Fuel Cell to replace Batteries: DRDO Chief

Chidambaram (TN), Jan 6: The Defence Research and DevelopmentOrganisation (DRDO) has successfully demonstrated energy efficientbio-fuel cells holding the promise for replacing conventional batteriesin the near future, its R&D Chief M Natarajan said today.

The technology demonstration of a fuel-cell vehicle with a 10 kvfuel battery at REWA in Bangalore could be further developed to providepower supply to remote villages, he told a session at the ongoing 94thIndian Science Congress here.

During the trial methanol was applied but it has been designed insuch a way that any fuel or a combination of fuels, available in aparticular village could be used, he added. In the battery mode itoffered 80 km and in the hybrid mode 120 km. Considering the demand itcould be upgraded to 33 k or even 100 kv, he quipped.

It has been found to be 15 per cent more efficient than theconventional batteries, he disclosed. About the potential it held forthe future, he said since one third of the country's villages have noelectricity, this innovative technology offered scope for expeditingrural electrification.

Later talking to newspersons, he said this innovation, a spin-offfrom defence research, had excited the scientific community. Thesuccessful experimentation at REWA, was to demonstrate efficacy ofapplication-oriented research in Science and Technology.

More than 80 per cent of the research carried out at the DRDO institutions were on real-use technologies, it was explained.

Calling for the establishment of a Knowledge Grid through thenetworking of S&T and R&D institutions, the noted scientistsaid there was increasing need for government to encourage talent rightfrom the school level. Further, government identities for S&T andR&D should work with others, he pointed out.

On the DRDO's role in acting as a catalyst for promoting researchand development in the universities across the country, Dr Natarajan,also Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, said it has beenplanned to establish centers of excellence in core competencies atvarious places to tap talent. Two such centers, one on life sciences atthe Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore and the other on high-energypropellants at the University of Hyderabad, have already been set up.

To a question, he denied that these were university specific but rather scientist-specific.

Regretting that the different boards of the DRDO facilitatingresearch were not adequately used, he called upon the universities tocome up with tangible research proposals and avail funding. The role ofuniversities in fostering research in basic sciences needs to bereactivated, he observed.

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