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| Benefits of Fuel Cell Technology |
Distributed power generation with Direct FuelCells® (DFCs®) provides numerous benefits and is being adopted at a wide array of facilities. Benefits include:
- Efficiency: Facilities managers are drawn to DFC fuel cell power plants primarily due to their highly efficient use of natural gas and inherent Low Heating Value (LHV) efficiency. DFC's offer clear efficiency advantages in comparison to other forms of distributed power generation. DFCs are 47% efficient in the generation of electrical power and up to 80% efficient overall in Combined Heat and Power (CHP) applications. Typical fossil fuel-powered plants operate at about 35% electrical power generation efficiency.
- Environmental Impact: Amid the increasing energy demand and cost, and growing public awareness for energy conservation, fuel cell power plants are becoming the choice for on-site power. With low emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx), as well as dramatically less emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), fuel cell power plants qualify under several environmental certifications established by the government, such as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program and Renewable Energy Standards (RES). DFC power plants have also been designated as "Ultra-Clean" by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and exceed all 2007 CARB standards. FuelCell Energy's DFCs also eliminate emissions generated by fossil-fuel-based backup generators which are often required by facilities employing wind and solar power.
- Reliability: By locating the power plant on-site, and implementing real-time monitoring capability, end-users are assured of increased reliability, a necessary requirement for applications such as hospitals, hotels, universities and manufacturing facilities. Unlike wind and solar technologies, which generally have an overall availability of 35%, fuel cell technology operates independently, and has an availability of 95%.
- Fuel Flexibility: A number of industrial and agricultural plants generate biogas as part of the manufacturing process. Fuel cell power plants can harness the methane in this byproduct, and use the gas to power the system in lieu of natural gas, making it a renewable energy source. In many places where digester gas production volume is variable, DFC plants are designed to operate with automatic blending with natural gas. The electricity generated by a fuel cell power plant can even displace retail power consumed at a facility.
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The many benefits associated with Direct FuelCell (DFC) power plants make them the perfect choice for reliable on-site power generation... |
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