Work on landfill fuel cells nears completion

Construction of the Yaphank Fuel Cell Park at the Brookhaven landfill is progressing, with completion of the work anticipated by fall of 2021 and full operation by the end of the year.  Concrete haunches for the fuel cells have been installed, conduit and pull wires are in place, and gas and water lines for the facility are complete.  The fuel cells, along with solar fields and harvested methane gas, will be part of an energy park at the landfill, which was announced by Brookhaven supervisor Ed Romaine in 2018 as part of the plan for this town facility when it stops accepting waste after 2024 and the landfill is capped and closed. 

The Yaphank Fuel Cell Project is a fuel cell power generation facility located at the Town of Brookhaven Solid Waste Management Complex (SWMC) at 350 Horseblock Road, Yaphank.  The project will be located on approximately 0.93 acres in the southern portion of the facility. FuelCell Energy Inc. is the developer and will install and operate the project.

The Yaphank Fuel Cell Park will generate 7.4 megawatts of energy from three SureSource 3000 carbonate fuel cell power plants. The fuel cell facility will provide continuous reliable electricity to the growing area of the LIPA system in Yaphank and will provide sufficient power for 7,500 homes.

Fuel Cells are an electrochemical power generation technology that convert the energy in directly to electricity without combustion.  There are no combustion-related pollutants such as NOx, SOx and particulates.  The project will be interconnected to LIPA’s existing transmission system via a new dedicated distribution feeder from the site. The electrical connection is being provided by PSEG- LI and natural gas is being served by National Grid.  Electric and gas service to the site by the utilities is complete.