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22 Nov 2008 Register / Login F F F
26 Mar 2002

Verizon Plans World’s Largest Fuel Cell Project with UTC PC25 Systems

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Fuel Cell Today
Verizon Communications , a provider of communications services in the United States and elsewhere, is to install seven UTC PC25 PAFC fuel cell units. These will be the primary electrical power source at a major call-routing center in New York State, to study the technology and its effectiveness in a large telecommunications switching environment, forming what should be the largest fuel cell deployment project in the world (although not the largest ever operated).

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In addition to installing fuel cells in Garden City, Verizon already has installed smaller fuel-cell units at small field equipment sites in a Boston suburb and on Long Island. The company plans to evaluate another fuel cell technology at a medium-size facility in upstate New York.

After obtaining local permit approvals later this year, Verizon plans to start installation of seven fuel cells manufactured by UTC Fuel Cells. They will be installed at the company’s call-switching centre in Garden City, Long Island, NY. The new system, should be operational in 2004 and will operate alongside four new natural gas-powered generators, marking the first time such a fuel-cell power-generating system is used.

"We expect this fuel cell project will show us that the technology can deliver for us in terms of reliability, reducing energy costs and protecting the environment," said Paul Lacouture, Verizon’s network president.

US House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (Republican-NY) added, "This is great news for New York and great news for the environment. It demonstrates once again that fuel cells and clean energy technology are real, not fantasy."

Once the Verizon project is operational, the fuel cells and natural gas generators will produce more than four megawatts of power, or enough electricity to power over 4,000 homes.

"Verizon's decision to use fuel cells for such a critical installation demonstrates its commitment to employing the best technology to meet its customers' needs for reliability while protecting the environment," said UTC Fuel Cells President William Miller.

Verizon’s Garden City facility delivers local phone service to some 40,000 Verizon customers. More than 1,000 employees also work there, handling various functions, including answering customer calls. The fuel cells will provide the electricity they require.

While the new energy source will become the primary electrical power for the computerised call-switching system in Garden City, commercial electrical power and Verizon’s turbine generators and batteries will remain as backups. Verizon expects that it will be able to recover the initial project cost within six years and also generate significant cost savings in the process.

US Representative Carolyn McCarthy (Democrat-NY), who represents Garden City in Congress, said, "Not only will this Verizon facility be a showcase for fuel cell technology, but by creating an independent source of power they will not have to use the local power grid. This action when completed will free up enough power to cover over 4,000 individual homes. This state of the art technology here in our own area will serve as a model for similar ventures to be undertaken to promote the use of clean, alternative energy sources."

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