University installs fuel cell system

Western Connecticut State University announced it will be generating its own power beginning April 25 in a Danbury science building using fuel cell technology.

A clean alternative energy, fuel cells produce electricity through natural gas. With the new system, the university stands to save $25,000 per year over the next decade.

“Utilities represent one of our biggest potential sources for savings in operating costs,”  Luigi Marcone, WCSU director of facilities operations, said in a press release. “We have done a lot over the past five to seven years in this area, including lighting retrofits, energy efficiency upgrades, expanded building automation and controls. All these things have been done behind the scenes so that we no longer have to depend on antiquated and inefficient lighting, heating and cooling systems.”

The Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority of Connecticut helped secure federal grants to pay for the system provided by ClearEdge Power in South Windsor.

WCSU is the sixth campus to use ClearEdge to install the system.