Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Fuel Cells Energize a University

  • 03/01/15
FuelCell Energy

FuelCell Energy was able to generate clean energy and greatly reduce costs for CCSU and Connecticut taxpayers.

As a college committed to environmental sustainability, Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) has adopted bold clean-energy practices that are making other schools take notice. For its nearly 10,000 undergraduate students, CCSU sought a continuous on-site power solution that reduced its carbon footprint and helped it achieve aggressive Climate Action Plan goals. In addition, CCSU was determined to find ways to strengthen its energy security and independence in ways that would not only reduce energy costs, but also provide a level of cost certainty into the future.

A rigorous RFP process revealed an affordable, highly efficient and emission-reducing option: a stationary fuel cell power plant. Fuel cell power generation was an inspiring new concept for the CCSU leadership team, one that ultimately electrified the campus’ electric grid and in turn, the university community.

CCSU chose a fuel cell power plant manufactured by FuelCell Energy, a Danbury, CT-based supplier of megawatt-class fuel cell power plants for on-site and electric grid support applications. The company installed a 1.4 megawatt DFC1500® fuel cell power plant on CCSU’s New Britain campus in only four months.

FuelCell Energy’s highly efficient, stationary fuel cell power plants generate electricity and usable heat energy continuously via an electrochemical process that is virtually absent of the pollutants that cause smog, acid rain, or that can aggravate asthma (particulates). Quiet and easily sited, they have proven to be an ideal solution for universities like CCSU.

“By providing both electricity and steam in such a clean and efficient manner, the fuel cell plant decreases our carbon emissions,” says Dr. Jack Miller, CCSU president. “CCSU’s power costs are annually reduced by an estimated $100,000 — a savings for both the university and Connecticut taxpayers,” he emphasizes.

www.FuelCellEnergy.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Building Beyond Simulation: Creating Immersive Ecosystems for Healthcare Education

    Health sciences education is one of the fastest-growing facility types in colleges and universities. The demand for medical, nursing, and allied health professionals is driving the creation and renovation of medical simulation training facilities that provide students with real-world experience through advanced simulation-based learning.

  • Back-to-School Playground Safety: 7 Common Hazards to Look for After Summer Break

    As summer break comes to an end, school administrators have plenty to prepare before students return. While classrooms, hallways and common areas often receive attention during all the back-to-school preparations, the playground should not be overlooked. Months of weather exposure, storms, and regular wear can leave behind hazards that may not be immediately noticeable.

  • Montclair State University Starts Construction on $120M STEM Building

    Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $120-million Interdisciplinary Science Building, according to university news. The university partnered with HoK Architects for the project’s design, and it’s scheduled to open in time for the 2028–29 academic year.

  • DLR Group Hires Three for Higher Education Practice

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has brought three new hires on board to help shape its higher education practice in California and the northeast, according to a press release.