Posted on 06/12/2008 4:41:17 PM PDT by BloodOrFreedom
SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn. (AP) - A skyscraper planned for the site of the World Trade Center will use an alternative energy source to supply some of the power at the massive complex.
UTC Power, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., will supply 12 fuel cells totaling 4.8 megawatts for the Freedom Tower and three other buildings at the lower Manhattan site. It's among the largest fuel cell installations in the world, according to UTC Power and the New York Power Authority.
The amount of megawatts is equivalent to the power used by up to 4,800 homes, said Michael Saltzman, spokesman for the New York Power Authority, which made the deal with UTC Power.
Delivery of the fuel cell systems, valued at $10.6 million, is set to begin in January.
"We are extremely pleased to be part of this prestigious, landmark project that is a global example of green building design," Jan van Dokkum, president of South Windsor-based UTC Power, said in a statement Wednesday.
The technology draws energy from a chemical reaction when hydrogen combines with oxygen to form water.
The Freedom Tower, which is scheduled to open in 2012, will be owned by the Port Authority of New York and Towers 2, 3 and 4 will be owned and managed by World Trade Center Properties LLC.
UTC Power said the fuel cell it will use for the Freedom Tower has double the operating life and delivers twice the power and thermal energy of its previous system. Onsite power generation at the site also will help reduce the need to upgrade electric infrastructure and does not contribute to air pollution.
New York Gov. David Paterson hailed the use of the alternative technology for the rebuilt site.
"I can think of few sites in the country where the symbolism of this is more important," he said in a statement. Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
And with what energy source is the hydrogen produced? Somewhere there will likely be coal or oil or gas burning to make the energy to split water to provide the hydrogen. Somewhere there will be pollution in order to make that hydrogen. But typical city folk don't look further than their noses. Same for where bread and meat come from. And the same for where New Yorker's garbage goes -- out of sight, out of mind.
The should've just rebuilt the original towers. Five years would have done it. But no, that would have made too much sense.
Umm, is it really a good idea to have a large store of hydrogen at a site that will tempt future terrorists?
Hindenburg
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