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Case Study: Santa Rita Jail Fuel Cell Power Plant
County of Alameda, California
Background
Alameda County’s Santa Rita Jail
is the third largest county detention
facility in California and the
fifth largest in the nation. It holds
approximately 4,000 inmates and
consumes more energy than any
other county government building.
Alameda County wanted to
reduce its peak electricity demand
and improve the security and reliability
of power supply at the Jail.
This was the third major project
undertaken by the County aimed at
improving efficiency and employing
sustainable energy sources at
the Santa Rita Jail. Previously, the
County had completed comprehensive
energy retrofits and improvements and had installed the nation’s
largest rooftop solar power system
(1.2 megawatt) at the Jail.
Solution
Fuel cells are among the cleanest,
most reliable sources of power generation,
providing continuous high quality
power 24 hours a day, with
ultra-low emissions and quiet operation.
In addition, the exhaust heat
byproduct can be used for combined
heat and power (CHP) applications
using hot water, steam or chilled
water to heat or cool buildings. The
Santa Rita Jail fuel cell is the first
megawatt-class fuel cell cogeneration
plant in California and one of
the largest in the United States.
FuelCell Energy manufactured the
DFC1500 fuel cell and integrated all
of its components within the power
plant. Chevron Energy Solutions (CES)
developed and constructed the project,
ensuring that all utility interconnection
points were integrated
with the fuel cell and the rest of the
Jail’s infrastructure. CES
also designed the heat exchanger
equipment, which captures exhaust
heat for water and space heating at
the Jail.
The project involved careful planning
and management of utility
interconnection applications and
construction targets in order to meet
financial incentive requirements. All
non–fuel cell infrastructure had to
be complete before the arrival of the
fuel cell equipment at the project
site. This work included the concrete
equipment pad, underground
piping for gas and water lines, and
high voltage electrical service.
Chevron Energy Solutions managed
all activities associated with
obtaining funding through PG&E’s
Self-Generation Incentive Program.
On-site training for operations and
maintenance personnel was also
provided as part of the contract.
The fuel cell’s performance is
continuously monitored through
UtilityVision®, Chevron Energy
Solutions’ web-based energy tracking
and reporting system, which
offers County and Jail staff immediate
access to all fuel cell output
information including electricity
production, waste heat recovery,
and fuel consumption.
Benefits
This project benefits Alameda
County and the surrounding region
by reducing grid power purchases
from conventional, combustion engine
power plants. Cogeneration
equipment increases the plant’s
efficiency by capturing exhaust heat
for water and space heating inside
the Jail.
Combined with the previously
installed rooftop solar power array
and energy efficiency upgrades,
this installation will reduce power
purchases by as much as 80% during
peak-demand summer months.
This translates to avoided greenhouse
gas emissions of 3,200 tons
annually, equivalent to planting
approximately 900 acres of trees.
The project will save county
taxpayers more than $260,000 per year.
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