Press Release Archive
Austin Energy Eyes Fuel Cell Business
Austin Energy has set an ambitious
course to establish itself as a nationwide resource in the
permitting, installation and operation of fuel cells that
may someday power businesses and homes across Texas and America.
Its research laboratory will be a state-of-the-art
fuel cell installed at the Rebekah Baines Johnson (RBJ) Health
Center located near the downtown. The fuel cell, which operates
on natural gas, is the first commercial fuel cell
in Austin and one of only a handful in Texas. It
was manufactured by UTC Fuel Cells, a Connecticut-based unit
of United Technologies Corporation, the same firm providing
fuel cell technology for the Space Shuttle.
Fuel cells generate electricity through
an electro-chemical process rather than by burning fuel. They
operate virtually pollution and noise free.
Because the waste heat they produce can be used to heat water
for both the hot water and space heating needs of a building,
fuel cells operating on natural gas produce more energy per
unit of fuel than even the newest power plant technology -
about 30% more energy.
"There are many technical and operational
issues that must be solved before the widespread use of fuel
cells will be possible," said Juan Garza, Austin Energy
General Manager. "Austin Energy intends to take the lead
in that research because we believe distributed generation
(stand alone generation) will play a key role in the electric
utility industry of the future."
The 200 kilowatt fuel cell at the RBJ Health
Center began operating in mid-June. Currently the electricity
it generates (power for about 140 homes) is being fed into
the Austin Energy electric grid. In fact, it is the first
fuel cell in Texas to feed power into the electric grid.
Waste heat from the fuel cell is being used to heat water
for the RBJ Center. This means the Health Center avoids the
cost of operating natural gas-fired boilers to provide its
own hot water.
"For instance, establishing the value
of the waste heat is just one of many tasks this research
will address," said Andy Ramirez, Senior Vice President,
Power Production. "But this is a top-to-bottom project
looking at everything from guidelines for site, building and
fire code permitting to standards for connecting fuel cells
into the electric grid to evaluating how fuel cells affect
power quality on the electric grid, and down the line."
A side benefit to the harnessing of fuel
cell waste heat to provide hot water and space heating (called
co-generation) is a reduction of pollution from natural gas-fired
boilers that were performing those duties.
"Fuel cells produce only trace amounts
of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) or about
80%-90% less than emissions from your typical boiler,"
said Larry Alford, Manager, Distributed Generation. "This
is important to a community like Austin where there is an
emphasis on the environment and quality of life."
The fuel cell at the RBJ Health Center is
capable of providing most of the power needed by the Health
Center, a five-story, 50,000 square foot building. The facility
headquarters the public health and community care components
of the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department.
Austin Energy’s fuel cell was installed
at a cost of about $1.2 million; $200,000 of which was provided
through a U.S. Department of Defense grant. The Texas Legislature
in its last session mandated that the State Energy Conservation
Office, with input from a fuel cell advisory committee, determine
what it would take to expedite the commercialization of fuel
cells in Texas and report their findings to the upcoming Legislature.
Alford represents Austin Energy on the fuel cell committee.
Engineering for the Austin Energy fuel cell
installation was provided by DMJMH+N of California. The general
contractor for the project was DPR Construction, Incorporated,
which is headquartered in California but has offices in 17
cities, including Austin.
Austin Energy’s RBJ fuel cell site
will be open to the public as a demonstration facility, with
public tours and educational programs available. To arrange
for a tour, call 322-6559.
For more information, contact Ed
Clark, Public Information.
Phone: (512) 322-6514
Pager: (512) 802-2000 |
