OREANDA-NEWS. GE Fuel Cells (NYSE: GE) announced today a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hudson Valley Community College to install and operate a 50kW class fuel cell power generation demonstration system at HVCC's Tec-SMART facility. As part of the first installation of this new technology, HVCC will develop fuel cell technology curricula while utilizing the demonstration system to provide hands-on training to students. Both GE Fuel Cells and HVCC are part of NYSERDA's Saratoga Technology + Energy Park ® (STEP®) in Malta, New York.

Johanna Wellington, general manager, GE Fuel Cells said, “GE scientists and engineers in Niskayuna have taken our fuel cell technology as far as it can go in our labs. Partnering with HVCC will allow us to bring our technology to the next phase of commercialization while also developing and training the future workforce who will run them.”

Andrew J. Matonak, president of Hudson Valley Community College, said, “Hudson Valley Community College is excited to again engage in a partnership with GE. The new working fuel cell power system at TEC-SMART will provide an innovative learning opportunity in emerging technologies - and open the door to new career fields - for our students. In addition, we'll see significantly lower energy costs at TEC-SMART, which already holds Platinum-certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program of the United States Green Building Council."

Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20), said, “The Capital Region has always been home to cutting edge technology and innovation, and today's announcement by GE is no different. This is exactly the type of outside-the-barrel thinking that moves our entire nation forward and ensures we remain the kingpin of the global economy. These investments create jobs, boost the local economy, and help us become more energy efficient.”

Congressman Chris Gibson (NY-19) said, “I congratulate GE Fuel Cells and Hudson Valley Community College for forming this exciting partnership. This program represents a sound investment in technologies that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, put people to work, and make sustainable energy systems more accessible to consumers. I encourage students and families in the Capital Region to take a serious look at the extraordinary educational opportunities HVCC makes available in Troy and Malta. I also want to thank GE for its commitment to workforce training in our region.”

John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, “This new facility will play a critical role in the development of advanced fuel cell technology with the potential to provide power at lower cost and with lower emissions. This supports Governor Cuomo's priority to create an energy system that is cleaner as well as more efficient, affordable and resilient. In addition, GE Fuel Cell's partnership with Hudson Valley Community College to provide workforce training is a critical component to scaling up the State's clean energy economy.”

In the spirit of ecomagination, GE Fuel Cells is working to commercialize a cleaner and highly efficient distributed power system that combines fuel cell technology with gas engines to convert 65 percent of the fuel to electricity. .

The 50kW demonstration system installed and operated at HVCC will provide key learnings that help scale the technology to the 1-10MW range and accelerate the commercialization of GE Fuel Cell's Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System.