Blue Sky Energy Brings Solar-Powered Wireless Communications to University Students in Canada
Blue Sky Energy Donates Equipment to Advance Education and Sustainability
CALGARY, CANADA (May 21, 2012) - Solar product manufacturer Blue Sky Energy announced today that it has donated its Universal Communication Module (UCM) to a critical Wi-Fi pilot project in Calgary, Canada. Students at the School of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) are employing the UCM in a solar-powered communications system which will supply phone and internet connectivity for emergency response, geological survey, and remote residential applications.
"Blue Sky Energy sees a pressing need to spark and sustain boundless local and global conversations and employ clean technology to serve the common good", says Blue Sky Energy VP of Marketing and Operations Melanie Cullen.
ICT students are mentored by prototyping lab Calgary Protospace, a local incubator for innovative technology ideas, and Think Energy, a renewable energy consultancy. Darryl Kaminski of Think Energy handpicked the "perfectly fitted and uniquely qualified" maximum power point technology or MPPT-compatible communication module for this project. The UCM's optimal durability exceeds the rigorous demands of operation in Calgary's harsh climate. Additionally, the resilient, military-certified unit shoulders extreme operating conditions without any downtime failure.
Protospace Director Ben Reed states that "traditional networks with similar capabilities are extremely costly, sluggish and exclusive, available to internet service providers only. We aim to remove these barriers of entry so that they can be deployed and operated by someone with little training in several hours."
The travelling device, born on an SICT campus rooftop, is currently stationed in nearby Heritage Park and will soon launch as a mobile museum exhibition touring through Canadian festivals this summer.
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