Arno's EnergyIdeas (22)

About INTELEC 2008, International Telecommunications Energy Conference
San Diego, CA, USA, 14 - 18 September 2008

At INTELEC, an annual conference on telecommunications energy systems, the latest developments in backup power are presented and analyzed. This years conference in San Diego was attended by nearly 600 power-experts from 35 countries. Almost half of them came, naturally, from the USA, Canada was represented by 53 participants [Japan: 35, Sweden: 34, Australia: 17, Germany: 16 (that's (at least) something!)]

Photo: The booth of IdaTech LLC, Bend, OR, USA Photo: Arno A. Evers, Arno A. Evers FAIR-PR

115 technical papers were presented, tutorials and workshops completed the conference schedule. According to the Conference information booklet, the program was featuring:"... Future topics of research and new developments in power electronics for telecommunications and energy systems, including DC power plants, electricity, architectures, AC/DC converters, batteries, grounding, physical and thermal design, alternative energy sources (engines, fuel cells, etc.) as well as building- and equipment-cooling systems... "
It's in fact quite remarkable, to mention engines and fuel cells in the same breath as alternative energy sources. The topic of fuel cell applications, though, was in fact presented at four sessions with a total of 15 presentations, including two by a German company.

In the exhibition area, 71 exhibitors from 10 countries were having their new products, services and technical accessories on display, including generators powered by diesel internal combustion engines and batteries. Both technologies with long histories and proven records of inefficiency. Eight exhibitors were representing the international fuel cell community, among them IdaTech LLC from Bend, Oregon and P 21 GmbH from Brunnthal/Munich.

The telecommunications is one of the largest and fastest growing market in the world. The number of installed cellular base stations is forecast to exceed 3.3 million in 2008. A fundamental component in every cellular network is the energy backup system. Its reliability is crucial. For the global battery replacement for these applications, the market value is expected to be more than U.S. $ 800 million turnover annually. A study by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. from August 2005 estimates a market for 5kW fuel cell back-up systems from 130,000 to 190,000 units for the US alone, which represent 2 to 3 billion US Dollars turnover. (see also Arno`s EnergyIdea No. 15 of June 17, 2008)

So, what was there to see or learn? There were thousands of overweighted SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) for sale at car dealers. Some of these cars had a former list price of 33,000. They were reduced by U.S. $ 11,000 to a mager U.S. $ 22,000. In their windows, prefabricated stickers (EPA Fuel Economy Estimates), suggested an combined annual gasoline consumption of U.S. $ 2,470. This calculation was based on an annual average milage of 15,000 miles. However, EPA was calculating with a petrol price of U.S. $ 2.80 per gallon, equivalent to roughly 0.74 euros per liter. In September 2008, though, the cost of cheapest gasoline in California gas stations was already U.S. $ 3.85 (approximately 1.02 euros) per gallon. This is yet another example, that time goes by on many "state-prescribed", calculations and predictions, originally thought of as being cut in stone,. This is fortunately in my mind, actually. Fortunately for the technical progress.

http://evdomaps.com/

http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Oct2007/5349.htm

https://www.hydrogenambassadors.com/meet-aae/intelec2008/index.php

Date: 06.10.2008