The nations largest fuel cell project, a 1 MW fuel cell power plant deployed as a distributed generation resource, Anchorage, Alaska project dedication August 9, 2000

Interest among US electric utilities in distributed generation resources in both deregulated and regulated service territories has become intense. Many within the industry believe that the most aggressive competition will most likely come from new technologies capable of meeting customer energy needs on site. Electric service providers, cooperatives in particular, are uniquely situated to take full advantage of using distributed generation technologies to meet customer energy needs. This article provides a brief discussion of some distributed technologies, contract issues and a detailed description of a 1 MW fuel cell project placed next to a large retail customer load. The fuel cell output provides electrical service to a US Postal Service international sorting center with excess electrical output flowing to the Chugach electric distribution grid. Heat from the fuel cells is connected via glycol loops to the building boiler plant.