SoCalGas Now Powering Two Los Angeles Facilities with Bloom Energy AlwaysON Microgrids
LOS ANGELES and SAN JOSE, Calif., July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced it has begun powering two of its largest Los Angeles-area facilities with Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) solid oxide fuel cells. The switch to fuel cells will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, air pollutants and the cost of power, as well as provide reliable electricity independent of the power grid. Photos of the fuel cells at one of the SoCalGas facilities are located here.
To produce electricity, Bloom Energy’s fuel cells could use natural gas, renewable natural gas, or hydrogen. The fuel cells at SoCalGas intake natural gas and oxygen, and through an electrochemical reaction, produce electricity without any combustion. Bloom Energy Servers can operate at 60% efficiency and are considered one of the most efficient power solutions currently available. More information on how fuel cells work may be found here.
“Using Bloom Energy’s fuel cells for our facilities is yet another way that SoCalGas is demonstrating our commitment to be an industry leader supporting a 21st century energy system,” said Maryam Brown, president of SoCalGas. “These onsite generation systems will provide clean, affordable and resilient energy to key facilities so that we can ensure safe and reliable service to our 22 million customers.”
“The SoCalGas pipeline system is integral to many Bloom Energy Servers installed in central and southern California, so we were eager to team up again to bring fuel cells to SoCalGas’ own facilities,” said Kris Kim, managing director of strategic development at Bloom Energy. “Fuel cells at utility-owned sites are a natural fit as we are both looking to the future of energy and prioritize qualities like fuel flexibility, emissions reductions, efficiency, and reliability.”
“I am delighted to see SoCalGas has chosen Pico Rivera to showcase this exciting new technology,” said Sen. Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera). “It is no longer up for debate; hydrogen will be a part of California’s clean energy future. I have fought for investments in both hydrogen infrastructure and clean transportation programs in the California Legislature and I will continue to do so. I am proud of SoCalGas for taking the initiative and bringing these investments to the 32nd Senate District and I look forward to continuing to work with them as we pursue our clean energy goals.”
In addition to providing cost savings and improving reliability of power, the fuel cells will lead to a reduction in carbon emissions by 683 metric tons per year compared to the current grid profile – which is like eliminating annual GHG emissions produced by the electricity use of 112 homes. Because no fuel is burned to produce the electricity, smog-forming pollutants and particulate matter are reduced by more than 99%. And, because they virtually eliminate all combustion-related pollutants, the California Air Resources Board has certified the Bloom Energy Servers as a Distributed Generation Technology that do not require a generation permit, a designation given only to the cleanest technologies in the state.
