Yale University’s Direct FuelCell Plant Recognized by U.S. EPA at International District Energy Association Conference

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Partnership yesterday awarded a 2004 Combined Heat and Power Certificate of Recognition to Yale University at the International District Energy Association’s 95th Annual Conference & Trade Show in Seattle.

Yale University was recognized for its Direct FuelCell(R) (DFC(R)) power plant, manufactured by FuelCell Energy Inc. (NasdaqNM:FCEL), that provides 250 kilowatts of electricity as well as heat for controlled humidity in the school’s Environmental Science Center. The power plant supplies about one-half of the electric power for the building, which is the archival storage facility for the Peabody Museum; the heat is used to maintain the controlled humidity environment for the Peabody’s collection of artifacts.

“Using the ultra-clean fuel-cell power to operate the Environmental Sciences Center supports the university’s goal of having a low environmental footprint for this strategic building and others to come at Yale,” said professor Marian Chertow, director of Industrial & Environmental Management at Yale.

Every year since 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) award the ENERGY STAR(R) Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Award to leaders who improve the nation’s electric generation efficiency through development of highly efficient CHP projects. The agencies are confident that CHP technologies can dramatically increase the efficiency of electric generation and has set a goal of doubling national CHP capacity by 2010.

“EPA is delighted to recognize the commitment to innovation, efficiency, and environmental performance demonstrated by Yale University and FuelCell Energy in implementing this project,” said Luis Troche of the Climate Protection Partnerships Division of the EPA. “We look forward to continuing to work with the educational sector and our CHP partners in developing state-of-the-art CHP projects.”

The ENERGY STAR(R) CHP award recognizes projects that use at least 5 percent less fuel than state-of-the-art separate power-and-heat generation. By significantly improving efficiency, award-winning projects not only save money, but also reduce greenhouse gases (i.e., carbon dioxide) and other air pollutants, including nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter.

“This recognition from the EPA provides further validation of our Direct FuelCell power plants as a clean and efficient electric power option for institutions like universities,” said Jerry Leitman, chairman and CEO of FuelCell Energy. “The installation at Yale, along with our power plants at Ocean County College in New Jersey, Grand Valley State University in Michigan and the University of Bielefeld in Germany, are providing our customers with the operational experience that proves the value of the DFC.”

Direct FuelCells efficiently generate clean electricity at distributed customer locations, including hospitals, schools, universities, hotels and other commercial and industrial facilities. Direct FuelCells operate similar to large, continuously operating batteries except they utilize a fuel to generate electricity, such as natural gas or digester gas from wastewater treatment facilities. This high-efficiency technology generates more electric power from less fuel and with less carbon dioxide emissions than traditional combustion methods. Yale’s sub-megawatt fuel cell power plant is a collaborative effort using Direct FuelCell(R) technology of FuelCell Energy and the Hot Module(R) balance of plant design of MTU CFC Solutions, GmbH, a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler.

Yale’s plant was purchased by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund for use in the state and began operating in fall 2003. The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund invests in enterprises and initiative that help promote the development, production and use of energy from clean and renewable sources.

“The Yale project serves as an example of the potential district energy and combined heat and power systems hold for further increasing the efficiency of heating and cooling our nation’s university campuses,” says Robert P. Thornton, president, International District Energy Association. “Energy efficiency, reliability and fuel flexibility are district energy hallmarks – and those are certainly key to stabilizing our country’s energy future. This project shows how fuel cells can play a part in these systems.”

One important advantage of district energy systems is their widespread use in virtually every major US city and hundreds of university campuses, airports, hospital complexes and military bases – from Manhattan to New Orleans to Seattle to Nome, Alaska.

Based just outside Boston, the International District Energy Association has nearly 800 members in 18 countries. Formed in 1909, IDEA’s mission is to promote energy efficiency and environmental quality through the advancement of district heating, cooling and combined heat and power. Additional information can be found at http://www.districtenergy.org .

FuelCell Energy Inc., based in Danbury, Connecticut, is a world leader in the development and manufacture of high-temperature hydrogen fuel cells for clean electric power generation. More information is available at http://www.fuelcellenergy.com .

For more information on the ENERGY STAR(R) CHP Award and the CHP Certificate of Recognition, go to http://www.epa.gov/chp/index.htm .