The Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, the Sheraton brand’s flagship hotel of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, is dedicating Manhattan’s first high temperature fuel cell-powered electric plant.
The 250-kilowatt system — technology developed by FuelCell Energy Inc. and operated by PPL Corporation — will supply 10 percent of the hotel’s electricity and hot water needs and supply back-up electric service for a portion of the hotel.
This high-efficiency technology generates electric power from natural gas without combustion. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) awarded $920,000 toward this project, which was one of the finalists selected for funding in 2002 under NYSERDA’s combined heat and power program.
Starwood and Fuel Cell Energy recently announced FCEL would be supplying fuel cells throughout the hotel chain.