CASE STUDY: FUEL CELL MICRO-GRID OPERATION AT THE 2004 DEMOCRATIC NATIONALCONVENTION

摘要

The 2004 Democratic National Convention (DNC) inrndowntown Boston presented an energy challenge. Thernlarge, attendant media presence required a great deal ofrnadditional power for temporary studios, satellite up-links,rnetc. that could not be supplied by the constrained electricrnutility infrastructure.rnTo meet this need, an independent micro grid wasrnconstructed consisting of two rail-mounted diesel-generatorsrnand a trailer mounted fuel cell power plant. Thernfuel cell was a DFC300 produced by FuelCell Energy, Inc.rnThe DFC300 is a 250 KW rated power plant, capable ofrnboth grid connected and grid independent operation. ThernDNC micro grid represented the first application in whichrnthe DFC300 operated in parallel with diesel generatorsrnindependent of the electric utility grid.rnIn addition to explaining the fuel cell power plantrnoperating modes, this paper will describe the specificrnplanning, challenges and operating results of the unit in thernDNC micro-grid. It will also examine the potentialrnbenefits of fuel cells in future micro-grid applications.