NYPA Announces Pivotal Step to
Provide Clean Renewable Power For Rebuilt World Trade Center
Contact:
Connie Cullen
914-390-8196
connie.cullen@nypa.gov
Michael Saltzman
914-390-8181
michael.saltzman@nypa.gov
June 11, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WHITE PLAINS—The New York Power Authority (NYPA)
today announced that it has reached an agreement that will make the
redeveloped World Trade Center the site of one of the largest fuel
cell installations in the world.
The agreement, valued at $10.6 million, was reached
with UTC Power of South Windsor, Conn., for equipment purchases to
provide heat and power for the new towers.
The fuel cells, totaling 4.8 megawatts (mw) of
generating capacity, will provide an on-site supplement to the
renewable power and other clean energy the rebuilt World Trade
Center will receive via power lines from off-site sources. Together
with design measures to minimize energy use, the “green” power
arrangements will make the Freedom Tower and three other towers that
are part of the Trade Center a model for environmentally friendly
energy and for energy efficiency. The Freedom Tower is being
developed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the
other towers by Silverstein Properties.
“One of the most important building projects in the
nation will be equipped with space-age energy technology that uses
an electrochemical process to produce clean on-site power,” Gov.
David A. Paterson said. “The fuel cells and other measures will help
make the new World Trade Center towers an exemplar of environmental
sustainability and will signal to the world New York State’s
commitment to greater energy security and reduced dependence on
foreign oil. I can think of few sites in the country where the
symbolism of this is more important.”
“We are committed to helping make clean energy
initiatives at the new World Trade Center site a reality,” said
Roger B. Kelley, NYPA president and chief executive officer. “Fuel
cells are one of the environmentally beneficial technologies that
the Power Authority is investing in under Governor Paterson’s
leadership to combat greenhouse gas emissions and diversify the
state’s energy mix. To date, we’ve installed 15 fuel cells in New
York City and other locations, and expect to add to this total in
support of the Governor’s ambitious goals for significant increases
in the state’s renewable power.”
Fuel cells generate electricity by combining
hydrogen and oxygen in a chemical reaction. They require few moving
parts, making them a quiet, reliable and safe source of power
suitable for around-the-clock operation.
The buildings at the World Trade Center site will
also benefit from wind power-purchase agreements that NYPA reached
in late 2006 with two renewable power developers in upstate New York
on behalf of various governmental customers in New York City. They
include the Port Authority, which is responsible for building
several projects at the World Trade Center site, including the
Freedom Tower and Tower 5.
“With construction and real estate accounting for
more than half of the region's carbon footprint, making our
buildings green is one of the most important steps we can take to
preserve our environment—a message we're driving home at every stage
of the World Trade Center project,” said Christopher Ward, executive
director of the Port Authority.
UTC Power, a unit of United Technologies Corp., was
the successful bidder among the qualified firms responding to a
Request for Proposals that NYPA issued in October 2007 for four 1.2
mw fuel-cell systems for the World Trade Center. (One megawatt is
enough power to serve approximately 800 to 1,000 homes.)
The first of the fuel cells will be delivered to
the Freedom Tower in January 2009. It will be owned and operated by
the Port Authority, the owner of the building. The fuel cells at the
three towers being developed by Silverstein Properties, at 150, 175
and 200 Greenwich St., will be owned and operated by World Trade
Center Properties, LLC, an affiliate.
“When 7 World Trade Center opened in 2006, it was
the first office tower in city history to achieve official LEED
certification as a green building,” said Larry A. Silverstein,
president and CEO of Silverstein Properties, citing the U.S. Green
Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Program. “We vowed then that each successive World Trade Center
tower would also be cutting edge in terms of environmental
sustainable design, construction and operation. More broadly,
however, these buildings will be part of a new downtown neighborhood
that is fast becoming the greenest community in the city with both
commercial and residential buildings that are sustainable, as well
as new parks and waterfront access, and generous open spaces.”
The Port Authority will receive financing for the
Freedom Tower fuel cell from NYPA’s energy services program for
governmental customers, with the Power Authority recovering its
costs over a period of up to 20 years. Funding for the fuel cells
slated for 150, 175 and 200 Greenwich will come from the Lower
Manhattan Energy Independence Initiative established by the State of
New York.
New York’s Renewable Portfolio Standard Program
seeks to increase to 25 percent the amount of the state’s total
electricity generated from renewable technologies such as fuel cells
by 2013. This is part of a broad range of efforts under Governor
Paterson to bring about transformative changes in the state’s energy
supplies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance fuel diversity
and energy security and create new industries and jobs.
About NYPA:
■ NYPA uses no tax money or state
credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and
revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. ■
NYPA is a leader in promoting energy efficiency, new energy
technologies and electric transportation initiatives. ■ It is
the nation’s largest state-owned electric utility, with 18
generating facilities in various parts of the state and more than
1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. ■ For more
information, please go to www.nypa.gov.
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