Electro Power Systems launches new green tech – a self-recharging hydrogen fuel cell
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Electro Power Systems SpA has launched a new self-recharging hydrogen fuel cell technology claimed to be the world’s first...
Electro Power Systems SpA has launched a new self-recharging hydrogen fuel cell technology claimed to be the world’s first.
ElectroSelf, as the product is known, is designed to deliver dependable backup power for mobile networks in any location whether off-grid, in locations with unreliable power, or in extreme climates. The self-contained and self-recharging fuel-cell system consumes only water, produces no greenhouse gas emissions and can be installed to backup renewable or mains power.
Intended to reduce the inconvenience of providing backup power through gensets and batteries, ElectroSelf is also purported to lower expenses, minimise maintenance, eliminate diesel refuelling and battery replacement costs, and provide comprehensive remote power monitoring and control.
Electro Power Systems claims that the new technology will change the economics of backup power provision by offsetting initial capital expenditure with a far lower total cost of ownership, as well as an extended product life expectancy. Operating costs are lowered by eliminating ongoing fuel costs and the cost of replacement for moving parts, which means less maintenance; as an example, it only needs a minimal water top-up once a year.
ElectroSelf is also a clean technology, with minimal CO2 emissions in manufacture and zero CO2 or NOX emissions in operation – and as it requires no batteries, there is no hidden toxic waste disposal cost. Specifically designed to work with both renewable and grid power, ElectroSelf is particularly suited to off-grid installations as it enables the storage of renewable energy, which is never supplied constantly.
This smaller environmental footprint is matched by an ultra-neat physical footprint which requires no extra space for dedicated air-conditioning or cooling. Each ElectroSelf system is comprised of two units measuring just 600x800mm.
Adriano Marconetto, founder and CEO, Electro Power Systems SpA says: “ElectroSelf represents a huge opportunity for operators to make a step towards cleaner, greener networks. The industry is at a turning point when power for base stations will increasingly come either wholly or partly from renewable energy. These still need backup power, but that must come from clean energy too if networks are to become truly green. ElectroSelf can completely release operators from the difficulties of purchasing and supplying backup fuel. It is the only fuel cell solution which generates 100% of its own hydrogen, so is the first to promise the freedom and flexibility that operators need.”
ElectroSelf can unleash true business benefits. It enables operators to expand far further off grid and into more extreme climates than legacy backup power technologies can tolerate. Combined with renewables as the main power source it can enable a base transceiver station to be located virtually anywhere on the planet. ElectroSelf can operate at any temperature between -20°C and 45° degrees and can be located indoors or outdoors even in extremes of climate.
ElectroSelf has advanced control and power electronics that enable fully remote management and control over TCP IP or mobile connections. For operators looking to release the potential of rural communities, it also provides the potential for selling excess power back into the grid or for providing community power, creating a further potential revenue stream for operators to pursue more rapid payback at the edges of their network.
ElectroSelf is a closed system which is completely self-recharging. During power outages it generates power by combining Hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2), producing only water as a by-product. The power system engages automatically whenever external power fails. Whenever power is available it generates its own hydrogen fuel by electrolysis of the demineralised waste water from the power generation phase. It does this automatically whenever there is external power available, keeping the H2 tank full.
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