ENERGY (GENERAL); SCHOOLS (GENERAL);

SCHOOLS;

You asked what the state has done to promote the installation of fuel cells in schools.

FUEL CELLS IN SCHOOLS

A fuel cell is a device that produces electricity through a chemical process rather than combustion. Fuel cells produce virtually no pollution, are very quiet, and have several other advantages compared to traditional generating technologies, but they are substantially more expensive than traditional technologies. A fuel cells Website, http: //www. fuelcells. org/whatis. htm, provides further information about fuel cell technologies.

The state has funded one fuel cell initiative in a school to date, at South Windsor High School. The fuel cell was installed in the fall of 2002. Because the fuel cell provides heat and power independent of the existing electric grid, the high school (which also serves as a regional emergency shelter) will continue to operate in the event of a power failure. The school has also developed a comprehensive fuel-cell curriculum, particularly for students studying earth sciences, chemistry, and physics. Money for the $ 2. 3 million initiative came from the state Clean Energy Fund. The fund receives its money from a line item charge

on electric bills. Connecticut Innovations, Inc. (CII) invests money from the fund in renewable and clean energy technologies, including fuel cells. Further information about the Clean Energy Fund is available from its Website, http: //www. ctcleanenergy. com/.

The South Windsor fuel cell was funded under a request for proposal (RFP) program administered by CII. Starting in 2001, the fund has issued annual RFPs for two types of fuel cell applications. The first is for projects in which fuel cells that are already on the market (including the one used in South Windsor) are installed in high value applications. The second is for projects in which fuel cell technologies that are nearly ready for the market are installed in various locations to track their performance and gather data to accelerate their commercialization.

Competition for funding under the RFP program has been vigorous. In the current round of funding, CII received 60 proposals, of which 24 were selected for further consideration. None of these proposals involve schools. The 24 proposals call for funding of $ 26 million, compared to the approximately $ 9 million available for the program. CII is in the process of selecting which of these projects will be funded. CII will issue the next RFP in December or January. CII had committed $ 37. 5 million for its fuel cell initiatives through 2005. However, the total amount of future funding for these initiatives is uncertain since this session the legislature transferred part of the revenue earmarked for the Clean Energy Fund to the General Fund.

In addition to Clean Energy Fund, the state has promoted the development and use of fuel cells and other clean energy sources through the Institute for Energy Sustainability at Eastern Connecticut State University. Although the institute is not directly involved in placing fuel cells in schools, it seeks to include information on renewable energy and sustainability into elementary and high school curricula. The institute also serves as a regional clearinghouse on regional clearinghouse for information on energy sustainability and energy strategies. Further information about the institute is available on its Website, http: //www. sustainenergy. org/default. asp

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