May 3, 2002
The Southland’s clean air agency today approved the region’s first
demonstration of virtually zero-polluting fuel cells to power 10 homes.
"Fuel cells are ready to power cars, buses and some commercial
buildings," said Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast
Air Quality Management District. "We want to see if they could also be used
to power Southern California homes, which could increase our region’s supply
of electricity while reducing air pollution."
AQMD’s Governing Board today approved a $366,149
contract with Fuel Cell
Technologies Ltd. of Kingston, Canada, to demonstrate the solid oxide fuel
cells. Each fuel cell will produce up to 5 kilowatts of electricity, enough to
power the base load of a typical Southland home. They will be fueled by natural
gas delivered to homes through existing pipelines.
Fuel cells chemically combine hydrogen and oxygen to directly produce
electricity, with only water and carbon dioxide as byproducts. In solid oxide
fuel cells, hydrogen is separated from natural gas by an internal reforming
device.
Fuel cells are significantly more energy efficient than internal combustion
engines, and using fuels such as natural gas, they have extremely low emissions
of nitrogen oxides.
The demonstration is expected to begin by early fall and last about one year.
AQMD is contributing $350,000 from an air pollution settlement and $16,149 from
its Clean Fuels Fund; Fuel Cell Technologies Ltd. will contribute $616,151 for a
total project cost of $982,300.
In other action today, AQMD’s Governing Board:
- Received a
white paper on the Board’s Strategic Alliance Initiative
No. 1 outlining options for improving the current Emission Reduction
Credit (ERC) System. The ERC system is a critical part of AQMD’s clean
air program and an adequate supply of ERCs is vital to ensure future
economic growth while protecting air quality;
- Adopted a $99.2 million
budget for fiscal year 2002-03, reflecting a
$3.8 million decrease in expenditures from last year primarily due to a
proposed $2.1 million cutback in state funding. While expenditures will
decrease, the overall budget will increase 3.2 percent over last year
because of increases in salaries, workers compensation and retirement
costs. The budget includes funding for 785 positions, which reflects a
planned reduction of 29 positions by attrition if state funds are cut.
Compared to a decade ago, AQMD has 33 percent fewer staff and the budget
has decreased by 13 percent;
- Adopted a fee increase for permits and other services of 2.5 percent,
equal to the change in the California Consumer Price Index;
- Approved a contract for up to $450,000 with West Virginia University to
develop and demonstrate emission control devices for compressed natural
gas-powered engines;
- Approved a contract for $25,000 to study the effects of using
lighter-colored roofing material at a magnet high school near the Los
Angeles Zoo. Lighter-colored roofing materials may reduce the so-called
"urban heat island effect", which in turn could reduce energy
costs and lower the potential for ground-level ozone formation;
- Adopted minor amendments to AQMD’s Rules 1401 and 1402, governing
control of air toxics from new and existing sources respectively, to
update risk values of toxic compounds set by the state Office of
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment; and
- Set public hearings for June 7 to amend Rule 1168 – Adhesive and
Sealant Applications and Rule 1193 – Clean On-Road Residential and
Commercial Waste Collection Vehicles.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major portions
of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
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