SCS Energy: Natural Gas Fuels a California Brewery

The Sierra Nevada co-generation facility employs four 250-kilowatt FuelCell Energy Inc. fuel cells. The fuel cells use natural gas as a fuel. Waste heat is used to produce steam to partially satisfy the process requirements of the brewery. The facility began operation in May 2005.

SCS’s responsibilities on this project include: 

• Process engineering
• Specifications for procurement of major equipment
• Electrical engineering, including interconnection application
• Mechanical engineering, including steam and condensate interconnections with the existing boiler plant
• Civil/foundation engineering

SCS undertook this project on a design-only basis. The total capacity of the project is 1.0 MW.  At the time of its completion, it was the largest natural gas fired commercial fuel cell power plant in the United States.

SCS Engineers’ responsibilities:

• Detailed Design
• Fuel Cell Procurement