December 9, 2002—The first fuel cell in New Jersey installed under the Board of Public Utilities’ (BPU) statewide initiative to promote the use of clean and renewable energy technologies was recently dedicated at the Merck & Co. facility in Rahway.
BPU presented a $710,000 rebate check to Merck on behalf of the New Jersey Clean Energy Program,[HELENE: MAKE LIVE LINK TO www.njcep.com] which rewards businesses in the state that install new energy generating equipment utilizing alternative technologies. Merck is also receiving a $200,000 rebate from the US Department of Defense under an alternative technology program sponsored by the federal government. The rebates will help offset Merck’s investment in fuel cell technology.
A fuel cell operates much like a continuous battery. It combines hydrogen and oxygen through an electrochemical process to create electricity, heat, and water. The hydrogen is obtained by removing it from natural gas. Since electricity is created through an electrochemical process instead of combustion, there are virtually no emissions from the fuel cell. The fuel cell’s waste heat is recovered from the process and used for other purposes, thus creating even greater efficiencies.
The fuel cell installed at Merck is a 200-kilowatt unit manufactured by UTC Fuel Cells. The units are highly reliable because they run even during power outages.
