Generating 500 watts of electricity from hydrogen and oxygen is no mean feat. But the Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) (R&DE) team from Pune achieved this more than 10,000 km away from home.

The PEMFC converts chemical energy into electricity directly without going through the stage of converting heat into mechanical energy as is done in all heat engines. Instead, the Cell produces energy from reactants (hydrogen and oxygen) that are kept outside the cell. The hydrogen gas reacts with the oxygen with the polymer membrane acting as catalyst to produce electricity.

According to K R Sivan,station commander and team leader for the XVIIth wintering team that arrived on home soil on March 31, "This is one of our biggest triumphs."

And this could revolutionise harnessing energy as we know it. The R&DE team from Dighe in Pune, along with the SPIC Science Foundation (SSF), Chennai, has been collaborating on this project since 1997. When the XVIIth team left for Antarctica, the PEFMC was ideal for experimentation because this is the only battery that could generate electricity in -30 degree Celsius.

According to Sivan, the advantages are immense. "Unlike conventional acid batteries, this cell does not need any acid which will freeze under extreme temperatures. Also, there is no pollution, heat, noise, corrosion or moving parts and uses hydrogen - something that is commonly available today."

Says, G Velayutham, a SSF scientist, "Hydrogen is the future of energy. It can be extracted from various sources like methanol, biogas and even water. Unlike chemical batteries, they don't need to be filledwith electrolytes either." Velayutham, who was part of the VIIIth summer Antarctica team spent four months in the continent assisting the experiment.

The applications of the PEFMC are endless. Once further trials are conducted, the scientific team is planning to introduce an electric bus in Chennai powered by a hybrid Fuel Cell-Lead Acid battery, another first. Something that scientists all over the globe is trying to achieve.

"In Chicago next year," says Velayutham, "the Ballard Power Corp along with the Chicago Transport Corp will be introducing 1,000 buses. That cuts down fossil fuel consumption and reduces pollution." This, besides finding a credible source of energy to the world's depleting fossil fuels.

In fact, at the SSF, the project has already breached the Kilowatt (kw) bracket and a cell established at its chemical plant is aiming for 5 kw of electricity. "At present we are generating 2.5 kw which takes care of the illumination requirements," says Velayutham.

The success has opened upmind-boggling possibilities. Once the project enters a feasible stage (in other words, more viable commercially), it can be implemented on a large-scale, even for residential areas. "All you need is an inverter to convert the Direct Current (DC) into Alternate Current. Requirements of around 100 houses can be easily met," according to Velayutham.