Following a 12-unit deal with the Irvine Unified School District (
IUSD),
Woodbridge and University High Schools in Irvine, Calif., will be the
first high schools in the country to use ClearEdge Power combined heat
and power stationary fuel cells. Each school will utilize six
ClearEdge5 fuel cell units to power and heat their swimming pools, as
well as to supplement the school’s standard power needs. These measures
to improve energy efficiency and increase sustainability within the
Irvine Unified School District will save each school almost $18,000
each year in operating expenses and will reduce each school’s CO2
emissions by 37 percent.
“The Irvine Unified School District has a strong commitment to
sustainability in all areas of its operations, from standards-based
curriculum and service-learning projects to conservation campaigns and
new construction strategies that save energy and produce less waste,”
said Dr. Gwen E. Gross, IUSD’s superintendent of schools. “We had
initially considered a solar thermal solution for both Woodbridge and
University High Schools; however, it would have required us to retrofit
the roofs at both schools in order to accommodate the solar panels.
ClearEdge Power was able to offer a more cost-effective solution,
provide electricity in addition to heat, and still reduce our schools’
carbon footprint. With the ClearEdge Power fuel cell solution, we made
the right choice for our students and our schools.”
The ClearEdge Power five-kilowatt combined heat and power stationary
fuel cell uses a chemical process to cleanly convert natural gas into
electricity and heat around the clock, regardless of weather
conditions. Unlike power sources that use combustion technology, fuel
cells generate electricity through an electrochemical process that
produces only negligible or undetectable levels of nitrogen and sulfur
oxides. A significant percentage of heat produced by fuel cells can be
captured andused to provide heat and hot water. In fact, the ClearEdge5
combined heat and power (
CHP)
fuel cell reduces carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 35 to 40
percent compared to traditional combustion technology and other typical
pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds, ash and particulates,
to trace levels. The ClearEdge5 is roughly the size of a standard
refrigerator, and incorporates a system for monitoring performance over
a standard Internet connection. When installed in homes or businesses,
it can also reduce utility bills by up to 50 percent by creating power
at the point of use.
“We are pleased that a learning institution like the Irvine Unified
School District is taking a leading role in reducing our impact on the
environment and our demand on the electrical grid with our clean
andhighly efficient ClearEdge5 fuel cell appliances,” said ClearEdge
Power President and
CEO Russell Ford.
