By Greentech Lead America: ClearEdge Power, a
manufacturer of scalable, continuous onsite power systems, announced that its
ClearEdge Power fuel cell system has been deployed by The Lafayette Hotel to
reduce energy costs and lessen its impact on the environment.
The 40 kW ClearEdge system enables The Lafayette Hotel to
reduce its annual energy costs by approximately $30,000, while also
eliminating 100 tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year. The high-efficiency
and scalable fuel cell system has supported the broader renovation of the
landmark hotel by helping it qualify a Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP)
award from the California Center for Sustainable Energy.
In 2010, the hotel management decided to renovate the
aging property. As part of the renovations, the hotel management partnered with
San Diego Gas & Electric to implement energy efficiency upgrades that will
reduce annual operating costs by $70,000 and allow it to qualify for tax credits to
help fund the project.
The Lafayette Hotel selected the ClearEdge fuel cell
system as its compact design ensured compliance with historic
preservation guidelines while efficiently delivering predictable, clean and
cost-effective power and heat.
“We wanted to combine the Hollywood history embodied
in this hotel from the forties and fifties and combine that with a present day
urban chic, boutique feel,” said Jay Wentz, managing partner of Hampstead
Lafayette, the partnership that owns the hotel.
“A big part of the renovation was looking at how we
could incorporate sustainable business practices as that was a key component to
the overall project financing. By using ClearEdge Power’s fuel cells, we have
been able to transform the way we power the hotel while working within strict
historic preservation guidelines,” Wentz added.
The 40 kW ClearEdge system generates 45 percent of the
building’s electricity. In addition, as a byproduct of the electrochemical
process the ClearEdge system converts natural gas to electricity, it produces
enough heat to help keep the pool’s temperature between 76 and 79 degrees all
year round.
The ClearEdge system also served as one of the supporting
measure for the hotel’s application for the New Market Tax Credit and Historic
Rehabilitation Tax Credit programs that partially financed the renovation
project.
“The Lafayette Hotel is setting an excellent example
for hotels across the nation and we are pleased to have helped bring an
important San Diego landmark back to life. It has an impressive focus on
sustainability and this project clearly demonstrates the economic and financial
benefits that fuel cell technologies can deliver to the hospitality
industry,” said Neal Starling, SVP, ClearEdge.
editor@greentechlead.com