Bakery Gains Second Fuel Cell Factory

Pepperidge Farm, makers of Goldfish crackers, Milano cookies and other desserts, has added a sweet new power source to their bakery in Bloomfield, CT. A 1.4 megawatt Direct FuelCell(R) (DFC(R)) power plant will be added after commissioning is completed by the end of 2015. It will complement an existing fuel cell power plant, which was installed at the bakery in 2008

Connecticut-based FuelCell Energy built both power plants. Between them, they will meet almost the entire factory’s energy needs, with an on-site solar array providing more energy during peak hours of power usage.

The two power plants replace grid power that would have led to the emission of more than 9,400 tons of CO2.

Fuel cells produce power electrochemically, and also produce clean heat used in baking. The power plants utilize two-stage heat recovery; steam is generated for use in baking, while excess heat is recovered for use in the thermal oxidizer that gets rid of unwanted odors. An ammonia-based chilling system, to be installed at a later date, will also utilize the secondary heat.

"The addition of this low-emission fuel cell power plant to complement our existing fuel cell installation further enhances our sustainability profile, reflecting our strong commitment to the environmental welfare of the communities in which Pepperidge Farm and our parent, Campbell Soup, operate," said Harry Pettit, Manager of Systems and Infrastructure Engineering, Pepperidge Farm, Inc. "We look forward to broadening and deepening our partnership with FuelCell Energy and continuing to benefit from the efficient and reliable on-site power and heat its fuel cell power plants provide."

The power plant was funded in part by a grant from the Connecticut Low and Zero Emissions Renewable Energy Credit (LREC) program.

Pepperidge farm is a subsidiary of Campbell Soup Company, and employs about 4,000 people. FuelCell Energy has installed direct fuel cell power plants in about 50 locations worldwide.

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