San Bernardino Renewable BioFuels Project Achieves Commercial Operation

DANBURY, Conn., July 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: FCEL) -- a global leader in fuel cell technology with a purpose of utilizing its proprietary, state-of-the-art fuel cell platforms to enable a world empowered by clean energy -- announced the completion of site construction and commencement of commercial operation for its 1.4 megawatt SureSource 1500 biofuels fuel cell project with the City of San Bernardino Municipal Water Department (SBMWD) in California. FuelCell Energy’s platform eliminates the need for another flare in California. FuelCell Energy offers the only fuel cell power generation platform approved by the California Air Resource Board (CARB) for use with on-site biofuels. The commercial operation of this project adds 1.4 megawatts to the Company’s generation fleet portfolio, bringing the total to 34 megawatts.

“We are excited to begin commercial operation of our platform in San Bernardino,” commented Jason Few, President and Chief Executive Officer, FuelCell Energy. “We are executing on our promise to the City of San Bernardino Municipal Water Department, delivering 1.4 megawatts of clean power and, importantly, contributing to cleaner air quality in the region by capturing and using the on-site methane gas that was otherwise being flared. Utilizing our utility-scale fuel cell power and heat platform, coupled with our proprietary engineered biogas treatment system, the continuous power profile of our platforms makes them an excellent fit with wastewater treatment plants.”

“We are pleased to be commencing operation of the fuel cell facility,” said Miguel Guerrero, General Manager of the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department. “The fuel cell will produce electricity for the Water Reclamation Plant and consume methane produced from wastewater treatment digesters, maintaining compliance with South Coast Air Quality Management District regulations and contributing to cleaner air for California.”

Key project highlights include:

• The SureSource 1500 power plant operates on the City’s anaerobic digester gas, which will be treated by the proprietary SureSource Treatment system, cleanly producing electricity and thermal energy to support the operation of the SBMWD water reclamation plant.
  
• The SBMWD will purchase the clean electricity produced through a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement.
  
• The SureSource 1500 power plant will use methane–rich biogas that would otherwise be flared, wasting energy and producing emissions, to produce hydrogen for the production of clean, renewable, carbon neutral power.