News

FuelCell Energy Receives CSA Certification

November 30, 2005 by Jeff Shepard

FuelCell Energy Inc. (Danbury, CT) announced that its modular sub-megawatt Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) power plant has been certified to meet the ANSI/CSA America FC1-2004 Stationary Fuel Cell Power Standard by CSA International (CSA).

Certification of the DFC 300MA fuel cell encompasses features emanating from FuelCell Energy's cost-out program. These improvements -- aimed at simplifying installation and maintenance of the units while reducing the cost and expense in transporting them -- effectively broaden the market opportunity for fuel cells by improving their economics.

The DFC 300MA power plant was introduced in June 2005, bringing to market in product form the company's 2004 initiatives to reduce the units' capital costs and ongoing maintenance expenses by 20-25 percent a year. Key among plans to lower initial capital costs were substitution of a standard ISO ship container (replacing a custom-made enclosure) and reduction of total parts count by 10 percent.. The mechanical balance of plant, electronic balance of plant and DFC modules, all housed on separate skids, are streamlined for post-sale servicing thanks to their more accessible components.

"Our cost-out program extends beyond managing a customer's initial capital costs," said R. Daniel Brdar, FuelCell Energy's President and COO. "We've focused just as hard on reducing delivery, installation and operating expenses. CSA certification helps underscore our achievement in these areas."

Fuel Cell Energy's DFC300A self-contained commercial stationary power plant and its DFC1500 power plants consisting of power generation and plant skids which provide high quality commercial grade base load power have previously been certified by CSA.

"FuelCell Energy's DFC300MA is the third fuel cell power plant to meet the requirements of the ANSI/CSA America FC1 standard," said Randall W. Luecke, President, CSA International. "CSA International is the leader in certification and testing of new fuel cell technologies in North America and we are committed to enhancing service offerings for our clients in the advancement of green power technologies, such as fuel cells, that may help address climate change issues."

The DFC300MA contains the same power conditioning unit of the DFC300A that converts DC power into AC and as such remains certified to Rule 21 Interconnection standards in California. The company has submitted the necessary paperwork for certification to the California Air Resources Board stringent distributed generation emissions standards for 2007. That application currently is being reviewed, and approval is expected by the end of calendar year 2005.