Durathon* Batteries Battery Power, Reimagined For Telecommunications

Long Service LifeDesigned for continued daily cycle performance over extended periods of time, Durathon Batteries enable a high-energy throughput over their lifetime. For deep discharge applications, battery life can be as high as 3,500 cycles. For shallow cyclesbattery life can exceed 10,000 cycles.

Temperature IndependentDurathon Batteries can operate without any special ambient temperature controls, thereby reducing energy usage, equipment maintenance and space requirements. Capable of operating at ambient temperatures ranging from -40C to 65C, Durathon Batteries support telecom operations in remote locations under these harsh environments without adversely affecting energy delivery or life cycle.

Minimal MaintenanceDurathon Batteries require minimal on-site maintenance. Each module features a Durathon Battery Management System (BMS) that monitors battery health and performance, enabling remote monitoring and diagnostics. Operators are also spared the extra expense of maintaining HVAC systems, as Durathon Batteries are designed to operate in extreme temperature environments.

Environmentally ResponsibleDurathon Batteries, a product of GEs ecomaginationSM program, are manufactured from abundantly available raw materials and can be recycled through the GE Energy Storage recycling program. By using a continuous charge-discharge-cycling (CDC) operating mode, fuel usage and carbon emissions are substantially reduced over the full life cycle of the battery.

Smaller FootprintWith best-in-class energy density, Durathon Batteries offer more energy in half the space and one-third the weight of equivalent legacy battery technologies. By reducing the need for diesel generators, operators can use smaller generators as a back-up power source.

Theft DeterrentBecause Durathon Batteries operate at 48V and are made from abundantly available raw materials with little resale value, they are inherently less prone to theft than traditional battery technologies.

Durathon Battery TechnologyGE has established a new generation of technological advancements to improve quality of life across the globe. A battery innovation for the modern age, the Durathon Battery forms the basis for higher- performance energy storage systems. Through its high-energy density, short charge time requirements, extended discharge windows and proven success across a wide ambient temperature range, GEs Durathon Battery is transforming the way we look at power and energy solutions.

Telecommunication Industry Challenges

In the world of telecommunications, maintaining consistent and cost-effective service is a challenge across the

globe. Unreliable electrical grids, rising fuel expenses, increasing maintenance costs and mounting pressure to

reduce generator emissions have prompted mobile telecom operators to seek out better energy storage solutions

to use in concert with existing diesel generator equipment or as a long-term back-up power supply.

The Durathon Battery Solution

Durathon Batteries were designed specifically to address these industry challenges, as well as to offer significant

improvements over traditional battery technologies. For operators seeking to reduce operating coststhe Durathon

Battery represents an unprecedented opportunity.

The Story Behind the BatteryDurathon Battery technology is transforming the way we look at alternative power and energy solutions.

Originating from a pursuit of a better power source for hybrid locomotives, GE Global Research evaluated various

battery technologies and identified sodium nickel chloride batteries as the most versatile and effective solution.

In 2007, GE acquired Beta R&D, a UK-based company that originally pioneered the development of sodium metal

halide batteries in the 1980s. Beta R&D had already demonstrated the technologys durability through years of

research and development.

To date, GE has invested $100 million into a world-class Durathon Battery manufacturing facility. Officially opened in

July 2012, production commenced in September 2011 using state-of-the-art equipment grounded in GEs superior

quality and manufacturing methods.

For more information about Durathon Battery technology, visit www.geenergystorage.com.

Charge-Discharge-Cycling (CDC) Application SolutionsDurathon Battery technology has been adapted specifically for CDC telecom applications. In off-grid applications where batteries are used alongside diesel generators in a continuous CDC operating mode, the Durathon Battery lowers fuel costs and improves overall system efficiency. By leveraging short charge times that drive the diesel generator to peak efficiency, the Durathon Battery has been proven to reduce fuel usage and the associated emissions by over 40% when used in off-grid installations. In addition, because Durathon Battery performance is not affected by ambient temperature, operators can reduce fuel expenses, emissions and maintenance even further by eliminating unnecessary cooling systems and large-scale HVAC systemseven at sites with extreme temperature variations.

CapacityNot Amp-HoursBy maintaining higher voltages during discharge cycles, the Durathon Battery reframes the concept of capacity by focusing on kilowatt-hours (kWh) rather than the more traditional measurement of Amp-hours (Ah). The Durathon Batterys greater capacity per kilowatt-hour equates to a best-in-class energy density that offers more site run time in half the space and one-third the weight of an equivalent wet-cell, lead-acid battery. For a telecommunications operator, that represents real savings in the form of a smaller installation footprint and reduced infrastructure costs.

Fuel Savings Pay OffThe primary goal of the Durathon Battery in a CDC application is to maximize fuel savings. The following graph shows the cumulative daily fuel savings when the Durathon Battery is used in this type of CDC application.

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

00 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

dies

el fu

el c

omsu

mpt

ion

(lite

rs)

time (hours)

continuousgeneratoroperation

fuelsavings

batterycharging

battery discharging(generator idle)

Figure 1: Typical daily fuel savings with the Durathon Battery in a CDC application

Energy When You Need It Maximizing Energy ThroughputThe Durathon Battery can be fully recharged in less than 10 hours. In a CDC application, the Durathon Battery requires only 2 to 3 hours to recharge to a level that allows it to carry a 1kW site load for 7 1/2 to 8 hours.

Power Availability SolutionsAnother advantage of the Durathon Battery is its ability to integrate successfully into sites with space or weight constraints. In cities where power grids are available but have low reliability, cell towers that use diesel generators for backup may not be an option due to local ordinance. In addition, many of these towers are located in areas where space is at a premium and the weight of a large bank of backup batteries can become a structural issue for the buildings where they are installed. Since urban cell towers generate high revenues for wireless operators, power availability is critical. Existing battery solutions tend to lose capacity at sites with high ambient temperatures or that require frequent deep discharges. Many fail due to a lack of over-charge or over-discharge protection. In areas of high population density, battery theft is also prevalent, which results in reduced system availability and increased capital expenditures for operators.

The Durathon Battery is an ideal solution for providing power availability to urban cell towers. Its high energy density can pack up to four times the energy offered by traditional battery solutionsin the same-sized package. The Durathon Battery also has a tolerance for extreme temperatures, and the random discharge cycles associated with low-reliability power grids do not negatively impact its long cycle life. The integrated Durathon Battery Management System protects the battery from abnormal events, which greatly improves its availability even after extreme outages. And, since each Durathon Battery module operates at 48V, it is not suitable for most domestic uses, which helps to deter theft.

Table 1 (right) compares the Durathon Battery with a typical lead-acid battery.

Figure 2: Durathon Battery recharge characteristics drive energy throughput.

Table 1: The Durathon Battery vs. traditional lead-acid

Lead Acid Durathon E4810 Durathon E4815

300

7.56

50-100

Capacity (Ah)

Usable Capacity (kWh) C/10

Energy Density (Wh/l)

600

15.12

50-100

184

8.0

132

276

12.0

151

*Durathon is a trademark of the General Electric Company.

GE, the GE Monogram, imagination at work and all other trademarks, and service marks, unless otherwise noted, are owned or licensed by the General Electric Company or its subsidiaries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

GEA-20195A Recycled Paper

Reducing Operating Costs Through Fuel Savings

The Servatis DGO system is an in-line battery system for

Diesel Generator Optimization that Megatron-Federal

deploys to existing off-grid base transmission sites (BTS).

The product, which uses two Durathon Batteries,

connects the existing on-site diesel generators with

the BTS. In other systems, the diesel generator alone

supplies power to the BTS, which results in very low levels

of efficiency and very high levels of fuel consumption.

The Servatis can be deployed to existing, off-grid or

poor grid base transmission sites without disruption

of operations. It can be installed without service personnel

accessing the BTS shelter. This is different from the

approach used by other hybrid solutions, which often

have to interface directly with the DC power supply

inside the shelter. The system also features remote

monitoring capabilities.

To date, sites using the Servatis

system with Durathon Batteries

have experienced a 50% reduction

in diesel fuel consumption. In

addition, the Durathon Batterys

rapid charge time coupled with

its long cycle life result in

corresponding savings in diesel

generator servicing and refuelling

costs which are often high in the rural locations where

Megatron-Federal operates.

This is the beginning of a revolutionary technology that will change energy storage as we currently know it throughout the electrical industry, not only for telecom.Brandon Harcus, Division Manager of Megatron-Federal

Meeting Urban Site Constraints

The Adrian Group is a leading system integrator and

operations service provider to GSM companies with

operations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and

with plans to expand to Burundi, Ethiopia, Mozambique

and Zambia. A number of the

sites managed by the Adrian

Group are located in densely

populated areas where wireless

signals and data transmission

loads are heaviest.

The main challenge at these

sites is downtime due to frequent

power outages on the grid, but

no less important are the site-

specific issues that the Adrian

Group has to address. The

majority of landlords that

lease space for the towers

typically prohibit the use of generators due to noise

and exhaust regulations. In addition, space is tightly

constrained and the structures supporting the power

plant have limits on weight.

Adrian needed a battery solution that could provide a

minimum of eight hours of power reserves and meet

all of its rooftop structure and space constraints. The

Durathon Battery was the perfect fit. Pilot installations

have demonstrated that sites outfitted with Durathon

Battery energy storage systems could handle the

frequent outages while maintaining high site availability.

Now, Adrian is in the process of retrofitting its managed

sites with Durathon Battery systems.

The Durathon Battery has proven to be the perfect solution for our rooftop sites its the innovation we have been tirelessly looking for. Benard Njoroge, Group Managing Director, Adrian Group of Companies

The Durathon Battery Solution in Action