|
The Verizon
call routing center in Garden City, New York, is home to the
largest U.S. commercial fuel
cell installation of its kind. The 292,000-square-foot
office accommodates 900 employees who serve more than 35,000
telecommunication customers in the area. Verizon’s
need for extremely reliable energy, generated
efficiently and with minimal environmental impact, led the company to
investigate the benefits of on-site combined heating and power (CHP). Verizon selected fuel cells, one of the cleanest
power-generating technologies available today, for the major power component
of their CHP solution. The fuel cells from UTC
Power generate 200 kilowatts each, providing a total of 1.4 megawatts
of clean power to the center.
:: Power
Reliability
To
provide their customers with the ultimate service, Verizon
installed seven dual-mode UTC Power fuel cells. The PureCell™
units are part of an intricate back-up power system designed to run in
parallel with the grid under normal circumstances,
and independent from the grid in the event of a power failure or
natural disaster. Under an agreement with Long Island Power Authority
(LIPA) the fuel cells also run continuously during periods of peak
demand, providing additional cost savings to Verizon.
::
Energy Efficiency
The CHP component of the Verizon installation enhances its overall efficiency.
The high-grade waste heat from the fuel cells is captured and used to
provide a portion of the energy for two absorption chillers for cooling in
the summer and to supplement the heating system in the winter. The CHP systems can
achieve overall efficiencies of
approximately 90 percent, far greater than the 33 percent typical of a
central powerplant. In addition, the PureCell™ solutions are part of an innovative
monitoring system that ensures all elements operate at optimized
conditions. High system efficiencies translate into greater fuel
utilization, and contribute to the conservation of natural resources and
energy.
|
