Today's Agreement follows the completion of a new Acta Power back-up power system incorporating ReliOn's fuel cell system, which has been designed with a 23" rack, the standard unit size for the US market. The Agreement covers the launch, promotion, production, commercialisation and distribution of the 23"-rack Acta Power HT.
As the market leader for telecom back-up power in North America, ReliOn is well positioned to partner and support the introduction of Acta's products into the US market. ReliOn will promote the new system in North America, whilst Acta will promote the system in all other markets in parallel with its FutureE / Ballard system.
Paolo Bert, Chief Executive Officer, Acta, commented:
"Today's Agreement marks further commercial progress for the Acta Power since its launch under a year ago. Through our partnership with ReliOn we look forward to collaborating on further product development for additional applications, and to the penetration of the Acta Power into the North American market."
Joe Blanchard, Chief Operating Officer, ReliOn, commented:
"The Agreement incorporating Acta's hydrogen electrolyzer with ReliOn's fuel cell products offers our customers an additional fueling solution, enabling them to address the requirements of equipment locations that have been challenging to this point. We look forward to jointly introducing the Acta Power HT to a variety of global markets."
The new Acta Power HT will be officially launched at the Mobile World Congress conference, the world's largest mobile and telecom exhibition, in Barcelona on 24-27 February, where it will be jointly promoted by Acta and ReliOn in Acta's stand, Hall 7, Stand 7M08.
About Acta S.p.A.
Acta S.p.A. is a developer and manufacturer of a range of clean energy products. Based on its world-leading expertise in alkaline membrane technology, the Company has developed a unique range of low-cost, compact hydrogen generators (electrolysers) which produce pure, dry compressed hydrogen at high efficiency from renewable or grid power.
In April 2013 Acta launched the Acta Power, an integrated electrolyser and fuel cell system for use in back-up power and renewable energy storage applications. Best understood as a "Hydrogen Battery", the system converts energy from renewable or grid power when it is available and stores it in the form of hydrogen, and then converts the hydrogen back to electrical power when needed due to grid black-out or lack of solar / wind power.
This system has extensive application as a back-up power unit for telecommunications base stations, where it competes on cost against traditional battery and diesel solutions, while offering a cleaner solution and better service. In particular, the use of rainwater and the generation of hydrogen on-site removes the cost and logistical barriers of fuel delivery, while also avoiding the theft risk associated with diesel, methanol and battery systems.
The supply of fuel cell back-up power systems for telecommunications base stations represents a large and fast-growing market, especially in extensively bad-grid and off-grid locations such as in Asia and Africa. Battery sales to the Chinese telecoms industry are currently valued at $4.7 bn to $7.8 bn per annum (Fuel Cell Today, China).
Acta holds a portfolio of patents and patent applications on its key technologies, manufactures its products through a combination of production, component subcontracting, and final product assembly and quality control, and has established distribution channels through partnerships in China, India, SE Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Germany, UK, USA and South America.
Acta S.p.A. is based near Pisa, Italy, and was admitted to trading on AIM in October 2005.
www.actaspa.com