| Two DFC3000
Power Plants Bring POSCO Power Total to 12.6 MW Since March 2007
DANBURY, Conn.--FuelCell Energy,
Inc. (Nasdaq:FCEL), a leading manufacturer of high efficiency, ultra-clean
power plants for commercial, industrial and utility customers, today announced
the sale of 4.8 megawatts (MW) of its Direct FuelCell(r) (DFC(r)) to its
alliance partner in South Korea, POSCO Power, a unit of one of the world's
largest industrial companies, POSCO (NYSE:PKK). Under the order, POSCO
Power is purchasing two DFC3000 power plants. These two units will be sold
to two independent power purchasers (IPPs), and are slated for delivery
and installation in 2009. This order brings POSCO Power's total orders
to 12.6 MW since March 2007.
"FuelCell Energy's reliable, ultra-clean
fuel cells will enable us to make a meaningful reduction in greenhouse
gases over time," said Mr. Seung-Woo Lee, President and CEO of POSCO Power
Corporation. "We believe that DFC power plants, with their 24/7 operation,
near-zero emissions and low carbon output, are an excellent choice for
multi-MW, high-efficiency power."
FuelCell Energy power plants are
47 percent efficient compared to similar sized fossil-fuel combustion power
plants that operate at 30 to 35 percent efficiency. This means that these
ultra-clean DFC power plants deliver more power for each unit of fuel used,
saving customers on their power costs and substantially reducing their
CO2 emissions.
"South Korea has made fuel cells
one of its top ten economic drivers," said Benjamin Toby, Vice President
of Global Business Development for FuelCell Energy. "POSCO's interest in
our DFC products continues to grow as a means of generation because we
are the only company in the world with MW-class fuel cell power plants
that can reliably deliver ultra-clean power, 24 hours a day, seven days
a week."
The DFC3000(tm) units will export
power to the local grid, as required under South Korea's incentive program,
initiated by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE) to stimulate
the deployment of new and renewable energy sources. MOCIE has been a strong
proponent of Korean energy independence. In 2006, it modified the renewable
energy subsidy program under which fuel cells powered by biogas and natural
gas received subsidies in excess of the amounts allocated to wind power,
biomass, and hydro, and second only to solar power. For fuel cells running
on natural gas, the current subsidy is $0.28/kilowatt hour (kWh) and $0.23/kWh
for those running on biogas.
Earlier this year, FuelCell Energy
established a 10-year manufacturing and distribution agreement with POSCO
Power to provide DFC power plants in South Korea. POSCO has since broken
ground on a 100 MW manufacturing facility for building reduced-cost, fuel
cell balance of plant equipment (all but the core-technology fuel cell
part of the power plant) for FuelCell Energy power plants its sells in
Asia.
About FuelCell Energy Inc.
FuelCell Energy is the world leader
in the development and production of stationary fuel cells for commercial,
industrial, municipal and utility customers. FuelCell Energy's ultra-clean
and high efficiency DFC(r) fuel cells are generating power at over 50 locations
worldwide. The company's power plants have generated more than 200 million
kWh of power using a variety of fuels including renewable wastewater gas,
biogas from beer and food processing as well as natural gas and other hydrocarbon
fuels. FuelCell Energy has partnerships with major power plant developers,
trading companies and power companies around the world. The company also
receives substantial funding from the US Department of Energy and other
government agencies for the development of leading edge technologies such
as hybrid fuel cell/turbine generators and solid oxide fuel cells. For
more information please visit our website at www.fuelcellenergy.com.
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