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FuelCell Energy Donates Emissions Credits from Power-Plant Operations

FuelCell Energy is donating emissions credits equivalent to 1,700 pounds of nitrogen oxide (NOx) reductions and 4800 pounds of sulfur oxides (SOx) and other emissions reductions that resulted from 1170 megawatt hours of power generated at the company's Danbury and Torrington, Conn. locations.

FuelCell Energy is donating emissions credits equivalent to 1,700 pounds of nitrogen oxide (NOx) reductions and 4800 pounds of sulfur oxides (SOx) and other emissions reductions that resulted from 1170 megawatt hours of power generated at the company's Danbury and Torrington, Conn. locations. The donation is to Leonardo Academy Inc.'s, Cleaner and Greener program.

Emissions reductions or offsets are created from actions such as utilizing fuel cells, installing more advanced pollution control technology, switching to cleaner fuels, improving energy efficiency, and increasing renewable energy use. Emissions trading occurs when an entity takes an emissions reducing action and then transfers ownership of the emission reduction to another party. Alternatively, organizations can offset the pollution caused by their energy use by buying and retiring the emission reduction credits created by someone else. It is expected that emissions trading programs will foster the development of cleaner power generation technologies such as fuel cells.

The donation offsets emissions associated with the Energy 2004 Workshop and Exposition, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. General Services Administration, and was held August 8-11, 2004 in Rochester, New York. Emissions associated with the conference include pollution from direct energy use during the event as well as indirect pollution related to such items as airline travel for the more than 1300 attendees. The emissions donation made the event Cleaner and Greener certified.

"The use of emissions credits from the operation of our ultra-clean DFC power plants is another example of how fuel cell power plants are ready today to help our environment and provide economic benefits to users of such a clean energy technology," said Herb Nock, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales for FuelCell Energy. "The ability to trade emissions credits from an investment in ultra-clean technology can provide a powerful incentive to site fuel cell power plants as a means for utilities or energy using entities to comply with air quality standards."

"For the first time, our energy workshop has offset all of its emissions, and fuel cells have made that possible," said Energy 2004 workshop executive Ab Ream from the U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program, in his remarks to the conference. "This is a good example of what we can do to improve our environment and still have the power we need by the use of ultra-clean power."

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