New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets Commissioner Applauds Fuel Cell Technology On Dairy Farms

New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets Commissioner Applauds Fuel Cell Technology On Dairy Farms Fuel Cell Provides 5kW of Electricity and Reduces Energy Costs at Local Dairy ALBANY, N.Y., June 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- State Agriculture Commissioner today recognized the successful installation and benefits of fuel cell technology on dairy farms in New York State. An on-site liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fueled fuel cell was provided by Plug Power Inc. for Wagner Farms, a 300-cow dairy farm in Eagle Mills, Rensselaer County. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20021024/PLUGLOGO ) Fuel cells offer reliable, efficient energy generation by using hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity with little or no pollution or noise. LPG fuel cells use a reforming unit to extract hydrogen from propane fuel before transporting it into the electricity-producing fuel cell stack. The only by-products of the fuel cell are heat, clean water and a small amount of carbon dioxide. "Fuel cells have transformed the way energy is generated, providing a cleaner power source that will help New York and the nation gain greater energy independence and security," the Commissioner said. "The progress made in fuel cell technology is impressive and I thank Governor Pataki and Plug Power for enabling our farmers to utilize this technology on their farms, which will aid them in maintaining an energy efficient and environmentally friendly operation." The fuel cell on Wagner Farms has been operational since February 2004 and has been used to heat the milking parlor during the winter months. The fuel cell has operated for more than 2,000 hours, generating approximately 4,800kWh and 16.5 million BTUs. "Plug Power has sited more than 400 fuel cell systems serving a variety of applications over the past five years," said Dr. Roger Saillant, President and Chief Executive Officer for Plug Power. "This installation at Wagner's Farm is important to us since it represents a brand new application for our fuel cell system and it allows us to gain additional insight operating a system in this type of environment." Capable of operating on multiple fuels, such as natural gas, propane and hydrogen, fuel cell systems offer higher efficiency than conventional power generation, little or no pollution, greater flexibility in installation and operation, and are viable alternatives to existing power sources. In addition to Wagner Farms, Plug Power has also installed a fuel cell at Stanton's Dairy Farm in Coeymans Hollow, Albany County. New York's 7,000 dairy farmers pay nearly $40 million annually for utility costs or approximately $.33 for every hundred pounds of milk sold. While that expense is less than three percent of their total operating costs, it is an expense that technology, such as fuel cells and energy efficiencies, has helped reduce. For example, in 1992 New York dairy farmers paid close to $44 million in utilities. To reduce New York's dependence on foreign energy sources, Governor Pataki announced in his 2004 State of the State Address the ambitious goal of making New York a world leader in clean energy technologies by utilizing wind and solar power, as well as geothermal and fuel cells. June is National Dairy Month and New York is the third leading dairy state in the nation. With over 7,000 dairy farms, New York produces 12.2 billion pounds of milk annually, generating $1.56 billion last year. For more information on fuel cells and Plug Power Inc., visit http://www.plugpower.com/. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20021024/PLUGLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Plug Power, Inc. CONTACT: Jessica Chittenden, +1-518-457-3136, for Plug Power, Inc. Web site: http://www.plugpower.com/