FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: FCEL), a global leader in
delivering clean, innovative and affordable fuel cell solutions, is
releasing details on the successful performance of its
SureSource™ fuel cells in providing microgrid solutions.
Microgrids have become a priority in the Northeast US and in
California following extended power outages due to weather events
and most recently with wildfire threats in California. The need for
microgrids to improve grid reliability will continue to grow in its
importance to deliver the benefits of always-on power. California
utility regulators recently mandated Public Service Power Shutoffs
(“PSPS”) in an effort to avert wildfires being sparked by
transmission lines and/or transmission distribution equipment.
Millions of Californians have lost power as a result of PSPS,
leading to economic loss, hardship, and even more serious
consequences for those reliant on electricity for healthcare
treatment, continuous manufacturing processes, emergency response
centers, and other mission critical operations. Some facilities in
California impacted by these shutoffs remained operational because
they had microgrid systems powered by FuelCell Energy fuel cells.
FuelCell Energy has been at the forefront of microgrid
development since the earliest days of commercial fuel cell
manufacturing. The Company’s first microgrid application was
deployed in 2004 to ensure reliable event power for the 2004
Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts.
Through this temporary system, one of the Company’s 250kW fuel cell
power plants was trailer mounted and operated in a microgrid in
conjunction with engine generator sets to power media loads such as
studios, network satellite up-links, and office trailers to deliver
an uninterrupted DNC Convention. This project was the genesis
of the Company’s microgrid technology development, leading to
todays advanced products that are deployed and capable of
seamlessly switching between operating in parallel with the utility
grid, in parallel with a microgrid, or completely grid
independent.
FuelCell Energy’s SureSource microgrid solutions deliver energy
security, economic benefits and also help deliver on the
environmental goals of low CO2, near zero criteria pollutants, and
the ability to site generation where it is needed given the small
footprint and low noise of the complete line up of SureSource fuel
cells. In many instances, the fuel cell microgrids operate in a
combined heat and power mode, delivering thermal energy benefits in
addition to electricity generation, thus driving overall
efficiencies potentially as high as 90%. Two of FuelCell
Energy’s microgrid projects in California remained operational in
areas impacted by PSPS, providing steady, reliable power to the
University of California, San Diego and the Santa Rita Jail during
a time when over 3 million Californians were generally affected by
PSPS.
“When designed and implemented properly, microgrids capitalize
on all the benefits of fuel cells for on-site energy applications,”
said Ben Toby, Senior Vice President, Direct Sales and Customer
Service. “FuelCell Energy’s innovation in the development of fuel
cell microgrids delivers all of the value streams of this cutting
edge technology to our customers, including resilient, reliable,
cost-effective clean energy.”
Microgrids are more than simple back up power
applications. They require integration of critical loads and
power generation sources with sophisticated approaches to grid
independent operation, sometimes requiring multiple power
generation sources to synchronize with each other and non-critical
loads to be shed for seamless transition. FuelCell Energy’s
microgrid technology has evolved over years of successful projects
to effectively address the requirements of this important
application.
Examples of FuelCell Energy microgrid solutions
include:
- 2.8 MW plant at University of California at San Diego, the
first commercial application integrating a fuel cell with a
microgrid.
- Maximum security Santa Rita Jail in California.
- Campus combined heat and power microgrids at the University of
Bridgeport, Amity Regional High School, and Pfizer’s R&D Center
in Connecticut.
- Currently construction is well underway for a microgrid using
FuelCell Energy’s SureSource 4000™ plants at the U.S. Navy
submarine base in Groton, CT.
University of Bridgeport
The University of Bridgeport (“UB”) is a private university
located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and comprised of approximately
5,500 students with 1,250 on-campus residents. One SureSource 1500,
a 1.4 MW fuel cell plant, operates in combined heat and power mode,
delivering approximately 80% of the campus power needs. Waste heat
is used to make hot water that is supplied to two dormitories in
addition to heating the campus’s Olympic size swimming pool. During
grid outages, the microgrid is configured to automatically
disconnect from the grid and remain connected to the fuel cell,
allowing the police, campus and community health services,
administration, and student housing to remain energized. UB’s fuel
cell microgrid maintains reliable power while saving the campus
money on energy costs and reducing CO2 by 7,000 tons, SOx by 64
tons, and NOx by 28 tons each year.
United Illuminating / Town of Woodbridge,
CT
In 2018, United Illuminating energized a SureSource 3000 at
Amity High School in Woodbridge, CT. During normal operation, the
fuel cell delivers 2.2 MW of baseload power to the United
Illuminating electric distribution grid. Upon experiencing a grid
outage, switchgear enables a seamless transition to local-only
mode, whereby power is fed through dedicated underground lines to
the high school, as well as the Town of Woodbridge police station,
town hall, fire station, public works depot, library and senior
living facility. The Town’s critical buildings continue to serve
the needs of the community while the local electric distribution
grid is down. This is a perfect example of a well-executed strategy
to harden grid infrastructure in order to better withstand the
types of catastrophic storms experienced in the Northeast in recent
years.
Santa Rita Jail, Alameda County, California
Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, California houses 4,000 inmates in
the 5th largest prison in the country. The 1.4 MW fuel cell at
Santa Rita Jail shares power supply duties with a 2 MW solar
photovoltaic array, and a 4 MWh lithium ion battery system.
Combined with a static switch at the jail’s substation, these three
technologies supply a highly reliable ultra clean power island for
the facility. Maximum value from the fuel cell is assured by the
close tie-in of the fuel cell thermal exhaust with the jail’s hot
water space heating system. This state of the art system is
delivering high energy security, energy cost savings, and
sustainability benefits to the jail facility.
University of California at San Diego
The University of California at San Diego has a showcase
microgrid system that is among the most advanced in the
world. Serving more than 40,000 students on a 1,000 acre
campus, the microgrid manages a variety of generators serving more
than 400 buildings. Distributed energy resources on the
microgrid include steam and gas turbines, solar cells, and a 2.8MW
SureSource 3000 fuel cell power plant. In addition to
providing power to the facility microgrid, the fuel cell also
supplies waste heat to drive an absorption chiller to provide
chilled water to the campus.
Municipalities, college campuses, hospitals or any facility
which needs uninterrupted power during a grid outage can benefit
from the installation of a microgrid with a SureSource fuel cell
power plant as the distributed energy resource.
Cautionary Language This
news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements with
respect to the Company’s anticipated financial results and
statements regarding the Company’s plans and expectations regarding
the continuing development, commercialization and financing of its
fuel cell technology and business plans. All forward-looking
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those projected. Factors
that could cause such a difference include, without limitation,
changes to projected deliveries and order flow, changes to
production rate and product costs, general risks associated with
product development, manufacturing, changes in the regulatory
environment, customer strategies, unanticipated manufacturing
issues that impact power plant performance, changes in critical
accounting policies, potential volatility of energy prices, rapid
technological change, competition, and the Company’s ability to
achieve its sales plans and cost reduction targets, as well as
other risks set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained
herein speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company
expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release
publicly any updates or revisions to any such statement to reflect
any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events,
conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is
based.
About FuelCell EnergyFuelCell
Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) delivers efficient, affordable and
clean solutions for the supply, recovery and storage of
energy. We design, manufacture, undertake project development
of, install, operate and maintain megawatt-scale fuel cell systems,
serving utilities and industrial and large municipal power users
with solutions that include both utility-scale and on-site power
generation, carbon capture, local hydrogen production for
transportation and industry, and long duration energy
storage. With SureSource™ installations on three continents
and millions of megawatt hours of ultra-clean power produced,
FuelCell Energy is a global leader in designing, manufacturing,
installing, operating and maintaining environmentally
responsible fuel cell power solutions. Visit us online at
www.fuelcellenergy.com and follow us on Twitter @FuelCell_Energy.
SureSource, SureSource 1500, SureSource 3000,
SureSource 4000, SureSource Recovery, SureSource Capture,
SureSource Hydrogen, SureSource Storage, SureSource Service,
SureSource Capital, FuelCell Energy, and FuelCell Energy logo are
all trademarks of FuelCell Energy, Inc.
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Contact: |
FuelCell Energy203.205.2491ir@fce.com |
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Source: FuelCell Energy |
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