Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) announced that it has invested $1 million in ClearEdge Power, an Oregon fuel cell manufacturer. The investment is a strategic addition to the utility company’s growing clean energy portfolio.
"Investing in ClearEdge Power advances our leadership in sustainable energy development which offers our customers an additional technology choice that can help reduce their energy bill and carbon footprint," said Hal Snyder, Vice President of Customer Solutions at SoCalGas. "Fuel cells are among a number of green energy technologies that we are helping to develop through innovative research projects and equity investments that will benefit our customers and the market."
SoCalGas has a long history with fuel cells, from funding research and demonstrations of fuel cells starting in the 1970s, to co-founding the National Fuel Cell Research Center at UC Irvine. SoCalGas also has been heavily involved in testing and demonstrating current fuel cells from a variety of companies, and has invested in fuel cell manufacturers to help accelerate product development.
The ClearEdge5 combined heat and power (CHP) fuel cell reduces carbon emissions by one-third and other typical pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds, ash and particulates, to trace levels, according to ClearEdge Power officials. It also enables homeowners and business owners to produce power right at the point of use, reducing a customer’s dependence on the grid.
"SoCalGas is a leader in the push for new innovative green technologies, and we are pleased that our company is able to help move that effort forward," said ClearEdge Power President and CEO Russell Ford. "Though we are bringing our energy platform to other states later this year, California is leading the country in green initiatives, which makes it the clear priority. Californians, like SoCalGas customers, really need a better option for on-site power generation using clean natural gas, and with the ClearEdge5 fuel cell, they get that option."
