FCE will work with the utilities to finalize contracts. The CPUC approval includes the installation of four FCE 1.4MW fuel cell power plants at four state universities in California. PG&E’s fuel cell project will include the installation and operation of two FCE 1.4MW facilities at California State University-East Bay and San Francisco state.
The fuel cells are expected to utilize the byproducts of the energy conversion process, including waste heat and water to meet the campus needs including thermal demand for heating the swimming pool at CSU-East Bay and using excess water for landscape irrigation.
Southern California Edison’s fuel cell project will include two FCE 1.4MW units located at CSU-San Bernardino and CSU-Long Beach. The fuel cells will interconnect and operate in parallel with Edison’s distribution system and utilize the byproduct heat, FCE said.
The fuel cell power plants are expected to be configured to generate base load electricity for the facilities in addition to recovering the surplus heat byproduct for heating needs. This configuration can achieve up to 80% efficiency. Additionally, because fuel cells produce power electro-chemically without combustion, they produce near-zero harmful emissions.
