Planting the Seeds of Industry

July 27, 2003 – Vol.8 No.18

PLANTING THE SEEDS OF INDUSTRY.

New York is one of a handful of U.S. states which recognize the potential for job and business opportunities in clean and green energy technologies. Policy decisions from Albany, the state’s capital, to create Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) for the state, as well as taking a leadership role in creating a carbon trading market for the 11 northeast U.S. states, could help New York’s green-tech industry down the road. For immediate action, however, funding from state government coffers directly to that industry will help build them today.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced $14.5 million in awards for 36 projects involving distributed generation and combined heat and power projects throughout the state. Including co-funding from each project participant, the total investment from the NYSERDA seed money will equal $90.5 million.

Among the projects awarded funding are the installation of a 200- kilowatt combined heat and power (CHP) fuel cell power plant as part of the renovation of the 100-year old, Old Lion House (an old house for lions, not a house for old lions) at the Bronx Zoo where the unit will provide electricity, heat and cooling.

Fuel cells too will be installed at an Agway Energy Products Training Center in Syracuse, the Dormitory Authority headquarters in Albany and at the New Baltimore Service area along the New York State Thruway. Of the five 5-kilowatt Plug Power fuel cells installed, three will operate on natural gas, two on propane. Propane installations will test the viability of operating fuel cells in remote locations - those not connected to natural gas pipeline. Project management for the Plug Power fuel cell installations will be through Direct Global Power. Visit NYSERDA at http://www.nyserda.org/ , Plug Power at http://www.plugpower.com/ , and Direct Global Power at http://www.directglobalpower.com/ .