Almost seven decades after revolutionizing clean energy, the groundbreaking work of British engineer Francis Thomas Bacon will be recognized with a blue plaque at his former residence in Little Shelford, Cambridgeshire. Essex-born innovator Mr Bacon invented the hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell – a clean, high-efficiency energy source – which helped lead to Apollo 11’s historic moon landing in 1969 and transformed energy research.
Mr. Bacon’s fuel cells, later named “Bacon cells” by NASA, were instrumental in the Apollo missions, supplying secondary power that allowed astronauts to communicate, operate equipment, and even power generated by the cells. Enabled one to drink water. In a 1969 BBC interview, Mr. Bacon explained the importance of the device: “Normally, over time, the battery runs out and you have to recharge it. Now, (with this device), as long as you keep putting hydrogen and oxygen into it, and removing the water that forms, it will keep generating electricity indefinitely – and the astronauts will keep drinking water.
His work received much praise, with then-President Richard Nixon reportedly telling him, “Without you, Tom, we wouldn’t have gotten to the moon.”
The Cambridge-based charity Cambridge Past, Present and Future is supporting the plaque as a tribute to Mr Bacon’s contribution, which continues to inspire sustainable energy research today.
Professor Sam Stranks of the University of Cambridge, an expert in energy materials and optoelectronics, stressed the importance of Mr Bacon’s approach. “He was a pioneer,” Mr Stranks said, according to the Guardian. “Fuel cell technology was extremely important to the space program because as long as you can keep a constant supply of gases, you can keep producing electricity.”
This efficient, adaptable energy source was ideal for remote environments such as outer space and has since influenced renewable energy innovations in all sectors.
Fuel cells are experiencing renewed interest as a potential green energy source. Mr. Stranks pointed to their relevance in modern applications, particularly in powering long-haul trucks, ships and remote facilities where conventional batteries would be impractically large and heavy.
Echoing Mr. Bacon’s view, he said, “I always hoped it would be used to power vehicles,” and speculated that “in a modified form, it’s going to come.”
Mr Bacon’s interest in fuel cells began in 1932 after studying mechanical science at Cambridge. Inspired by the theoretical work of physicist William Grove, who discovered the concept of fuel cells in 1839, Mr. Bacon began his own experiments. Soon he faced an ultimatum from his employer – either give up the risky research or leave. Choosing the latter, Mr. Bacon worked his way up to Cambridge University and then Marshall, a local engineering firm.
For years, he struggled to finance the project, until, in 1962, NASA adopted his alkaline fuel cell for the Apollo program. An American company invested $100 million, a huge success for Mr. Bacon’s once-ignored invention.
Despite this success, Mr. Bacon remained largely unknown outside the scientific community. Professor Clemens Kaminsky of the University of Cambridge said, “British engineers have some of the most brilliant ideas, but turning those ideas into commercial successes often fails, and Bacon had to face that. Yet he persisted.”
In recognition of his contributions, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins personally thanked Mr. Bacon, and gifted him a signed photo of Mr. Armstrong’s famous moonwalk.
Although Tom Bacon died in 1992, his legacy continues to inspire today. Professor Stranks described him as “a visionary and an unsung hero”, believing Mr Bacon’s pioneering work on fuel cells still foreshadows today’s clean energy efforts.
