SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec), a wholly owned subsidiary of ECOtality, Inc. (OTCBB: ETLY), a renewable energy company that acquires and commercially advances clean electric technologies and applications, today announced the completion of the installation of seven eTec Bridge Power Managers (BPM) for Southwest Airlines at Oakland International Airport. The patent-pending BPM allows for eTec Minit-Charger’s fast-charge systems for electric ground support equipment (eGSE) to share power with existing 480VAC supply circuits at airport terminal gates and jetway bridges.
“The eTec Bridge Power Manager substantially reduces the transition costs for airports and airlines to transition from diesel and gasoline ground support equipment to clean electric systems,” said Don Karner, president and CEO, eTec. “By eliminating the costs associated with designing and constructing new power circuits, the BPM allows the Minit-Charger fast charge systems to utilize existing gate power infrastructure without impacting airport operations.”
The eTec Bridge Power Manager significantly reduces infrastructure transition and conversion costs by utilizing existing 480VAC gate power supply circuits that are typically used only when a jetway bridge is aligning with a plane. The BPM decreases power to Minit-Charger fast charge systems when a jetway bridge is in use, then returns to full power once the bridge is aligned. Up to four fast charge ports can operate from each existing bridge supply with no impact to the airport operations. By eliminating the need for new supply circuits, the BPM substantially reduces transition costs as it provides a solution for the lengthy time needed to design and construct new power circuits at an airport. As electric ground support equipment has been shown to reduce annual fueling costs by 70 to 80 percent and total operating costs by 30 to 40 percent (when compared to internal combustion engine ground support equipment that operates on gasoline or diesel fuel), the BPM additionally increases efficiency by saving time and electricity by allowing electric GSE fleets to recharge at the site of operation.
“The eTec Bridge Power Manager allows Southwest Airlines to smoothly transition to clean electric GSE fleets while avoiding time-consuming and costly modifications to a terminal’s existing electrical infrastructure,” said Larry Laney, director of ground support equipment, Southwest Airlines. “Oakland Airport is an example where the deployment of the eTec BPM demonstrated real savings in electrical infrastructure costs and the time required to deploy our eGSE fleet.”
eTec, a wholly owned subsidiary of ECOtality, is a recognized leader in the research, development and testing of advanced transportation energy systems and infrastructures. Committed to commercially advancing clean electric technologies with clear market advantages, eTec manufactures and provides battery fast charge equipment and fueling stations for electric and hydrogen powered vehicles. For more information about eTec, please visit www.etecevs.com.
About ECOtality, Inc.
ECOtality, Inc. (OTCBB: ETLY), headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., is a renewable energy company that acquires and commercially advances clean electric technologies and applications. ECOtality aggressively accelerates the development of companies and technologies that address today's global energy challenges. Through strategic acquisitions, partnerships and technology innovations, ECOtality strives to advance the market applicability of clean electric technologies to become accepted alternatives to carbon-based fuel technologies. For more information about ECOtality, Inc. please visit www.ecotality.com.
