Fuel cells get hotel reservations

A Pennsylvania power company - PPL EnergyPlus based in Allentown - has signed an agreement to install, own and operate a 250 kw fuel cell system at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel and another at the Sheraton Edison. The New Jersey properties are owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, which

PPL will install the fuel cells at a cost of $3.3 million under the terms of a 15 year contract. The New Jersey Clean Energy Program is helping to pay for the project with a state grant of $1.7 million.

The fuel cells will provide about 25 percent of the hotels' electricity and hot water needs while reducing Starwood's energy costs, according to Paul Champagne, president of PPL EnergyPlus. Each fuel cell will reduce annual air pollution equivalent to that produced by 118 cars.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. owns over 740 properties in more than 80 countries. It is the owner of franchises such as Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection. "We feel that fuel cell technology will play an important role in reducing harmful emissions and reduce the hotel's overall energy costs," said Ted Darnall, president of Starwood North America hotel operations. "The hotel chain knew they wanted to put in fuel cells. They started to look for a company and they found us," Steve Gabrielle of PPL said. "We plan to install fuel cells in more Starwood hotels in the future."