrating PEM fuel cells with telecom towers might support this vision, though a timetable for their rollout does not appear to have yet been suggested.
Could a new hydrogen fuel cell-based backup power solution for telecom towers revolutionise rollout in India by providing a cleaner, more efficient alternative to traditional diesel generators?
This appears to be the thinking behind a government announcement earlier this week, which highlighted proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, as a way to offer an environmentally friendly, efficient, and reliable energy source.
PEM fuel cells generate electricity by using hydrogen as fuel; water vapour is the only by-product. They also offer quick start-up times, operate at relatively low temperatures, and require much less maintenance than diesel generators.
News service IANS explains that the fuel cell technology works by an electrochemical reaction, where hydrogen gas is fed into the anode, oxidised to release protons, and then travels through a polymer membrane to the cathode. It reacts with oxygen to generate electricity and water, providing a clean energy solution.
India has over a million telecom towers, many in remote areas where diesel generators are often used as backup power sources. However, these generators are costly, inefficient, and contribute significantly to carbon emissions,
Regulator TRAI, in a 2012 directive, mandated that at least 50% of rural telecom towers and 33% of urban towers switch to hybrid renewable energy sources. Integrating PEM fuel cells with telecom towers might support this vision, though a timetable for their rollout does not appear to have been suggested.
