In the News
Feb 23, 2010 - ECN: Migrating from Sealed Lead Acid to Li-ion
Applications with high voltage and capacity requirements are adopting Lithium-ion (Li-ion) technology because of its many advantages- especially the high energy density, small size and low weight that this technology provides. Historically, Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries have had a few superior technical traits, in addition to their extremely low cost, that have kept them leading the majority of the overall battery market. However, recent innovations in Li-ion chemistry has made it extremely competitive in markets that are weight sensitive and inconvenienced by SLA's need for frequent maintenance. Many devices have required batteries for power back-up and these are primed for direct Li-ion replacement of SLA.
January 26, 2010 - Power Electronics Technology: Micro Power Awarded Two New Patents for Battery Pack Technology
Micro Power Electronics announced that the U.S. Patent Office awarded it two new patents covering innovative design techniques and manufacturing practices for battery packs. These patents improve the safety and reliability of the portable battery packs produced by Micro Power for mission critical operations.
October 8, 2009 - Portland Business Journal: Micro Power Electronics Has New CEO
Beaverton battery technology firm Micro Power Electronics said Mike DuBose has been named the company’s new CEO.
October 16, 2009 - Portland Business Journal: New Micro Power CEO Charges Up Growth Plans
Slow growth doesn’t appeal to Mike DuBose. Although he’s only been CEO of Micro Power Electronics Inc. for less than two weeks, he’s already got big plans for the $67 million company. “We’re not going to be satisfied to be as small as we are for very long,” DuBose said. An executive with a history of leading much larger companies, DuBose plans to grow the Beaverton-based maker of battery packs and chargers partly through acquisitions.
Oct 14, 2009 - Electronic Design: Batteries Present a Great Hope for U.S. Manufacturing
Barely a day goes by that we don’t see battery technology in the news. The battery industry is being lauded as the great hope for domestic manufacturing and job creation. Much of the economic stimulus package has been directed toward the fabrication and recycling of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries in the United States.
Oct 9, 2009 - Military & Aerospace Electronics: Electrifying Advancements
Defense organizations and industry combine efforts and expertise to deliver safe, reliable, and readily available power when and where needed. Warfighters, first responders, and astronauts all rely on an ever-increasing amount of electronics to get their jobs done. These electronic devices, no matter how novel, innovating, or automated, require adequate, reliable, and long-lasting electric power.
August 14, 2009 - ECN: What’s the Best Way to Advance Alternative Energy Research?
When it comes to spurring innovation, either for product development or research, I am a proponent of the free enterprise methods. This typically involves the investment of internal corporate or external venture capital funds in research or product development. However, the current economic downturn, combined with the financial woes of the North American auto industry, has resulted in the allocation of substantial government funding to battery manufacturers.
July 31, 2009 - Portland Business Journal: Strict Focus Powers Sales at Micro Power Electronics
When Greg Love joined Micro Power Electronics as CEO in 2001, the Beaverton manufacturer of battery packs, chargers and power supply systems had a client list of more than 500 customers with orders ranging from a few thousand dollars to several million. It was an OK approach for the company, but it didn’t do much to differentiate it from the competition. So Love implemented a new strategy: Focus on a few prime areas and pass on all the rest.
July 29, 2009 - Electronic Design: Keep an Eye on Temperature Trends during Li-ion Battery Charge and Discharge Cycles
Lithium-chemistry batteries are replacing sealed lead-acid (SLA) and nickel metal-hydride (NiMH) types in many fixed and portable applications due to their higher energy storage density relative to both weight and volume. As larger lithium-chemistry batteries are designed, managing the waste heat generated by the ever-higher charge and discharge currents becomes an increasing challenge.
July 23, 2009 - Electronic Design: Use Cell Balancing to Enable Large-Scale Li-ion Batteries
Many applications need lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery packs with high cell counts. Large-scale arrays based on Li-ion batteries can provide the high voltage, current, and capacity required by many emerging markets. Yet designers of larger battery packs face many problems, including the issues around cell imbalance. High capacity is achieved with many cells in parallel, while high rate capability can be achieved with specially designed cells or by oversizing the battery pack’s capacity and lowering the effective C-rate. In general, applications requiring high current or more than 12 cells should use a custom solution for safety and cell balancing.