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Fuel Cell Comes Online In Woodbridge

A fuel cell came online Monday in Connecticut, at Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge.

The fuel cell will power a microgrid, essentially a self-sufficient power supply, which can operate "off the grid" during a prolonged power outage.

Ellen Scalettar is Woodbridge's first selectman. She said her town's microgrid will be powered by the 2.2 MW fuel cell built by Danbury-based FuelCell Energy and owned and operated by United Illuminating.

"For most of us who believe in science, we recognize that climate change is real and poses threats to us," Scalettar said. "This is something that will make us more resilient in the future."

Waste heat from the fuel cell will also be used to heat the high school.

Construction on the microgrid is expected to commence this spring, according to a town official.

Other microgrids in the state are currently online at Wesleyan University, in the town of Fairfield, and at the University of Hartford.

Correction: A previous version of this story said the microgrid had come online in Woodbridge. The fuel cell has come online, whereas the microgrid is still being built. The fuel cell is owned and operated by United Illuminating, not FuelCell Energy, Inc.

Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. He can be reached at pskahill@ctpublic.org.

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