El Solid hydrogen is starting to make its way into the world of telephony. And electronics are emerging as a real alternative to traditional batteries and diesel generators. Although it may still sound like science fiction, there are already projects, startups, and prototypes using it to power telecommunications towers, mobile phones, laptops, and backup energy systems in critical situations.
Behind all this are years of Research in materials, fuel cells and metal hydrides which allow hydrogen to be stored in a compact, safe, and stable manner. In this article, we will calmly but clearly explain how solid-state hydrogen storage works, what advances have been made in the laboratory and in industry, and how it is already being applied in mobile telephony and communications infrastructure.
Why solid hydrogen is so interesting for energy and telephony
When we talk about hydrogen as an energy carrier, the first thing to understand is that It is usually stored compressed in gas or liquid form.Both options work, but they have drawbacks: high pressures, low temperatures, bulky tanks, operating costs, and significant safety challenges.
For mobile applications, such as phones, laptops or telecommunications equipmentThe main problem is fitting a lot of energy into a small space without creating a mess of extreme pressure and cold. That's where solid-state storage comes in, which aims to "trap" hydrogen within special materials, achieving very high energy density in small volumes and at much lower pressures.
Furthermore, the global energy context is pushing in this direction. Renewable sources such as Solar, wind and hydroelectric power are becoming cheaper and more abundantHowever, they have two major drawbacks: they produce intermittently (only when there is sun or wind) and are poorly distributed geographically. Hydrogen allows for the storage and transport of surplus production, but it will only be truly competitive if it can be stored efficiently, safely, and compactly.
In parallel, telephony and communications have become critical infrastructures that cannot failA massive power outage or a natural disaster highlights how fragile the grid can be when backup systems depend on it. diesel generatorsExpensive, polluting, and noisy. Solid hydrogen offers a clean and autonomous alternative to support these facilities.
Solid-state hydrogen research: from the FLYHY project to new materials
In the scientific field, one of the reference works has been the European project «Fluorine substituted high-capacity hydrides for hydrogen storage at low working temperatures» (FLYHY)Their goal was to develop materials capable of storing large quantities of hydrogen in a solid state for use in transportation and stationary energy supply systems.
FLYHY's trick was to start from hydrides with high storage capacity, such as lithium borohydride (LiBH4) and calcium borohydride (Ca(BH4)2), and chemically modify them by replacing some of the hydrogen atoms with halogens (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine). These materials were produced using processes designed for industrial-scale production, not just for the laboratory.
By replacing some BH4− groups with halogens, the researchers observed that the temperature at which the material released hydrogen decreasedMaintaining a high storage density. Fluorine compounds in combination with calcium, lithium, and sodium-based reactive hydride systems were studied in detail, adjusting parameters such as temperature, pressure, and additives to optimize the loading and unloading rate.
A key point was verifying that these modified hydrides could withstand many hydrogen charge and discharge cycles without excessive degradationCyclic stability is essential for a storage technology to be viable in real-world applications, from a hydrogen car to a telecommunications tower in a remote area.
The life cycle and cost analysis carried out at FLYHY concluded that the Solid-state storage can compete with compressed gas and liquid hydrogenProvided that the raw materials are purchased in bulk from industrial suppliers and not as fine laboratory chemicals, this opens the door to cost reductions when a large-scale rollout occurs.
All this groundwork is moving away from the old image of hydrogen as something dangerous and uncontrollable, and bringing it closer to compact, safe solutions ready for integration into PEM fuel cells (proton exchange membrane), the same ones that can power everything from an electric car to telecommunications devices or small electronic gadgets.
Portable hydrogen-based generators and emergency chargers
Beyond the laboratory, commercial equipment and prototypes using hydrogen are already beginning to appear. power small electronic devices and phonesespecially in emergency scenarios where there is no electricity grid.
A good example is the development of the Japanese company Scitem: a portable emergency power generation system It's shaped like a briefcase and uses replaceable hydrogen cartridges. These cartridges, similar to gas canisters, react with oxygen from the air inside a fuel cell to generate electricity.
The prototype's power output is around 30 watts, enough to power laptops, tablets or smartphones They can be charged via wall outlets or USB ports, but this is insufficient for large appliances or to fully power a home. Their main advantage is that, unlike conventional batteries, hydrogen cartridges do not discharge over time, so they don't lose capacity while in storage.
Scitem plans to launch this system at an approximate starting price of 500.000 yen (about 3.900 euros)This is obviously intended for professional or emergency use rather than the average home user. Even so, it demonstrates that hydrogen is beginning to be seen as a viable option for portable backup power.
Meanwhile, other companies have been working on hydrogen chargers and external batteries for smartphones. One striking example was that of Upp, an external battery based on hydrogen fuel cells capable of charging mobile phones via a USB cable, just like any power bank, but using hydrogen containers instead of lithium-ion cells.
Upp consists of two pieces: a electronic module with fuel cell and a hydrogen cartridge measuring approximately 12 x 9 cm, attached by magnets. To ensure safety, the cartridge uses a specific metal (Hydrallow C5) that encapsulates the "fuel"—a mixture of titanium, zirconium, vanadium, iron, chromium, manganese, and hydrogen—minimizing the risk of explosion.
The operation is simple from the user's point of view, but technologically sophisticated: the cell It extracts hydrogen from the cartridge and reacts it with oxygen from the air. on a metal plate. This reaction produces water and releases electrons, which are what actually recharge the phone's battery. The only byproducts are water and a little heat.
Each Upp cartridge allows you to load approximately five iPhones and between two and three Android phonesDepending on its capacity, the cost is high: around 35 pounds per cartridge, with the option to refill it up to ten times at authorized locations for an additional fee. Furthermore, the system requires a small fan to ensure continuous airflow, making it inconvenient to leave in a backpack while working.
All this makes it clear that the Portable fuel cell technology is mature, but the business model and usage design still have a way to go.Cartridge prices, refill logistics, and ergonomics are outstanding challenges before these systems can compete head-to-head with traditional lithium-ion external batteries.
Calcium hydrides for charging smartphones: the Rohm and Aquafairy case
Another very interesting line of research has been promoted by Japanese companies Rohm and Aquafairy in collaboration with Kyoto Universitywho have developed a charging system for smartphones based on fuel cells that use calcium hydride sheets as solid hydrogen storage.
The approach is ingenious: instead of handling gaseous hydrogen at high pressure, the fuel is stored in thin solid sheets of calcium hydride Weighing only 3 grams and with small dimensions (38 x 38 x 2 mm), the hydride reacts when water is added, releasing hydrogen that powers a compact fuel cell.
Each sheet is capable of releasing around 4,5 liters of hydrogenThis is enough for the cell to generate approximately 5 watt-hours of electricity, enough to charge a modern smartphone in about two hours. The only byproduct is water vapor, with no carbon dioxide or volatile organic compounds.
One particularly powerful feature from the point of view of telephony and emergency systems is that These sealed sheets can retain their properties for up to 20 years without losing capacity. In comparison, a typical lithium-ion battery begins to degrade seriously after four or five years, even if it is hardly used.
The key to the success of these calcium hydride sheets lies in their high reactivity with water over a wide temperature rangeThis makes them very attractive for devices that must operate in varied environmental conditions. To control the reaction and make it stable, the hydride is combined with a special resin that prevents sudden releases of hydrogen.
Rohm and Aquafairy work on several product lines: a small device with 5 Wh generation capacity designed for smartphonesa portable generator of about 200 Wh, and a 400 Wh fuel cell designed to power critical equipment in disasters, such as seismometers or emergency communication systems. The idea is that fuel cells, being lighter, more compact, and more efficient than conventional batteries, can be deployed rapidly in crisis situations.
This approach shows how solid hydrogen is not only useful for large-scale mobility or stationary storage projects, but also for directly power consumer devices and key electronic equipment, fitting very well with the needs of telephony and data systems.
Atom H2: Solid hydrogen to replace diesel generators in telecommunications
If we talk about specific applications of solid hydrogen in telephony, one of the most striking experiences comes from Spain with the startup Atom H2Born in the university environment of Elisava (Barcelona) by Anna Martín, Mariona Figueras, Marcel Rovira and the chemical engineer Lucas Vicen, the company has set out to replace the backup diesel generators in communication towers with a hybrid solution based on renewable energies, batteries and solid-state hydrogen.
The system they propose is based on a modular scheme: solarlithium batteries and solid hydrogen tanksThe idea is to use the surplus renewable energy from the panels to electrolyze water, generating hydrogen. Instead of storing it at high pressure or very low temperature, they "fix" it in a solid state using metal hydride technology.
The metal canisters they have developed, manufactured using 3D printing is at the heart of the solutionThey allow for the storage of large quantities of hydrogen in a small volume, at low pressure, and with a level of safety far superior to that of compressed gas tanks. When the telecommunications tower needs backup power—for example, in the event of a blackout—the system releases the hydrogen from the cylinder and converts it into electricity via fuel cells, generating water as the only byproduct.
This approach solves several problems at once. On the one hand, it offers clean, reliable and autonomous energy backup in critical infrastructure such as emergency communications towers or remote stations where diesel supply is difficult. Furthermore, it avoids the operating costs associated with fossil fuels, their transport, and CO₂ emissions.
The company has come a long way: from a classroom project to winning competitions like La Caixa's Imagine Planet ChallengeThis opened the door to an incubation program in Silicon Valley. Afterwards, Atom H2 participated in multiple accelerator programs, obtained public and private funding, and refined its business model towards an "energy storage as a service" (ESaaS) approach, offering energy storage as a service through leasing contracts.
A key milestone has been their participation in Cellnex Bridge, the innovation program of the Cellnex FoundationThanks to him, they have been able to deploy their first pilot test in a telecommunications tower near Montserrat, validating in a real environment the integration of their solid hydrogen cylinders and their hybrid system with the existing infrastructure.
That pilot test proved that the system is capable of keep the tower operational during power outageswithout resorting to diesel and without the need for constant maintenance. The next step they are already undertaking with Cellnex is to co-design a version 2.0 of the solution, more optimized, scalable, and ready for large-scale commercialization.
Atom H2 has also entered the NATO's Atlantic Defense Innovation Accelerator (DIANA) and collaborates with industrial partners such as Idneo. The company is in its industrialization phase, raising multi-million dollar investment rounds, working on its first commercial implementations with clients such as Cellnex, and preparing to scale to other markets such as France, Portugal, Italy, the United States, and the Middle East.
From mass blackout to clean backup: why it matters for telephony
The importance of having robust and clean backup systems This became brutally clear with the massive blackout that affected the Iberian Peninsula on April 28, 2025. For hours, millions of people were left without reliable communications, without access to up-to-date information, and without the ability to coordinate effective responses to the crisis.
In such a scenario, solutions like those of Atom H2—and, in general, the solid hydrogen systems integrated into the telecommunications infrastructure– could have made a huge difference. By relying on controlled chemical reactions, with no complex moving parts and without depending on constant refueling with fossil fuel, they can be activated immediately when the power grid goes down.
With a widespread deployment of these types of technologies, communication towers They would continue to function even if the conventional network failed.Maintaining mobile phone and data services is not just a matter of convenience; it directly impacts security, the ability to coordinate emergency services, and the peace of mind of the public.
Atom H2's approach also fits with a clear trend in the sector: many countries and operators are seeing how telecommunications infrastructures are considered critical assetsAt the level of hospitals, airports, or ports, having decarbonized backup solutions that can operate for long periods, with very low maintenance and no climate impact, is a significant competitive and regulatory advantage.
Furthermore, the “energy storage as a service” model makes it easier for companies they do not have to buy or directly manage hydrogen systemsInstead, it's about contracting for its availability and performance, just as we contract for connectivity or cloud capacity today. This reduces barriers to entry and accelerates technology adoption.
Hydrogen and mobile phone batteries: from the experimental iPhone to weekly batteries
It's not all about large infrastructure projects. There are also proposals that seek integrate hydrogen directly into mobile phonesdrastically extending battery life without significantly increasing the size of the device.
The company Intelligent Energy developed a prototype of hybrid battery for iPhone 6 It incorporated a hydrogen fuel cell alongside the original lithium-ion battery. This cell, designed specifically for the smartphone, generated energy by combining hydrogen and oxygen, emitting small amounts of water and heat as byproducts.
The system increased the phone's battery life to last approximately one week of useThis far exceeded the capacity of current batteries under normal use. To achieve this, the device's casing was slightly modified, incorporating tiny vents to expel the generated water vapor.
One of the advantages of the design was that the The battery gas could be recharged with an adapter It connects to the phone itself, similar to how a conventional charger is plugged in today. Although it's a prototype and not a commercial product, it raises the possibility that in the future we may see smartphones with integrated fuel cells or interchangeable hydrogen modules.
The biggest barrier remains combining them in a practical way. safety, size, cost and ease of useHydrogen fuel cells require a hydrogen supply (either from cartridges or via refilling), ventilation, and temperature control. In a mobile phone, where every millimeter counts and the user doesn't want complications, the design and user experience must be meticulously crafted.
Even so, research is progressing, and examples like Intelligent Energy, Upp, Rohm, and Aquafairy indicate that the Fundamental technology is already availableThe remaining question is how to package it to make it attractive on a large scale and economically viable.
This entire ecosystem – scientific projects like FLYHY, portable generators, emergency chargers, startups like Atom H2, and long-lasting mobile phone prototypes – points in the same direction: Solid hydrogen is establishing itself as a key component for the future of energy in telephony and communications.There are still challenges ahead – costs, regulations, supply chains, market acceptance – but it is becoming easier to imagine a world where, when the power goes out or we need days and days of autonomy, the solution is not to burn diesel or carry around half a kilo of batteries, but to use small “solid” hydrogen tanks capable of keeping us connected no matter what.
