People living in remote areas with no or irregular access to power face the problem of heating their food and making a hot drink. This can be solved as a new low-cost heating system has been devised which can be activated by plain water and doesn’t need fuel or electricity to heat.

This system which is called Powerless Heating Technology has been devised by Dr. Sumer Singh, Associate Professor, Department of Design, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and his research team.

The technology has an active heating element which consists of a mixture of eco­ friendly minerals and salts and these generate exothermic energy resulting in heat on contact with water. The energy provided is adequate to raise the temperature of any food or beverage by 60 to 70 degrees Celsius.

The heater is very convenient as it weighs only 50 grams and after every heating, the by-product which is natural mineral rock inside the heating pad can be disposed of. The mineral rock is further beneficial as it helps in improving the fertility of the soil and is 100 per cent biodegradable.

Using this technology one can heat ready-to-eat food, make instant noodles, and any beverage like tea, coffee, etc.

North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach, an autonomous body under the Department of Science Technology supported Dr. Singh and his team to develop a food box and a liquid container that can be integrated with the PHT. They have used it to develop containers which can heat food and beverages on demand.

This technology will eliminate burning of precious forest wood for heating purposes. Gurgaon-based start-up Anchiale Technologies is scaling up this technology and has started supplying it to the Indian Navy and some food manufacturing companies.