Press Releases

Budapest, March 5, 2009 17:00

Magyar Telekom hosted a professional forum of the Hungarian Energy Association held on March 3 where the operation of an energy cell using hydrogen (PEM cell) and the possibilities of applying it as alternative energy source were discussed. At the forum reports were also presented on the result of the experiment launched by Magyar Telekom in 2008, using hydrogen cells for the emergency power supply of mobile network base stations. This solution opens the way for other telecommunications companies as well to select this approach which is outstanding from the environmental aspect.

Magyar Telekom, as the country's leading telecommunications company, pays great attention to finding sources which can make its own energy consumption "greener" or more environment-friendly, in accordance with the current sustainability strategy as well as climate and environment protection objectives of the company.

Researchers and ventures in the energy sector are paying increasing attention to alternatives to replace the currently used fossil fuels, and hydrogen as an energy source plays a major role in this respect. Hydrogen is suitable both for storing great amounts of energy and for using this energy in the mobile network. The hydrogen can be obtained from several sources and the technologies of this procedure are already known. Both the production of hydrogen and the generation of energy from it are very environment-friendly processes. The hydrogen energy cell which directly generates electric current is an efficient tool for energy production.

The participants of the professional forum reviewed the current and expected conditions of licensing and the legal background concerning the energy cells. With the available scientific arguments, the Hungarian Energy Association intends to promote the elimination of unnecessary regulations which hinder the spread of energy cells in everyday life, ensuring at the same time that their application is sufficiently safe and secure. It was mentioned during the lectures that Hungarian scientific circles responded quickly and intensively to the challenge raised by the world's great demand for energy. Similar work has started in several places in Europe. Professional forums like this one assist the experts in selecting the best solutions, the really promising applications and the hydrogen production procedures which correspond to the geographic and economic conditions of the country.

It was mentioned at the forum that the experimental energy cell using hydrogen (PEM cell) brought into operation at Magyar Telekom in 2008 was integrated into wireless network monitoring after Magyar Telekom, together with the American manufacturing company Altergy, made it suitable for application in the communication network as well. The hydrogen energy cell at such a stage of development is not yet operating anywhere else in Europe. With this achievement Magyar Telekom has opened the way for other telecom companies also to apply the hydrogen cell as emergency power source.