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General Motors Installs Microturbines
As part of its Community Clean Air partnership with the South Coast Air Quality
Management District, General Motors will install Capstone MicroTurbine?
power generation systems early next year at GM dealerships in California to
reduce energy costs and conserve power consumption from the state's electric
grid. The initial rollout will involve installation of solar panels made by
BP and one or more Capstone 60 MicroTurbine systems at each of five GM dealerships
within the state.
The program was unveiled yesterday at the newly constructed Rydell Chevrolet-Buick-Pontiac-GM
dealership in San Fernando. At the event, Dennis R. Minano, GM Vice-President
of environment and energy and chief environmental officer, said, "These
low-emission Capstone MicroTurbine systems are designed and manufactured right
here in the San Fernando Valley. California is an important market for GM, so
we are very pleased that we can do our part to simultaneously help improve California
air quality, support the California economy and reduce demand on the California
power grid. And that California GM dealerships can do all this while saving
money on their utility bills certainly doesn't hurt."
Norman Chambers, who was recently retained by Capstone Turbine Corporation as
its Chief Operating Officer, said, "Last December, in Madrid, BP unveiled
the world's most environment-friendly gas station. Solar panels like these
cover the canopy above the pumps that deliver BP gasoline and liquefied natural
gas products. But the prime power system at that facility is a Capstone MicroTurbine.
"GM and the AQMD have made it possible for us to again join these technologies.
We are proud to have the opportunity to work with these three world-class organizations,
each renowned for its abiding commitment to making a cleaner environment for
us all. As its Chief Operating Officer, it is my goal to continue Capstone Turbine's
pioneering work to make clean, efficient, cost-saving energy technology available
to municipalities, government entities and businesses of all types here in California,
across the nation and around the world."
Referring to actor and environmentalist Ed Begley Jr., who moderated the event,
Mike Tingus, Capstone's Vice-President of U.S. Sales and Business Development,
said, "Two months ago, Ed and I were standing atop a mountain of trash
at the Lopez Canyon Landfill just a couple of miles north of here. We were sharing
that mountaintop with 50 Capstone systems, which can turn waste gases from that
landfill into enough renewable electricity to support 1,500 homes. Ed, I hope
you and I can do this again soon."
"General Motors' effort to introduce innovative, clean alternative
energy technologies such as Capstone MicroTurbines into its business practices
is exactly the kind of forward thinking leadership that serves as a model to
other businesses," Tingus added. "Following these inaugural installations,
it is our hope that more of the nearly 1,000 GM dealerships in California will
embrace this cost-saving environmental initiative."
Capstone MicroTurbines cleanly generate power onsite, reducing grid power consumption,
lowering energy costs and providing power reliability and security. The two
60-kilowatt Capstone 60 systems at the Rydell facility will be able to provide
all of the dealership's power needs. Energy cost savings from Capstone
MicroTurbine installations at participating GM dealerships are conservatively
anticipated to be at least 15 percent, including natural gas costs. "We
apply advanced technology to make progress through our products, plants and
partnerships with governmental agencies such as the AQMD," said Minano.
"GM is firmly committed to helping California achieve its clean air goals."
Capstone MicroTurbines ? which have only one moving assembly and use no
oil, lubricants or coolants ? can serve as primary power; add capacity,
and conserve grid power particularly during peak demand periods. Unlike standby
diesel generator sets, which have air quality runtime limitations of less than
200 hours a year (out of 8,760 hours in a year), low-emission Capstone MicroTurbines
can be operated without runtime limitations by being significantly below emissions
requirements statewide, nationwide and worldwide. Capstone systems can be linked
together to provide a high reliability generation array that can serve loads
ranging from a few kilowatts to a few megawatts. Exhaust heat can be used for
water and facility heating, process drying and even absorption-chiller air,
air-conditioning, displacing electric powered air conditioners.
For more information contact Capstone Turbine Corp., Keith Field, at 818-734-5465
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