“The 2.8MW SureSource 3000 and the earlier certified 1.4MW SureSource 1500 solutions are the only power plants to achieve this CARB 2013 certification operating on renewable biogas, which illustrates our leadership position in providing affordable ultra-clean on-site renewable power,” said Chip Bottone, President and Chief Executive Officer, FuelCell Energy.
Biogas derived from anaerobic digesters is a by-product produced at facilities for municipal wastewater treatment, food and beverage processing, and agricultural waste handling and typically has lower energy content and more contaminants than pipeline natural gas. SureSource power plants are well suited for this fuel since they are able to use the low-Btu gas without a de-rating of power plant output.
Power produced by these plants can be used on site or sold to an electric utility under tariffs such as California’s BioMAT feed in tariff. A modification of the technology is available in which the power plant produces vehicle-grade renewable hydrogen in addition to power and heat, supporting the developing infrastructure for fuel cell vehicles.
The SureSource plants are scalable allowing multiple systems to be combined to provide tens of MW of energy to meet a customer’s power demand or to supply directly to the electric grid. This high power density is exemplified in a five-unit 15 MW fuel cell park located in an urban Bridgeport, Connecticut, neighborhood that occupies only 1.5 acres of land; and a 21-unit 59 MW fuel cell park located in South Korea that utilizes just over 5 acres.
