Taiwan unveils hydrogen-powered mobile phone chargers

Taiwanese researchers said Friday they have developed hydrogen-powered mobile phone chargers, in a development that could boost the island's efforts to become a player in green technologies.

The device can recharge a mobile phone battery in two hours without being plugged, according to scientists at the Industrial Technology Research Institute in north Taiwan's Hsinchu city.

"Hydrogen is a recyclable material. The device is energy-efficient and will help protect the environment," said Tsau Fanghei, a researcher at the institute.

"We will continue to improve the invention. We hope the hydrogen-powered device can replace current cell phone recharge systems in 2012."

Ma Hwong-wen, an environmental scientist at the National Taiwan University, said the invention appeared to be breaking new ground.

"It is new," Ma said. "Hydrogen, in theory, will produce no hazard to the environment."

The charger will be key to the Taiwan government's endeavour of carving out a space for itself in future energy generation, according to Yeh Hui-ching, director of the economics ministry's Bureau of Energy.

"The government hopes to acquire a slot in the global green energy industry's production chain with the hydrogen fuel cell technologies," Yeh said, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.

Taiwan is under pressure to develop new energy sources, as it imports about 98 percent of its energy.

Filipino Ex-Pat Workers to Use Mobile Phones to Send Money Home

Philippines based bank, Metrobank has inked a deal with mobile payments vendor, Luup to enable overseas workers to send funds to their families back home. Transactions will be initiated by customers of Luup banks, processed through Luup and paid out, utilizing Metrobank's network of over 500 branches and over 1,100 ATMS across the country.

It is estimated that there are around two million Filipinos working in the Middle-East alone.

According to the Central Bank of the Philippines OFWs remittances from the Middle East amounted to upwards of US$2.5 billion in 2008. "This is an increase of 13.68 percent over 2007 numbers," said Richard S. So, Senior Vice President, Metrobank.

"Filipinos are savvy mobile users, and in general have adopted mobile payment technologies ahead of other markets, in order to make person-to-person payments and mobile top up transactions. With our new partnership with Luup, OFWs can now have a hassle-free and secure way of sending their remittances," he continued.

Metrobank has a consolidated network of over 500 domestic branches and 35 foreign branches, subsidiaries, and representative offices; 58 remittance tie-ups, and more than a thousand correspondent banks, with an international presence spanning 21 countries.

"With a mobile phone penetration rate of more than 75 percent last year - comprising close to 70 million mobile phone users in the Philippines that are adept with mobile phone payment applications, the Philippine expatriate market is ripe for international remittance services," said Morten Hofstad, Head of Business Development for Luup in the MENA region. "The convenience and security afforded by our solutions enable OFWs throughout the Middle East to send their regular remittances in a fast and secure way. Likewise, this new service is expedient especially where crisis or emergency situations are concerned."

Luup launched its services in the Middle East through a partnership with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) last year as well as with Deutsche Bank globally. Luup is currently in talks with other financial institutions to build similar partnerships aimed at facilitating mobile payments around the globe.