The Ascom Group (Switzerland) announced that it will purchase all shares of ABB Power Supplies GmbH (Soest, Germany), including its Hong Kong subsidiary and the respective activities in Palm Coast, Florida, in Hungary and in China. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.According to Ascom, the new division will be a globally active supplier offering […]
BTR Siebe Power Systems Division (Raleigh, NC) announced its new structure this week. The new division, led by Division Chief Executive Tom Gutierrez, now consists of seven groups, including Lambda North America, Powerware Corp., BTR Siebe Storage, BTR Siebe Energy Systems, Powerware Lambda Europe, NEMIC Lambda and Teccor.Powerware President Patrick Steffen will be responsible for […]
AER Energy Resources Inc. (Atlanta) announced that it is accepting orders for samples of its model 6VO8 prototype battery from companies interested in testing its non-rechargeable zinc-air battery technology. The 6VO8 incorporates six primary zinc-air cells and AER's patented Diffusion Air Manager into a 6-volt battery assembly. According to AER, the 6VO8 battery demonstrates up […]
Unitrode Corp. (Merrimack, NH) introduced the UCC39411/2/3 family of low-power synchronous boost converters optimized to operate from low input voltages such as those provided from a single- or dual-cell battery. The new converters provide a wide input range that can accommodate such diverse power sources such as alkaline, NiCd, NiMH and lithium-ion batteries.The UCC39411 provides […]
FuelCell Energy (Danbury, CT) unveiled its new manufacturing facility in Torrington, CT by welcoming Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland as he hit the switch to start the production line for the company's Direct FuelCell. The governor also announced the State of Connecticut's intention to purchase a 250kW Direct FuelCell power plant through the state's Clean […]
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE, Freiburg, Germany) recently announced the development of a low-voltage dc/dc converter that creates output voltages between 12 and 350V with a high efficiency from input voltages as low as 0.7V. According to ISE, the converter opens up new application possibilities for energy converters such as fuel cells, […]
The TC1142 from TelCom Semiconductor Inc. (Mountain View, CA) is a 20mA regulated dc/dc converter. Designed to be connected directly to a 3.6V single-cell lithium-ion battery, the TC1142 requires no inductors, thereby saving space and cost, and reducing the effects of EMI, according to TelCom. The TC1142's "boost/buck" operation maintains a fixed output voltage (-3V […]
INGenius ATG (Atlanta) introduced the Battery Recycler, an industrial/commercial battery recharger for alkaline batteries. The Battery Recycler is claimed to safely recharge standard alkaline batteries (sizes AAA, AA, C, D and 9V) numerous times. According to INGenius, the Battery Recycler's patented technology works by reducing the formation of dendrites, which clog alkaline batteries and render […]
Morningstar Corp. (Washington Crossing, PA) introduced new models in its trio of solar controller product lines, the SunGuard, SunSaver and SunLight. All of the models provide PWM battery charging.The SunGuard-4 is a SunSaver charging circuit in a less expensive package and rated for 4.5A. Housed in an ABS plastic case, the unit provides PWM battery […]
Electric Fuel Corp. (New York) reported revenues for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 1998, of $484,000, compared to $595,000 for the same period a year ago. The company reported a net loss for the quarter of $2,778,000, or $0.20 per share, compared to a net loss of $4,024,000, or $0.32 per share, for the […]
DaimlerChrysler AG (Munich) this week unveiled the NECAR 4, the first drivable, zero-emission, fuel cell vehicle in the United States. According to the automaker, the NECAR 4 demonstrates a 40 percent increase in fuel cell power and up to three times the range of a battery-powered vehicle. Based on a Mercedes-Benz A-class compact car, the […]
Siemens Semiconductors (Munich) announced that it will be spun off to form a separate legal entity, Infineon Technologies AG, on April 1, 1999. The company will have headquarters in Europe. According to the firm, the move is a prerequisite for listing Semiconductors on stock exchanges late this year or early next year. Until then, the […]
Fire, Wind and Rain Technologies (Flagstaff, AZ) has introduced a new battery charger for solar electric systems that is claimed to deliver 25 percent more power from solar panels than competing models. The Power Advantage 30 battery charger combines power electronics with a high-speed processor. Using Fire, Wind and Rain's patent-pending Power Advantage II technology, […]
American Reliance Inc. (Arcadia, CA) introduced the PEL Series of programmable dc electronic loads. The PEL series operates in four programming modes:...
Alliant Techsystems (Hopkins, MN) announced that its Power Sources Center (PSC, Horsham, PA) has been awarded a $7.1 million contract from KDI Precision Products Inc. (Cincinnati, OH) to manufacture the world's smallest lithium reserve battery. Deliveries of the micro-miniature batteries will run through November 2000.The batteries will be the first to be produced on a […]