• Exclusive Content
  • Events
  • Endeavor Business Media Energy
    1. Distributed Energy

    110-year-old Lawrence + Memorial Hospital installing 1.75-MW Fuel Cell Microgrid on Connecticut Campus

    April 20, 2022
    Once operational, officials say, it could save the hospital about $9 million per year in energy costs and reduce CO2 emissions by 23 percent. In one year, the fuel cells are expected to prevent the emission of more than 7,935 pounds of nitrogen oxide
    Lm Hospital 62606b5d4f530

    An  historic hospital in Connecticut is stepping up to be first in line on new-gen energy technology for its health care system.

    Lawrence + Memorial Hospital (L+M) in New London is going to have a natural gas fuel-cell microgrid installed. It will be the first hospital in the Yale New Haven Health System to place an alternate energy resource on campus.

    “Through this project we have a unique opportunity to not only improve hospital operations, but also to improve the environmental health of New London,” said Robert Palumberi, L+M facilities administrative director. “We’re proud and excited to be part of the state of Connecticut’s solution to meet goals for clean and renewable energy.”

    Bloom Energy is contracting with the health care system to install the 1.75-MW fuel cell microgrid. Fuel cells will convert the natural gas to electricity without combustion, thus reducing emissions, according to the plan.

    Construction began this spring and the project should be operational by the summer, according to reports. Backup gen-sets will remain in place.

    Once operational, officials say, it could save the hospital about $9 million per year in energy costs and reduce CO2 emissions by 23 percent. In one year, the fuel cells are expected to prevent the emission of more than 7,935 pounds of nitrogen oxide, a pollutant that causes smog, as well as offsetting the emission of more than 3,537 pounds of sulfur dioxide.

    EnergyTECH webinar on Hospitals and Energy Resiiliency

    Free and on Demand

    Subscribe to our free newsletter for more stories on the Mission Critical Energy Transition

    “It is important that we support the health of our environment through actions that support sustainability efforts. By making this investment we are demonstrating the importance of being good stewards of the environment,” said Denise J. Fiore, L+M senior vice president and chief operating officer.

    The original Joseph Lawrence Free Public Hospital opened its New London doors in April 1912 with 30 beds, a maternity ward, nursey and one elevator. The L + M system now services more than 10,000 patients per year. 

    -- -- -- 

    (Rod Walton, senior editor for EnergyTech, is a 14-year veteran of covering the energy industry both as a newspaper and trade journalist. He can be reached at [email protected]).

    Follow us on Twitter @EnergyTechNews_

    About the Author

    Rod Walton, EnergyTech Managing Editor | Senior Editor

    For EnergyTech editorial inquiries, please contact Managing Editor Rod Walton at [email protected].

    Rod Walton has spent 15 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist. He formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    Walton earned his Bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. His career stops include the Moore American, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, Wagoner Tribune and Tulsa World. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids. The C&I sectors together account for close to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

    He was named Managing Editor for Microgrid Knowledge and EnergyTech starting July 1, 2023

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.

    Email