Date
08/07/2014
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FuelCell Energy, a leader in the design, manufacture, operation and service of fuel cell power plants, identified New Haven, Connecticut as the second installation site for the previously announced 5.6 megawatt (MW) in projects purchased by The United Illuminating, a subsidiary of UIL Holdings. Information regarding the projects, which consist of two 2.8 MW DFC3000 fuel cell power plants to be installed at different sites within the UI service territory, was released on April 30th and identified Bridgeport as one location with the other to be named at a later date. Now confirmed, the second power plant in New Haven will supply electricity to a nearby UI-owned substation; providing environmentally friendly distributed power to residents.
"This project further supports our efforts in renewable, green energy and helps achieve our goal of providing customers with clean safe and reliable electricity," said James P. Torgerson, President & Chief Executive Officer, UIL Holdings Corporation.
"We are fully invested in issues affecting the environment because it means we are investing in the future of our City," said Toni Harp, Mayor of New Haven. "Through the generation of ultra-clean power, produced in a highly efficient and environmentally-friendly manner, the fuel cell installation exemplifies the City's commitment to instituting sustainability practices and improving the environmental integrity of New Haven."
The power plant in New Haven will be located in the port area of the city near an electrical substation owned by UI and will provide continuous power to the substation. Distributed power generation like this installation increases the power supply while producing virtually no pollutants, have a low-noise profile, and only modest space requirements.
"The New Haven installation will help meet the State of Connecticut's renewable energy goals and exemplifies how our fuel cell technology can support the utility market by providing an easy-to-site energy solution that reduces reliance on transmission and enhances grid resiliency," said Chip Bottone, President and Chief Executive Officer, FuelCell Energy, Inc. "Our power generation solutions are well-suited for utilities interested in adding ultra-clean baseload power when and where needed within their service territory."
The previously-announced second installation will be located in Bridgeport and will serve as part of a renewable energy park supplying power to the electric grid. The energy park occupies approximately 9 acres of land with the fuel cell power plant taking only about one quarter of an acre to produce 2.8 MW of continuous power and a 2.2 MW solar array utilizing the remaining land or somewhat over 8.5 acres.
The continuous power to be provided by both the New Haven and Bridgeport fuel cell plants is adequate to power approximately 5,600 homes in aggregate, and will be generated in a highly efficient and environmentally friendly manner. FuelCell Energy will install the power plants and operate and maintain them under long term service agreements. Both sites are expected to be operational in early 2015.
Multi-megawatt fuel cell installations address power generation challenges for utilities as the combination of near-zero pollutants, modest land-use needs, and the quiet operating nature of fuel cell power plants facilitates their siting in urban locations.
Advantages include:
Environmentally friendly power generation with virtually zero nitrogen oxide (NOx) that causes smog, sulfur dioxide (SOx) that contributes to acid rain, or particulate matter (PM10) that aggravates asthma, and the power is delivered with a low carbon footprint
Distributed power generation places power near where it is used, enhancing the resiliency of the grid
Highly efficient power generation process that is economical
Continuous renewable power around the clock that is not reliant on weather or time of day
