Project Profile:

Project:		Distributed Generation - Fue Cell
Owner:		Pharmaceutical Company
Project Type:		Distributed Generation
Size:		100,000 sf

Project Description:
Because of a need for reliable power, Dome-Tech was brought in to conduct a feasibility study for a 100K sf research and development facility to determine if a fuel cell was viable.  The study started with an evaluation of the building's thermal and electrical loads and focused on ways to achieve attractive life cycle costs by identifying ways to fully utilize its waste heat to produce hot water for the building.

What made the fuel cell particularly attractive for this application was its ability to quietly, cleanly and efficiently reduce the facility's energy costs by 20-40$ over conventional energy services.  Fuel cells use and electrochemical process to convert natural gas into electricity and heat with a fraction of the pollutants produced by traditional generators.  The PC25 produces less than an ounce of pollutants compared to traditional generators that generate 20 lbs of pollutants per 1000kWh of electricity.

The final report included an estimate of the energy savings and life-cycle costs with proper application, installation and operation along with a comprehensive list of recommednations for peak shaving and producing cost-effective, uniterrupiable power.

With the results of the feasibility study in hand, Dome-Tech worked with NUI to be the first fuel cell appliation to recieve funds from the recently created NJ Clean Energy Program for Renewable Energy.  Along with $700k in utility incentives, an additional $200k grant was received from the US Department of Energy Climate CHange Fuel Cell Program.

The project culminated with a comprehensive design package of a ground-level, outdoor installation supported on a concrete pad located just outside the building.  The unite had a power model (18'10" x 9'6" x10') weighing 40k lbs with a cooling module (4"x14"x4") weighing 1,500 lbs.