Battery Technologies

Battery technologies are currently a critical part of site power solutions, providing back-up or used in deep cycle to provide prime power. However, the cost and performance of battery technologies varies widely. Environmental impact is a key consideration in disposal. Temperature affects performance and some batteries need expensive cooling. Battery wear out or failure is the most common problem today – replacement is expensive and should be modeled in the Total Cost of Ownership.

Lead acid batteries are common today, but new choices are available; Lithium-ion, Nickel Sodium and flow batteries. It is critical to choose the battery to meet the performance requirements, but also have a control & management platform which optimizes the battery performance.

Batteries are a significant investment, so it is also essential that a wireless operator can meet the power performance budget and get an extended warranty from the battery supplier. In a competitive world all battery suppliers make wild performance statements, so it is essential to independently verify the true application performance.