Entering China: strategic analysis of the telecommunications backup power market

The telecommunications backup power market is an attractive early-revenue opportunity for fuel cell technology. Fuel cells offer numerous advantages over batteries and diesel generators in distributed telecom applications where extended backup time duration is required. China is an attractive geographic segment within this market, given it is home to the world's largest telecom industry and has one of the fastest network infrastructure expansion rates. For Ballard to capitalize on this opportunity, it needs to develop an entry strategy that addresses specific marketing and commercialization challenges pertaining to this segment. This report provides a background on telecom backup power, an overview of doing business in China, an analysis of the telecommunications power market in China, as well as an assessment of Ballard's challenges and key success factors. It also provides recommendations for a partnership strategy, including a selection criteria matrix and options overview, which may help Ballard succeed in this market.