Japan - FuelCell energy sells 1 mw power plant

FuelCell Energy's Asian distributor, Marubeni Corporation, sold a 1 MW Direct FuelCell (DFC) power plant to provide electric power and high-quality heat for a Sharp Corp. production facility in Japan. The DFC power plant will provide Sharp's Kameyama manufacturing facility with a portion of its base load electricity needs and supply heat byproduct for air conditioning by means of absorption chilling. "This is our first international megawatt-class installation, showing growing acceptance in Japan of our larger ultra-clean DFC power plants," said R. Daniel Brdar, President and CEO of FuelCell Energy. "The manufacturing sector, one of the 10 vertical markets we continue to target, demands the efficient and firm, 24/7 reliable power generation that our DFC units deliver."

The 1 MW DFC power plant will be part of a green onsite generation power system in which the fuel cells will provide base load power, and a photovoltaic array will provide peaking power. The combined heat and power (CHP) application of the DFC power plant is expected to reduce the Kameyama factory's CO2 emissions by 2,300 tons. Plus, the high electrical and thermal efficiencies of DFC units translate into lower fuel use per kilowatt-hour of electricity and BTU of heat generated. "With eight installations in Japan since 2003, and with ratification of the Kyoto Protocol earlier this year," said Mamoru Sekiyama, Corporate Senior Vice President and COO, Plant, Power & Infrastructure Projects Division of Marubeni, "Marubeni has seen a greater commitment from Japanese industrial companies for fuel cell applications to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

"FuelCell Energy's DFC products have the lowest carbon dioxide emissions of any fossil-fuel power generation technology in their size range," added Mamora Sekiyama, "which makes them consistent with Sharp's goals of pursuing environmental sustainability in every part of its business." The Kameyama plant is Sharp's first "Super Green Factory" -- so designated for establishing technologies and policies to achieve maximum environmental protection. For example, Sharp recycles 100 percent of its manufacturing process wastewater and introduced a Liquefied Natural Gas cogeneration system -- moves that earned the company the 2004 Japan Sustainable Management Award. Installation of the DFC power plant is expected to be complete by second calendar quarter of 2006. The unit will operate on liquefied natural gas -- supplied via a newly installed 17-kilometer pipeline from Toho Gas. The pipeline eliminates the need for LNG tanker truck transportation of fuel, further reducing emissions associated with the delivery vehicles.