Danbury Fair Mall in Connecticut is getting a Bloom Energy fuel cell unit.
The mall, comparable in size to Christiana Mall in Delaware, installed the system as part of the green strategy of owner Macerich. Partner in the project is Washington Gas Energy Systems, according to the Weston Easton Daily Voice.
Malls are viewed as a growth opportunity for Bloom, due to the ability of the system to provide back up power over an extended period of time while cutting emissions. The fuel cells are typically powered by natural gas. Christiana Mall saw outages after a major expansion, although those problems have disappeared.
The systems would have made life easier for those affected by extended outages during Hurricane Sandy. The systems run around the clock and produce far less pollution that diesel powered back-up generators.
Connecticut provides incentives for installation of fuel cells and other alternative energy sources. The mall will also see the installation of solar panels.
Delaware has a large battery of Bloom cells that feed power into the grid under legislation passed by the General Assembly that helped bring the Bloom plant to Delaware. That program, which bills Delmarva Power customers for the added expense of the power, remains controversial.
The one private company that has a Bloom installation at one of it sites is JPMorgan Chase.
The Caesar Rodney Institute public policy group noted in is blog that a lawsuit regarding Bloom can proceed, although it faces legal hurdles. The institute would like to see Delaware alter its current energy policies that it blames for high energy costs in the state. Bloom critics also claim that new natural gas-fired power plants are as clean as Bloom fuel cells.
Click on the link below for the Daily Voice story:
Danbury Fair Goes Green By Adding Fuel Cell To Power The Mall
Is Bloom green? Not so much, as it turn out. Tons of hidden sulfur waste all over the country. Well, at least in those states foolish enough to subsidize Bloom’s fuel cells. Delaware is the gift the keeps on giving.
http://www.greenexplored.com/2014/10/breaking-news-on-bloom-energy.html