UPS Systems lights Trafalgar’s iconic Christmas tree

(06/12/2011)

UPS Systems has donated a fuel cell system to light Trafalgar Square’s Christmas tree. The fuel cell will power the star on top of the tree throughout December and the New Year.

The iconic tree is a tradition that dates back to 1947 when the city of Oslo donated the first tree to the people of London. Oslo has since donated a tree every year to thank the UK for its support of Norway during the Second World War.

The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Susie Burbidge, said, “I would like to thank the people of Oslo for this wonderful tree, the gift of which is a tradition that I know goes back many years, and has come to represent not only the start of Christmas, but also of a long-standing friendship between Norway and Great Britain.”

UPS System has donated a 75W fuel cell to the Greater London Authority (GLA), along with enough fuel to light the Christmas tree’s star for the duration of the festive season. Furthermore, UPS Systems has installed its unique remote monitoring system, REMO, to track how the fuel cell is performing, which can be done from its offices in Hungerford. REMO alerts users to equipment faults and power failures, as well as monitoring input and output voltage, load, temperature,fuel levels and other important operating parameters. The GLA is also able to log into REMO ‘Live’, REMO’s secure web-based platform, at any time, to view the status of the system and monitor its operation.

The GLA is committed to making London a greener city through a number of initiatives, including its iconic Christmas tree. The tree now uses low energy LED lights to reduce power and emissions. And the star uses compact fluorescent bulbs, which allow it to shine brightly whilst using little power.

“Using a fuel cell to power the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square is another example of the GLA introducing cleantech initiatives to London to help reduce carbon emissions,” said Tom Sperrey, Managing Director of UPS Systems. “We think it’s a great opportunity to promote fuel cells to a wider audience, and raise awareness of the technology as an alternative source of clean power.”

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