Applications
Where affordable hydrogen adds real value.
Long-duration backup power
Telecom towers, network nodes, and critical infrastructure need power that outlasts the outage. Batteries alone fade in hours; diesel needs maintenance, permits, and fuel that goes stale. When backup for 8 to 72 hours is needed, hydrogen fuel cells are an excellent solution.
The Protonas air-cooled system, now under development, is designed for the 500–2,000 watt range — mounting in an outdoor cabinet alongside its hydrogen supply and a battery bridge for instant switchover.
- Runtime set by fuel, not chemistry — add cylinders, add hours
- Air-cooled stack: no pumps or coolant loop to maintain
- Designed to sit ready for years and start when the grid drops
- No point-of-use emissions — clean enough for dense sites
Backup power — telecom application
Grid onlineFuel cell active
Design targets — system in development
| Target output range | 500 – 2,000 W |
|---|---|
| Stack cooling | Air-cooled |
| Battery bridge | Up to 6 kWh of 48 VDC batteries |
| Fuel storage | Up to 4 hydrogen cylinders |
| Target backup capacity | ≈ 44 kWh |
| Target backup duration | 8 – 72 hr |
Fuel cell engines for 3W & 4W fleets
India's three-wheelers and four-wheeler delivery vans are among the hardest-working vehicles on earth — long shifts, dense stop-and-go routes, and economics measured to the rupee. Electrifying them with batteries alone means heavy packs and hours off the road charging.
Protonas is developing fuel cell engines for three-wheeler transportation and four-wheeler delivery applications across India and other markets, manufactured locally in Bangalore.
- Refuel in minutes — vehicles stay on route, not on charge
- Consistent power through a full working shift
- Zero tailpipe emissions in the world's densest cities
- Local manufacturing in Bangalore keeps costs fleet-friendly
Fleet mobility — 3W development
Program overview — engines in development
| Target vehicle classes | 3-wheeler transport · 4-wheeler delivery |
|---|---|
| Target markets | India and other markets |
| Refueling | Minutes, vs. hours of charging |
| Point-of-use emissions | Water only |
| Production | Bangalore, Karnataka |
Lightweight power for UAVs
UAVs and drones are increasingly turning to battery power — but those battery packs are expensive and last only 200–300 full discharge cycles before replacement. For inspection, mapping, agriculture, delivery, and defense missions, energy is the binding constraint.
Hydrogen stores far more energy per kilogram than lithium cells. Protonas is developing lightweight, cost-effective fuel cell solutions designed to extend drone flight range by up to three times while eliminating recurring battery replacement costs.
- Targeting up to 3× the range of comparable battery packs
- No cycle-life cliff — no packs to replace every few hundred flights
- Swap a cylinder and fly again in minutes
UAV power — development program
Design targets & industry comparison
| Target flight range | Up to 3× vs. battery power |
|---|---|
| Battery pack lifetime (industry typical) | 200 – 300 full discharge cycles |
| Stack cooling | Air-cooled, lightweight |
| Target missions | Inspection · mapping · agriculture · delivery · defense |
Proven elsewhere, priced for everywhere
Fuel cells already power the world's toughest jobs.
Hydrogen is not a science project. Passenger cars, heavy trucks, forklift fleets, and commercial aircraft programs run on PEM fuel cells today. Protonas's mission is to bring that proven capability to markets the industry has priced out.
AUTOMOTIVE
Production hydrogen sedans like the Toyota Mirai have logged a decade on public roads.
HEAVY TRUCKS
Fuel cell trucks haul freight where battery weight would eat the payload.
MATERIAL HANDLING
Warehouse forklift fleets refuel with hydrogen in minutes, around the clock.
AVIATION
Fuel cell powertrains are flying in UAVs and light aircraft programs worldwide.
Have a site, a fleet, or an airframe in mind?
Tell us about your application and we'll tell you honestly whether hydrogen is the right answer for it.