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FuelCell Energy and Marubeni Announce Siting Of the First Direct FuelCell(R) in Asia
FuelCell Energy and Marubeni Announce Siting Of the First Direct FuelCell(R) in Asia
Published 12-27-01
Submitted by Fuelcell Energy Inc.
FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: FCEL) and The Marubeni Corporation (TSE: 8001) announces the siting of the first Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) power plant in Asia at a Kirin brewery plant outside of Tokyo. Marubeni, FuelCell Energy's Asian partner, will supply a 250 kW DFC® power plant to Kirin's Toride brewery plant in the second quarter of 2002. Installation of the DFC® unit is part of Marubeni's 15-year contract to supply the Toride facility with electricity and steam.
"We are very happy with the success of our Asian partner Marubeni, in bringing the first Direct FuelCell® to Asia and Japan,'' said Jerry D. Leitman, president and CEO of FuelCell Energy. "This order represents another step forward in the development of key global markets.''
The 250 kW DFC® unit is to be operated in cogeneration mode, using a methane-like digester gas produced from the effluent from Kirin's brewery process. The thermal output of the fuel cell will be used by the anaerobic digester, which treats the brewery effluent.
About Direct FuelCells®
Direct FuelCells generate electricity with no combustion. They are, in-effect like large, continuously operating batteries that generate electricity as long as fuel, such as natural gas is supplied. Since the fuel is not burned, there is no pollution commonly associated with the combustion of fossil fuels (like NOx, SOx, particulates). The high efficiency leads to more electric power from less fuel.
About Kirin
Kirin Brewery Company Ltd., (http://www.kirin.com), one of Japan's largest brewers, traces its origins back to 1870. Kirin beers, liquors and soft drinks are available in over 40 countries throughout Asia/Pacific, the Americas and Europe.
About FuelCell Energy, Inc.
FuelCell Energy, Inc. (www.fuelcellenergy.com), based in Danbury, Connecticut, is a world-recognized leader for development and commercialization of high efficiency fuel cells for electric power generation. The Company's Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) technology eliminates external fuel processing to extract hydrogen from a hydrocarbon fuel. This results in a product whose cost, combined with high efficiency, simplicity and reliability, results in product advantages for stationary power generation. The Company has been developing DFC technology for stationary power plants with the U.S. Department of Energy through the National Energy Technology Laboratory, whose advanced fuel cell research program is focused on developing a new generation of high performance fuel cells that can generate clean electricity at power stations or in distributed locations near the customer, including hospitals, schools, data centers and other commercial and industrial applications.
About Marubeni
The Marubeni Corporation (http://www.marubeni.co.jp), established in 1858, is one of Japan's leading general trading houses (sogo shosha), with operations that encompass domestic, import/export, offshore trade and investment activities, which range from the development of natural resources to the retail marketing of finished products. The Company, based in Tokyo, conducts these operations through a worldwide business network. Marubeni has been involved in the development of over 20,000 MWs of power generation worldwide. The Company has expanded its Utility Division to include distributed generation technologies and energy services.
