Fuel Cells Would Save Energy at Federal Agencies, Concludes
DOE
Washington, D.C., U.S.A., 18 March 1996/PRNewswire—The
following was released by Fuel Cells 2000, an Activity of the Breakthrough
Technologies Institute.
Federal agencies should buy and use fuel cells
because the cutting-edge energy technology has “significant potential”
to save taxpayers’ dollars while producing major environmental benefits,
according to federal energy conservation experts.
The “buy” recommendation is contained
in a Federal Technology Alert published by the U.S. Department of Energy’s
Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). FEMP helps federal agencies reduce
energy costs and improve overall energy efficiency.
“This report is an affirmation of fuel
cells as an environmentally benign energy conservation technology,”
said Robert R. Rose, executive director of Fuel Cells 2000, a nonprofit
educational organization, in calling public attention to the report. “Federal
experts independently have assessed the performance of the first fuel cell
units and concluded that a fuel cell is not only a sustainable, environmentally
friendly technology, but one that can help the bottom line.”
The report estimates fuel cells could yield
a savings of two dollars for every dollar spent in installing and operating
the units. The potential savings will vary from facility to facility, the
report notes, depending on the local price of natural gas and electricity.
“The experience gained and the lessons
learned from the commercial (fuel cell) systems installed to date have conclusively
validated the technology,” the report concludes. “The future of
natural gas fuel cells in the federal sector looks good.”
A fuel cell is an advanced technology that produces
electrical power without combustion. Fuel cells are inherently more efficient
and low-polluting than conventional energy systems.
The report says fuel cells would be particularly
effective where natural gas costs are low and electricity and demand costs
are high; where thermal energy can be recovered and utilized; strict air
quality rules limit the options available to meet electric power requirements;
and in applications that need highly reliable, high quality power.
The fuel cell assessment is one of only seven
Federal Technology Alerts published to date by FEMP’s New Technology
Demonstration Program. Program staff publish Alerts to help federal agencies
meet the 1992 Congressional mandate to reduce federal energy consumption
30 percent by the year 2005.
For copies of the Alert, call Karen
Walker at Fuel Cells 2000, +1.202.646.7794. The author, Dr. Steven A. Parker,
may be reached at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, +1.509.375.6366.
©1996. All Rights Reserved. A Publication of
the National Hydrogen Association.
This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
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