The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) recently announced the publication of a comprehensive reference guide for the planning, installation and use of stationary fuel cells for wireless communications. Produced by TIA’s Fuel Cell Focus Group, the new, freely available guide provides information on the regulations, codes, standards, permitting processes, fuel supply considerations and technologies related to fuel cell deployment.
TIA says it developed the reference guide in recognition of the increasingly important role of fuel cells, which provide reliable backup power that allows communications towers and other equipment to be widely deployed. While not meant to be a definitive source for all information on stationary fuel cells, the guide represents "a comprehensive and accurate reference tool that will complement other sources, including the codes and standards identified in the document," says TIA.
“To produce this guide, members of TIA’s Fuel Cell Focus Group spent two years applying their expertise, work experience and industry networks,” said Stephanie Montgomery, TIA’s VP of Technology and Standards. “The result is a unique resource that addresses a full range of issues involved in fuel cell planning and deployment. Our fuel cell reference guide goes further than anything else available and can be extremely helpful to project managers, engineers, designers and others.”
In 2013, TIA created an exploratory Focus Group on Fuel Cell Standards for Wireless and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructure. The focus group's primary goal was to bring together fuel cell companies, mobile network operators, cell site leasing companies, engineering firms, government entities, and others to develop the broad reference guide that's been announced.
The following companies and organizations participated in the development of the guide:
Air Liquide
Air Products & Chemicals
Altergy
Ballard Power Systems
BNC Energy, LLC
BTI/Fuel Cells 2000
Burns & McDonnell
ClearEdge Power
CommScope
Department of Energy
Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association
Hy9 Corpration
IGX Group, Inc.
Microsoft Corporation
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
ReliOn
Serenergy
Trulite, Inc.
U.S. Department of Transportation
TIA says the purpose of the guide is to support the deployment of fuel cells by identifying regulatory requirements and providing information on fuel supplies, permitting, and other procedures. It is the first of two publications – the second will be a users’ guide that will address stationary fuel cell operations. Further, with the rapid pace of change in ICT, the focus group will review and update the guide in the coming years.
View/Download the TIA's 'Fuel Cell Guide' reference guide (PDF)
