SCHENECTADY, N.Y., Jan. 21 — Price Chopper’s state-of-the-art Colonie store in New York State’s capital region (Albany, NY) is proud to be the first supermarket in the U.S. to supply its own power on-site with the latest-generation PureCell Model 400 system from UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company. Twelve of the same model fuel cell system will be installed at towers to be completed at the World Trade Center site in New York City.
A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that combines hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air to produce electricity, heat and water. Fuel cells operate without combustion, so they are virtually pollution-free and comply with the strictest U.S. emission standard.
“The UTC Power fuel cell technology serves as both a primary and emergency power source at our 69,000-square-foot Colonie store location. With our ongoing goals of achieving greater efficiencies at our stores, we fully expect the fuel cell unit to reduce our overall utility costs as well as the store’s carbon footprint,” said Benny Smith, Vice President of Facilities for the Golub Corporation.
In addition to the fuel cell, the cutting-edge Colonie store is also equipped with an array of environmentally progressive features including advanced systems in cooling and refrigeration daylight harvesting, in addition to waste and recycling initiatives. The store will serve as a prototype for future Price Chopper supermarkets.
Price Chopper Supermarkets, a Golub Corporation company, is continually exploring more advanced technologies to design and produce ever higher levels of energy efficiency. With energy prices soaring during the Colonie store’s planning stages, Price Chopper management was presented with an opportunity to be one of the first to incorporate a 400 kW fuel cell into a supermarket. After a thorough analysis of potential energy and carbon savings, the company entered into an energy services agreement with UTC Power to provide and operate a 400 kW fuel cell system at the new location.
“UTC Power is proud to be partnered with progressive organizations such as Price Chopper who are increasingly embracing fuel cell technology as a proven and financially rewarding means of improving the energy efficiency of their facilities while also realizing the sustainability benefits of a reduced carbon footprint,” said Neal Montany, director of the UTC Power stationary fuel cell business. “The PureCell system can also be configured to provide enhanced energy security via a ‘grid-independent’ mode, protecting supermarkets against costly food spoilage if there’s a power failure,” Montany added.
Price Chopper partnered with the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) throughout the planning of the project. NYSERDA provided incentives through the New Construction and Combined Heat and Power Demonstration programs.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also awarded the Colonie store with the highest level of GreenChill gold-level certification ever achieved by a supermarket retailer. At the time, only three other stores in the nation had achieved gold level certification and, of the four, Price Chopper’s new Colonie store received the highest rating. The store was touted “best of the best” within this elite group.
The GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership is a voluntary program with the supermarket industry and other stakeholders to promote advanced refrigeration technologies, strategies, and practices that reduce refrigerant charges and emissions of ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases.
Source: Price Chopper Supermarkets
