Ballard provides 270 ElectraGen cells to CALA tele
Ballard provides 270 ElectraGen cells to CALA telecoms
2013-05-02 12:46 ET - News Release
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Mr. Guy McAree reports
BROAD DEPLOYMENT OF BALLARD ELECTRAGEN FUEL CELL SYSTEMS BY CALA REGION TELECOM PROVIDERS
Ballard Power Systems Inc. has deployed more than 270 of the company's ElectraGen fuel cell backup power systems in 16 Caribbean and Latin American (CALA) telecom networks. All of these commercial deployments leverage systems that utilize liquid methanol fuel, a readily available and abundant feedstock in the region.
Larry Stapleton, Ballard's vice-president of sales, said: "We have been very pleased with the growing demand for fuel cell-based backup power products originating with telecom service providers in various parts of the globe. And, this CALA region milestone is another positive indicator of that demand, as customers recognize the reliability and other advantages of our products as compared to lead-acid batteries and diesel generators."
Ballard has 138 of its ElectraGen methanol-fuelled systems deployed in the Caribbean -- including countries such as Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, St. Lucia, Montserrat, and Trinidad and Tobago -- 114 systems deployed in Mexico, as well as 20 systems deployed in Chile, Guatemala and Argentina. In addition, a number of trials are currently under way with other carriers.
In the CALA region, electric grids are susceptible to power disruptions due to natural disasters and extreme weather conditions. As a result, telecom networks are vulnerable to frequent grid outages, impacting continuity of service to subscribers. This reality is putting a higher focus on the need for extended-duration backup power solutions. In these situations, lead-acid batteries and diesel generators are not necessarily a practical or financially attractive means of providing backup power, whereas fuel cell systems can offer a reliable, economic alternative -- in addition to being a clean energy solution.
Elevated temperatures throughout the CALA region and proximity to the ocean also present challenging operational conditions that impact life expectancy of traditional backup power solutions, such as lead-acid batteries and diesel generators. ElectraGen fuel cell systems, on the other hand, are built on reliable technology that delivers predictable performance across a wide range of climates -- including tropical conditions -- while also virtually eliminating emissions and noise, and minimizing maintenance. In addition, fuel cell systems are putting an end to pilferage, a common issue involving diesel fuel and batteries in many areas.
Ballard's ElectraGen methanol-fuelled systems are particularly well suited for extended runtime backup power needs. These systems are designed for high reliability, long life and minimal preventive maintenance. They include a fuel reformer that converts HydroPlus (a methanol-water liquid fuel mixture) into hydrogen gas to power the fuel cell.
In the Caribbean, 37 of Ballard's ElectraGen methanol-fuelled backup power systems are currently deployed in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) network. During the recent difficult circumstances presented by hurricane Sandy, 21 of these methanol fuel cell systems performed flawlessly, providing critical electricity to the Bahamas mobile telephone network when the storm downed power lines and cut off grid power. Since then, BTC ordered an additional 16 systems for deployment in its network.
Ballard is sponsoring a webinar on the topic of "Hurricane Sandy and Commercially Tested Fuel Cell Backup Power Solutions," to be held on Wednesday, May 15, 2013, at 2 p.m. ET. The webinar will be hosted by the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association and will feature an informative discussion of commercially tested fuel cell backup power solutions in extreme situations, including a case study of fuel cell system performance during hurricane Sandy. To register for the webinar, please go to the events section the company's website.
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