The fuel cell power plant built which is located at the rear of the store was built and is owned by UTC Power a division of Connecticut United Technologies, the aerospace giant. Fuel cells generate 50 percent of the electricity and heat and 100 percent of the hot water needed to operate the store.
As reported, UTC owns the plant outright and has a fifteen year service agreement with Whole Foods to operate and maintain the plant. No costs for the project were reported, nor did Whole Foods tell the Waterbury Republican how much it was paying UTC. However Connecticut Clean Energy Fund provided a $940,000 grant for the project.
We were never good at science so we’ll quote the story for the details of fuel cell energy.
The technology uses an electrochemical process that combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, heat and water. No fossil fuel is burned.
For more on fuel cell technology you can try here, but frankly it left us a little more than confused. But then again we’re science dummies.
How’s that for some green fuel. We only wish we knew more details. We’ve contacted the folks at UTC Power for more details.
