FuelCell Energy Power Plant to
Provide Ultra-Clean Energy for Government Buildings in California's
Sonoma County
Highly Efficient 1.4
MW Fuel Cell Power Plant Will Supply 100 Percent of Baseload
Electricity Needed to Run a Jail and County Office
Buildings, and Reduce
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
DANBURY, Conn., June
5, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:FCEL), a leading manufacturer of high efficiency,
ultra-clean power plants using renewable and other fuels for commercial,
industrial, government and utility customers, today announced the sale of a
megawatt-class Direct FuelCell(r) (DFC(r)) power
plant to California's Sonoma County to supply 100 percent of the baseload electricity needed to operate a county jail and
county office buildings in Santa Rosa.
The DFC1500(tm) power
plant will generate 1.4 megawatts of ultra-clean electricity and its byproduct heat will be recovered and used to replace
approximately half the natural gas the County currently purchases to make hot
water for space heating, cleaning, and cooking. Overall, the County of Sonoma expects significant energy cost
savings during the first year of operation.
When operating in a
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) mode such as this, DFC power plants can achieve
up to 80 percent efficiency. This high efficiency will substantially reduce
carbon dioxide emissions. By comparison, typical grid electricity is only 33
percent electrically efficient. In addition, since DFC power plants produce
electricity without combustion, they produce near-zero nitrous oxides, sulfur
oxides and particulate matter, and are one of the most effective means of
meeting air quality standards with around-the-clock electric generation.
The state of California is one of
the country's leading environmental advocates with over 75 different laws and
incentive programs to further the use of clean energy and reduce greenhouse
gas production. These include AB32 that caps carbon dioxide emissions; the
state's Renewable Portfolio Standard requiring 33 percent clean energy
generation by 2020; and its government office building initiative to reduce
energy use by 20 percent (1,935 megawatts) by 2015 from a 2003 baseline. Additionally,
the California Air Resources Board's CARB07 strictly regulates distributed
generation power plants, specifying limits for nitrous oxides, carbon
monoxide and volatile organic compounds. DFC fuel cells meet all of these
limits.
"Installing a DFC
fuel cell power plant is not only a wise financial decision," said Jose
Obregon, head of Sonoma County's General Service Department. "It also
demonstrates we're being responsible stewards of the environment by dramatically
lessening the impact of County operations on our community. No distributed
power generation alternative we evaluated was able to compete with its high
efficiency combined with its environmentally responsible benefits."
Sonoma County
considered numerous options before deciding that the DFC unit was the best
solution for its needs. The fuel cell installation is a major component of
the $22 million Comprehensive Energy Project to make Sonoma County buildings
energy efficient, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and meet the reduction
targets established in the County's Climate Protection Action Plan.
"Our DFC power
plants are efficient, quiet, clean and easy to site," said Bruce
Ludemann, Senior Vice President of FuelCell Energy. "And because they
operate 24/7 producing ultra-clean baseload power, they're an ideal solution
when keeping the power on is critical and for customers that want to reduce
their carbon footprint like jails, government buildings, hospitals, hotels,
and wastewater treatment facilities."
Sonoma County's
purchase of the DFC unit through its site contractor AirCon Energy was
partially funded with a $3 million grant under California's Self-Generation
Incentive Program administered by Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Aircon
Energy has been specializing in the design, engineering and installation of
comprehensive energy solutions since 1974 with a focus on local governments
in the state of California. The DFC power plant is scheduled to be in
operation in spring of 2010.
About FuelCell Energy
FuelCell Energy is the
world leader in the development and production of stationary fuel cells for
commercial, industrial, municipal and utility customers. FuelCell Energy's
ultra-clean and high efficiency DFC(r) fuel cells are generating power at over
50 locations worldwide. The company's power plants have generated more than
275 million kWh of power using a variety of fuels including renewable
wastewater gas, biogas from beer and food processing, as well as natural gas
and other hydrocarbon fuels. FuelCell Energy has partnerships with major
power plant developers and power companies around the world. The company also
receives funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and other government
agencies for the development of leading edge technologies such as fuel cells.
For more information please visit our website at www.fuelcellenergy.com
This news release
contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the
Company's plans and expectations regarding the continuing development and
commercialization of its fuel cell technology. 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, general risks associated with product
development, manufacturing, changes in the utility regulatory environment,
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.
Direct FuelCell, DFC,
DFC/T and FuelCell Energy, Inc. are all registered trademarks of FuelCell
Energy, Inc. DFC-ERG is a registered trademark jointly owned by Enbridge,
Inc. and FuelCell Energy, Inc.
CONTACT: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
Lisa Lettieri
(203) 830-7494
ir@fce.com