Brewer Ken Grossman Recognized by Fuel Cell Industry
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. founder Ken Grossman is the recipient of the 2009 Fuel Cell Pathfinder Award, the US Fuel Cell Council (USFCC) announced today. Grossman will receive the award Tuesday (November 17, 2009) at the Fuel Cell Seminar and Exposition in Palm Springs, California. The Pathfinder Award recognizes those outside the fuel cell industry who have made a significant contribution to fuel cell development and commercialization.
USFCC President Mike Hicks called Grossman “an exceptional customer, an exceptional businessman and an exceptional person. He is a pioneer not just in fuel cells, but in enlightened business management. He embodies the leadership that our nation and world need to overcome the challenges of the 21st century while at the same time continuing to improve the human condition.”
“As we enter a New Electrochemical Age, when we phase out combustion in favor of more civilized energy options, the USFCC is privileged to recognize one of the leaders of this transition, Ken Grossman,” Hicks said.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s commitment to increasing energy efficiency provides a model for other business leaders to follow. Their creative thinking has benefited the environment and their financial outlook.
The brewery collects organic waste from the brewing process and utilizes it in an anaerobic digester to create a source of renewable fuel. The fuel is then used by the fuel cell, exclusively or in combination with natural gas, to provide heat and power to the facility. The captured heat is recycled back into the plant to produce steam for boiling the beer and other heating needs. The overall energy efficiency of this combined heat and power system is double that of grid-supplied power.
The fuel cell allows the brewery to save money on its utility bills–approximately $400,000 a year–and provides a reliable source of power generated on-site that helps avoid costly power outages.
About the US Fuel Cell Council: The USFCC is an industry association dedicated to fostering the commercialization of fuel cells in the United States. Our members include the world’s leading fuel cell developers, manufacturers, suppliers and customers.
