SK Ecoplant Completes Fuel Cell Installation at US Hospital Facility

SK ecoplant recently announced on the 22nd that its North American subsidiary, SK ecoplant Americas, has successfully completed an EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) project to supply and install solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) at hospital facilities.

A view of the fuel cell power plant installed at the entrance of Stamford Hospital in the United States by SK ecoplant Americas. (Provided by SK ecoplant)

SK ecoplant Americas has been carrying out a project to install a total of 2.7MW fuel cells at two facilities owned by Stamford Health, including Stamford Hospital and Tully Health Center, located in the Stamford area of Connecticut in the northeastern United States.

Kathleen Silard, CEO of Stamford Health, said, "Fuel cells are a power supply system suitable for hospitals as they provide electricity continuously 24 hours a day and also offer cleaner air," adding, "We are grateful to SK ecoplant Americas for successfully completing this project."

Fuel cells are distributed power sources that can produce electricity stably while reducing air pollution. Compared to fossil fuels, they emit significantly fewer pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and fine dust. They are characterized by high-efficiency power generation even on a small footprint. Since power generation is possible by simply supplying fuel, they are free from the intermittency issues associated with other renewable energy sources like solar power, and can be installed and operated directly in power demand areas such as urban centers, reducing the burden of new power grid construction.

Based on this order, SK ecoplant aims to establish itself as a fuel cell-based power supplier for ‘Mission Critical’ facilities such as data centers, hospitals, and financial systems, where even a brief power outage can cause enormous economic and social damage.

Park Kyung-il, President of SK ecoplant, said, "Based on our successful experience in completing fuel cell projects, SK ecoplant will secure a leading position in the global fuel cell supply market together with Bloom Energy in the future."