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Renewable energy system to provide power and heat to Blue Lake Rancheria
Tribe facilities
VANCOUVER, Feb. 27, 2013 /CNW/ - Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP)(TSX: BLD) has announced the sale of a 175 kilowatt
ClearGen™ distributed generation fuel cell system to the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe of Humboldt County, California. The fuel cell system will be integrated
with a biomass gasifier and syngas purification unit to form an
integrated biomass-to-fuel cell power solution. The system will be the
first of its kind, with the potential to double the efficiency of
biomass-to-power generation.
"The Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe is committed to renewable power to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and increase the energy efficiency of our
facilities," said Arla Ramsey, the Tribe's vice chairperson.
"Biomass-to-fuel cell power is an excellent match for our community and
our region, and we see tremendous potential for deployments beyond our
own facilities."
The system will convert locally-grown timber by-product feedstock into
hydrogen-rich syngas, using pyrolysis gasification technology. This
syngas will then be purified, resulting in a high quality hydrogen
stream, which will be used to power the ClearGen™ fuel cell system. The
plant will provide base load power for the Tribe's commercial
enterprises and by-product heat will be used to warm the swimming pool
in an adjacent hotel.
Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe will integrate the ClearGen™ system, biomass
gasifier and fuel purification unit with support from the Schatz Energy Research Center (SERC), a research and teaching center affiliated with Humboldt State
University's Environmental Resources Engineering program.
"Using biomass to produce hydrogen is an important enabler for
distributed generation applications," said Larry Stapleton, Vice
President of Sales. "This initial installation will demonstrate a
renewable, high efficiency, low emission solution that is cost
competitive today in communities relying on diesel generators."
The project is supported by a proposed funding award to the Redwood
Coast Energy Authority, a local-government joint powers agency, from
the California Energy Commission's Community Scale Renewable Energy
Development, Deployment and Integration Program. That program focuses
on technical solutions enabling communities to rely primarily on
locally-available renewable resources to provide electricity at
competitive rates.
About Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD) (NASDAQ: BLDP) provides clean energy
fuel cell products enabling optimized power systems for a range of
applications. Products deliver incomparable performance, durability and
versatility. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements concerning product
development activities and projected outcomes. These forward-looking
statements reflect Ballard's current expectations as contemplated under
section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any such
forward-looking statements are based on Ballard's assumptions relating
to its financial forecasts and expectations regarding its product
development efforts, manufacturing capacity, and market demand.
These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause
Ballard's actual results to be materially different, including general
economic and regulatory changes, detrimental reliance on third parties,
successfully achieving our business plans and achieving and sustaining
profitability. For a detailed discussion of these and other risk
factors that could affect Ballard's future performance, please refer to
Ballard's most recent Annual Information Form. Readers should not place
undue reliance on Ballard's forward-looking statements and Ballard
assumes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these
forward looking statements, other than as required under applicable
legislation.
SOURCE: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
