Who isn’t down with green tech? Using proton exchange membrane cells (PEM cells), T-Mobile is setting up their first hydrogen-powered base stations in Hungary. Hydrogen power is a little tricky to explain, but it’s basically a renewable energy source whose only waste is good ol’ water. PEM cells work quietly, don’t have to be replaced often, and pump out 5 kW, making them a great supplementary source for cell towers. Depending on how the initial run goes, T-Mobile will try to extend the new technology to other areas.
Sprint had also been considering these kinds of renewable energy to keep costs down, but the real thing to gain here isn’t lowered maintenance costs. By creating self-sustaining towers, cell coverage can expand to areas where powering and maintaining base stations is altogether impossible. This means providing a whole lot of people with previously unattainable connectivity, not just increasing reliability to those who already have it. Hydrogen power is cool and all, but as I’ve said before, we really gotta get going on those windmill cell towers. Seriously. Hop-to, engineers.
[via Cellular-News]