San Bernardino Water Department to Use Renewable Energy Generated by Fuel Cell Plant

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FuelCell Energy, Inc. recently announced the commencement of site construction for a 1.4 megawatt SureSource 1500 biofuels fuel cell project with the City of San Bernardino Municipal Water Department (SBMWD) in California. The project is expected to become commercially operational in December 2020.

Key highlights include:

• The SureSource 1500 power plant will operate on the City’s anaerobic digester gas (ADG), which will be treated by the proprietary SureSource Treatment system, cleanly producing electricity and thermal energy to support the operation of the SBMWD water reclamation plant.
• The SureSource Treatment system is a proprietary clean up technology optimized by FuelCell Energy’s experience with on-site biogas treatment. This system allows FuelCell Energy to clean up biofuel and use it on site without injection into the common carrier gas pipeline. Gas treatment requirements are reduced compared to pipeline injection because of the ability of SureSource fuel cell systems to utilize low-Btu biogas.
• Following the commercial operation date, the SBMWD will purchase the clean electricity produced through a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
• FuelCell Energy’s SureSource power platform will use methane–rich biogas that would otherwise be flared, wasting energy and producing emissions, to produce clean, renewable, carbon neutral power.
• Servicing a population of approximately 200,000 C&I and residential customers, the SBMWD delivers more than 15.5 billion gallons of water per year, and provides wastewater collection and treatment at the water reclamation plant.
• Pursuant to FuelCell Energy’s existing $200 million credit agreement with Orion Energy Partners, Orion Energy Partners has agreed that up to $3.5 million previously advanced by Orion Energy Partners and currently in a FuelCell Energy restricted account may be applied to reimburse the Company for construction costs for the project incurred to date and for future project construction costs.

Miguel Guerrero, General Manager of the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department commented, “The FuelCell Energy fuel cell plant will produce renewable energy for the Water Department by using the biogas generated at the Water Reclamation Plant. Especially important to our city is the reduction of the flaring of the waste water treatment biogas, which is also a key element in the Department’s compliance plans with the South Coast Air Quality Management District.”