The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has announced plans to connect 75 fuel cells to its electric grid this summer at the company’s West Babylon substation. The $7 million programme is being funded through LIPA’s Clean Energy Initiative, a five-year $170 million programme proposed by the governor of New York to foster the development and application of clean technologies such as fuel cells, solar and wind generation and geothermal development.
The fuel cell project is intended to begin the process of identifying and developing the systems needed to facilitate the use of fuel cells in parallel with the grid system. Site planning is underway and construction is expected to start this month.
The fuel cells are being manufactured by Plug Power Inc and are expected to produce over 1000 MWh of power during the programme. LIPA has worked with the company before. Under a LIPA financed scheme, seven fuel cells were field tested at locations around Long Island last year to gain operational experience.
Plug Power, which develops proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, has meanwhile entered a non-binding memorandum of understanding with GE Fuel Cell Systems (GEFCS), GE MicroGen Inc and GEPS Equities Inc which defines and expands a distribution agreement for Plug Power’s PEM fuel cell systems in stationary power applications. It also increases Plug Power’s stake in GEFCS to 40 per cent, from 25 per cent. GEPS Equities, which already owns 11.8 per cent of Plug Power, will be granted $5 million in shares in the company and purchase a further $5 million for cash.
The company has, in parallel, signed a new non-binding memorandum of understanding with DTE Energy Technologies expanding the latter’s exclusive distribution rights to include Plug Power PEM fuel cells in power applications in the US states of Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana. In addition, DTE Energy subsidiary Edison Development will purchase $5 million in Plug Power shares.
