Under a $7.0 million program to show how fuel cell technology can generate electricity for Long Island consumers, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA, West Babylon, NY) announced that it has successfully installed 55 fuel cells manufactured by Plug Power Inc. (Latham, NY) at its West Babylon substation. The fuel cell project is part of LIPA's Clean Energy Initiative. A total of 75 fuel cells will be installed at the substation. Currently, 18 of the 55 fuel cells are fully installed and generating electricity for LIPA's grid.
"LIPA's mission is to provide safe, reliable, environmentally sound electricity for our customers' needs," said LIPA Chairman Richard Kessel. “Fuel cells are an environmentally friendly electric-generating technology, and this project will help us develop a better understanding of how fuel cells can be integrated into our electric grid. In turn, the information and experience gained through this program will continue to help fuel cells evolve as a technology that can be utilized by electric utilities as a source of power, and eventually by residential and commercial customers for their own on-site power needs."
