PANYNJ to install first indoor all-electric fuel cell technology reducing emissions and air pollution through clean onsite power generation
The Port Authority announced a new partnership with Bloom Energy that will eliminate over 1,140 metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year at the World Trade Center site through the installation of the first indoor Bloom all-electric fuel cell system at One World Trade Center.
This important environmental measure advances the Port Authority’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and furthers the agency’s far-reaching sustainability agenda by employing industry-leading strategies to achieve a 35-percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2025 and an 80 percent reduction by 2050.
“We welcome the opportunity to work with Bloom on providing greener energy alternatives that will improve air quality while reducing both costs and emissions,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O'Toole. “We look forward to accelerating the clean energy economy as we continue to show our unwavering commitment to sustainable practices.”
“The installation of this fuel cell system with its cutting-edge, all-electric technology represents a major expansion in our energy-saving agenda across the World Trade Center campus,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We are committed to increasing our efforts to reduce the agency’s carbon footprint and combat the harmful effects of climate change that continue to threaten our region.”
“Our partnership with Bloom Energy leverages private sector innovation to fulfill our ambitious sustainability goals and support the transition to clean, distributed energy resources,” said Christine Weydig, director of the agency’s Office of Environmental and Energy Programs. “This type of on-site energy generation has the added advantage of providing flexibility to use even lower-carbon fuel sources as they become more proven and commercially available.”
“Air pollution is crippling the health of our environment,” said Chris White, executive vice president, Bloom Energy. “We’re both humbled and proud to join forces with the Port Authority to build a more sustainable future. This is a critical first step in improving the air quality of our communities in New York and New Jersey. Together, we see opportunities to extend Bloom’s fuel cell technology to other sites to support the Port Authority’s sustainability goals.”
Installation and the subsequent commercial operation of the new fuel cells will take place in 2021. Through a financing arrangement, the Port Authority will procure electricity through the Bloom Energy Servers, thereby reducing the power being brought onsite from the local electrical grid. The 1.2 megawatt system will decrease local air pollution, including particulate matter, by over 99 percent while reducing energy-related water use at the site. The Bloom Energy fuel cell system will generate approximately one-third of One World Trade Center’s electrical demand and eight percent at peak demand. The electricity produced by the system is expected to reduce power costs for the Port Authority over the term of the arrangement.
The Port Authority has already employed several energy- and cost-saving measures at the World Trade Center campus as part of its commitment to rebuilding the site.
Fuel cells at One World Trade Center, 3 World Trade Center, and 4 World Trade Center were previously installed as part of the construction of those buildings, following a 2003 Record of Decision that called for the use of fuel cells for all commercial towers. Due to damage sustained during Superstorm Sandy, the Port Authority sought out a fuel cell provider that could install newer, higher efficiency fuel cells in One World Trade within the constraints of the overall construction program. The older, destroyed fuel cells were removed and will now be replaced with Bloom’s high-tech fuel cells.
At the Oculus, more than 13,000 lighting fixtures have been retrofitted to LED lights, which will reduce carbon emissions by more than 4,500 metric tons annually and are expected to save more than $700,000 in the first year. The LED lighting work was completed in partnership with Constellation Lighting.
Additionally, many of the buildings at the World Trade Center campus are LEED Gold certified or above. The campus reuses storm water for cooling irrigation and flush fixtures, and Liberty Park serves as a green roof for the Vehicle Security Center.
The agency’s overall sustainability initiatives extend to seven key areas: clean electric vehicles; energy efficiency; solar and renewable energy programs; building "green" facilities; clean ship practices for ocean-going vessels; offshore wind; and partnering to combat climate change.
Founded in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. The agency’s network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than $23 billion in annual wages and $80 billion in annual economic activity. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center site, where the 1,776-foot-tall One World Trade Center is now the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. The Port Authority receives no tax revenue from either the State of New York or New Jersey or from the City of New York. The agency raises the necessary funds for the improvement, construction or acquisition of its facilities primarily on its own credit.