Rep. Cook Commends FuelCell Energy On New Projects During Open House Celebration
I recently attended an open house celebration at FuelCell Energy this past Wednesday, July 19, 2018, to celebrate to celebrate the opening of FuelCell's newly expanded manufacturing facility in Torrington and the state’s addition of several renewable energy projects from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
DEEP announced the selection of 250 MW projects last month, which cover a range of technology including offshore wind, fuel cell and anaerobic digestion.
Among these projects are 22.2 MW fuel cell projects for FuelCell Energy based in Torrington and Danbury. These projects include a 7.4 MW fuel cell in Hartford and a 14.8 MW fuel cell in Derby.
I co-sponsored legislation to increase the available megawatts for alternative energy projects as part of DEEP’s Clean Energy Request for Proposals.
I am pleased to see Connecticut invest in fuel cell energy, which converts energy produced in chemical reactions to create electricity. While the state is an industry leader nationwide, it has not fully explored the potential of fuel cells.
Investment in fuel cell energy is beneficial to the environment, Connecticut’s workforce and for ratepayer’s wallets.
FuelCell Energy is committed to staying in Connecticut, and these projects are expected to create over 400 jobs across the state, including in Torrington. Connecticut’s fuel cell industry provides approximately 2,843 jobs and $600 million in annual revenue.
Ratepayers can expect to save on fuel cells because since 2011, the price per kilowatt hour decreased from 15.6 cents to 11.6 cents. Additionally, eligibility for the state’s Low Emission Renewable Energy Credit program, which allows ratepayers to install low or zero emission energy projects to sell the renewable energy credits for a reduced rate under a long-term contract, was extended another year.
FuelCell Energy is committed to staying in-state and will continue to provide well-paying jobs, assist Connecticut in reaching its clean energy goals and increase the resiliency of the electric grid.