Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials said a collaboration with Bloom Energy would result in World Trade Center energy efficiency enhancement.
Installation of the first indoor Bloom all-electric fuel cell system at One World Trade Center would eliminate over 1,140 metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year at the site, advancing the Port Authority’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and advancing the agency’s sustainability agenda.
“We welcome the opportunity to work with Bloom on providing greener energy alternatives that will improve air quality while reducing both costs and emissions,” Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said. “We look forward to accelerating the clean energy economy as we continue to show our unwavering commitment to sustainable practices.”
The agency is seeking a 35-percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2025 and an 80 percent reduction by 2050, per officials.
“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,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said. “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.”
Through the partnership, the new fuel cell installation and the commercial operation would occur in 2021, with the Port Authority procuring electricity under a financing agreement through the Bloom Energy Servers – reducing the power being brought on-site from the local electrical grid.
The 1.2-megawatt system will decrease local air pollution by over 99 percent while reducing energy-related water use at the site. The Bloom Energy fuel cell system would generate one-third of One World Trade Center’s electrical demand and 8 percent at peak demand.