A ride through the eco park

Peek into Bridgeport Eco Park”™s Progress

Last week Mayor Bill Finch played tour guide to a group of investors, developers, EPA, DOL executives (and this reporter) on a city bus, showing off progress in the developing Eco-Technology Park and explaining what it will become.

A city that”™s turning around ”“ with new eco projects, a waiting list for development and a model for clean energy.

Players in Bridgeport”™s eco-overhaul talked about their progress and initiatives in transforming the city.

Clean energy

The first stop on the tour was the 15 megawatt fuel cell facility on Railroad Avenue. A quiet powerhouse, the plant makes little noise, and the parts that do make a sound are no longer necessary and will be removed, said Jeff Leichtman, managing director of Global Infrastructure Strategies. The plant, owned by national energy company Dominon Resources Inc. and developed by FuelCell Energy of Danbury, fuels nearly 15,000 homes.

The facility is the largest taxpayer per square foot in the city, even though it is only 1.5 acres.

“I want to hug this thing,” Finch said on the tour.

The city also has power plants at University of Bridgeport, a 1.4 megawatt microgrid, and plans to build a 2.8 megawatt one on Seaside Park at the site of a former landfill.

“Instead of seeing broken buildings, people will see 9,000 solar panels and fuel cells,” Frank Wolack of Fuel Cell Energy said. “It”™s a complete transformation to a more modern city and it crates local jobs.”

The development can attract companies, Finch said. “We lose a lot of opportunities because the land”™s not ready to go,” Finch said.

Leichtman said they hope the space attracts companies for plug and play use.

About 20,000 of Bridgeport”™s nearly 60,000 houses will be fueled by fuel cells with little pollution, said Leicthman.

“Nowhere else in the world will you see three power plants woven into the community,” Finch said.

City community

Corvus Capital Group plans to renovate four buildings, into a mixed-use “natural gated community between the railroad and the highway,” Gary Flocco, title, said. The group will build more than 300 apartments, a charter school, green space an A&P and parking. Flocco said phase one should be complete in thirty months.

Finch said it will be good for commuters on the highway and train to see what”™s going on.

Green products

Tri-State Flexi-Pave, a New York-based alternative pavement company recently opened their New England Distribution and Installation headquarters to the Eco-Park. The permeable pavement solves two problems ”“ tire waste and stormwater, said Henri Hillman. The pavement uses recycled tires and is permeable, allowing water to get through.

Sara Beatty, founder and president of Green Depot, a supplier of vetted, environmentally-friendly building and lifestyle products, said the company is renovating an 85,000 square-foot space in the technology park.

Repurposing waste

Park City Green, a mattress recycling facility read to go since 2012, is finally in use.  notoriously difficult waste items last month. A law passed in 2013 required manufacturers to pay for recycling in the state, and implementation started last month. The factory was ready since 2012, said Adrienne Houel, President and CEO of Greater Bridgeport Enterprises.  recycles every part, steel, springs, cotton toppers, foam, and send out materials.

The facility has also been selling and recycling books.

It employs people who are hard to employ from correctional facilities.

Scott Guilmartin, of NuPower LLC, said the company plans to create a heating and cooling piping system that captures waste heat from city facilities to deploy hot and cold water to the Eco-Technology Park and downtown.

“Every customers”™ carbon footprint will be reduced,” he said.

Bridgeport Biodiesel ”“ the facility converts used yellow and brown grease from restaurants, universities, hospitals and food stores into biodiesel, which reduces carbon use by 78 percent, he said.

Brent Banker, CEO of Tri-state biofuel, said the company moved from New York and New Jersey when they saw what was happening in Bridgeport. He said the company is exploring growing algae and converting it into biofuel. “It”™s the holy grail of industrial ecology,” he said.