Connecticut approves 27.3 MW of projects using FCE power

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 95 KB
• Volume: 2009
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1464-2859
• DOI: 10.1016/s1464-2859(09)70177-4

✦ Synopsis

California utility seeks approval for universities project

The utility Southern California Edison has applied to the California Public Utilities Commission for permission to spend $30 million of customer funds on three fuel cell power plants, according to a Dow Jones report.

SoCal Edison wants to install a fuel cell at the California State University campuses in San Bernardino and Long Beach, and a third unit at the University of California in Santa Barbara. Two would be connected to cogeneration facilities to each produce at least 1 MW of electric power, while the fuel cell in Santa Barbara would produce 200 kW of electric power alone.

The utility expects to incur approximately $21.6m in direct capital expenditures and $8.9m in non-fuel related operation and maintenance expenses over the 10-year life of the fuel cells. These costs represent the expenses required to acquire, install, and maintain the fuel cells at the three host sites.

Ballard eliminates jobs in cost-cutting move

Canadian fuel cell developer Ballard Power Systems is eliminating 39 positions, or about 8.5% of its 450 staff, to reduce costs as it faces increased pressure from the global economic downturn. The cuts, including one director and four managers, were announced by CEO John Sheridan in a memorandum to employees, according to a report in the Vancouver Sun.

Ballard is also making changes to simplify its management structure, by consolidating certain roles and moving to a two-segment market focus for stationary power and motive power products.