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MAY 2008: The Inside word is Out - New York's Freedom Tower will be using Fuel Cells for electrical power!
The Freedom Tower and three (3) new additional buildings to be constructed in lower Manhattan will have the largest fuel cell project on this Earth to provide electrical power. Power not from oil, gas, coal, or nuclear, but from hydrogen. United Technologies Corporation (UTC) is behind the 12 fuel cells that should produce 4.8 megawatts of electricity. About enough electrical power to run 4,800 homes. This is not enough for all the electrical needs of these four new buildings and the New York Power Authority, who made this deal with UTC Power, has yet to provide details such as what percentage of electrical consumption these 12 fuel cells will meet.
Yes, this alternative energy source project on this large scale proves many things and provides us with many positive symbols. HOWEVER, we the people can now only hope that this $10.6 million dollar project, is truly a non-polluting alternative by deriving hydrogen from WATER and not from NATURAL GAS. You see, for the short to medium term, power companies may favor getting the hydrogen from a hydrocarbon fuel such as Natural Gas which is not completely pollutant free. Unlike getting hydrogen from Water, Natural Gas insures money making sales for the fuel company. Can you imagine rain water and recycled water being collected to make FREE electrical power? -ehw