DANBURY-Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has ordered two 1.4 Megawatt DFC1500 fuel cell power plants from Connecticut-based FuelCell Energy. They'll be installed as utility-owned fuel cells on the campuses of California State University East Bay-Hayward Hills and San Francisco State University. FuelCell Energy is a manufacturer of high efficiency ultra-clean power plants using renewable and other fuels for commercial, industrial, government, and utility customers.
The total value of these contracts is approximately $12.6 million, which will include engineering, procurement and construction services for the installation of the power plants. The deal followed the recent approval by the California Public Utilities Commission for PG&E to pursue utility owned fuel cell installations at two California universities.
The fuel cell power plants, expected to be operational in 2011, will be configured to utilize the by-products of the fuel cell energy conversion process, including waste heat and waste water to meet campus needs.