Environmental Leader

The redeveloped World Trade Center will house one of the largest fuel cell installations in the world, the New York Power Authority announced (via Environmental News Bits).

In a $10.6 million agreement with UTC Power of South Windsor, Conn., four 1.2 MW fuel-cell systems, totaling 4.8 MW of generating capacity, will supplement other renewable power and clean energy sources, including wind power from agreements that NYPA has with two renewable power developers in upstate New York.

The NYPA says it will receive financing for the Freedom Tower fuel cell from NYPA’s energy services program for governmental customers, with the Power Authority recovering its costs over a period of up to 20 years. Funding for the fuel cells slated for the other three WTC buildings will come from the Lower Manhattan Energy Independence Initiative established by the State of New York.

Last year, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a national “pollution pricing” that envisions taxing companies directly for the greenhouse gases they release. He said the money raised could be invested in wind power and fuel cells.