Jul 30 2015
SFC Energy AG, a leading provider of hybrid power solutions to the stationary and mobile power generation markets, announced today that ZephIR Lidar, Ledbury, UK, is now including SFC Energy's EFOY Pro 2400 fuel cell within "ZephIR Power" in sales to its customers located around the world.
The ZephIR Power is a low-cost, stand-alone power system designed specifically for the growing wind industry's continuing adoption of remote sensing, specifically the ZephIR 300 wind lidar. With the addition of the EFOY Pro, the Power system is now capable of up to 12 months autonomous operation.
ZephIR Power is a fully modular off-grid power supply which can be set up for the most arduous of deployments. The predominant customer base includes those in the wind energy community. The system will use a combination of the EFOY Pro methanol fuel cell with 220 Ah batteries in a modular concept that will allow customers to add a wind turbine of up to 450 W and solar PV micro panels of up to 600 W, together with an optional battery extension pack to maximize the renewable inputs. With a specified operating temperature range of -40 C to +50 C, ZephIR Power is of optimal design for the remote conditions often encountered by remote sensors such as the ZephIR 300 wind lidar.
Dr. Peter Podesser, CEO of SFC Energy, stated, "We are delighted to work with the leading wind lidar provider, ZephIR Lidar. The EFOY Pro fuel cell is the best in class for providing stable, reliable and continuous power, which solves a specific need for these products in measuring and monitoring wind energy in off-grid locations. ZephIR and their customers needed to ensure that the Power system remained online without the need for consistent maintenance and oversight. We believe this is an excellent partnership, as their products are the most respected in the industry, and our energy system provides unmatched availability where many other power systems would fail. This is another step forward for us in the growing wind market, where our products are used from sensing to back-up power."
"ZephIR 300 provides customers with wind data availability close to 100% all year round," said Ewan Abbot, General Manager - Operations at ZephIR Lidar. "Through a decade of practical remote sensing experience, we are now able to offer a power solution to match our customers' needs - ZephIR Power is robust, affordable and designed very much with the remoteness of typical wind sites in mind, with ease of transportation and deployment being key features. And now, at the heart of ZephIR Power is the industry standard EFOY Direct Methanol Fuel Cell generator, which uses an eco-friendly catalytic process to convert methanol into electricity. Coupled with optional renewable energy power source components, ZephIR Power delivers true autonomous operation for ZephIR 300 in all environments and conditions anywhere around the globe."