Quincy, MA—The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company has taken a significant step in retail store innovation: a special dedication of a 400 kilowatt fuel cell — a first for the supermarket chain.
Quincy, MA—The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company has taken a significant step in retail store innovation: a special dedication of a 400 kilowatt fuel cell — a first for the supermarket chain — at its store on Torringford Street in East Torrington, Conn.
The fuel cell, a UTC Power PureCell® System Model 400, was supported with a grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund’s On-Site Renewable Distributed Generation Program and is the first fuel cell utilized by the Stop & Shop Supermarket Company. It is expected to generate over 90% of the store’s electric energy.
Since the fuel cell was commissioned in June 2010, it has produced over 1.7 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, accounting for 95% of the store’s total electric energy requirements. This, coupled with the use of the thermal energy produced by the fuel cell, has reduced the total electric and natural gas utility bills for the store by roughly 50%.
By generating most of its power on site, Stop & Shop is able to reduce the burden on the local power grid and its impact on the environment. The fuel cell operates without fossil fuel combustion which in turn makes electricity production virtually pollution-free.
Stop & Shop has a history of store innovation with sustainability in mind. In November 2001, the grocer opened it first energy-efficient store in Foxboro, Mass., also known as the Low Energy Super Store, or LESS. In August 2007, it opened the first Energy Star® store in Southbury, Conn., which utilizes approximately 35% less energy than average buildings. In December 2008, Stop & Shop installed its first photovoltaic (solar panels) system at its Fairfield, Conn., store.
By 2009, Stop & Shop had over 50 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified stores. In the future, all new stores will be designed and built to meet the LEED-NC (New Construction) design and construction standards for new construction by the U.S. Green Building Council. Energy saving features include: a white roof to reflect the sunlight and reduce the heat gains in the store, requiring less energy for space cooling in the summertime; skylights to harvest daylight to reduce the electricity consumption during peak daylight hours; LED lighting in many areas of the store, including overhead track lights, spotlights on specialty areas & displays, exterior store signs and in the frozen food cases.
Most recently, in December 2010, Stop & Shop opened its second store in West Hartford, Conn., that includes refrigeration systems that utilize a natural refrigerant to help reduce the store’s carbon footprint by an equivalent of 500 tons of carbon dioxide per year. The West Hartford Stop & Shop is the first supermarket in the state of Connecticut operating with this technology.
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company operates more than 390 stores throughout New England. Stop & Shop is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and EPA’s Smart Way program; has been awarded LEED (EB) certifications for 50 of its existing stores; and has been recognized by the EPA for the superior energy management of its stores. Stop & Shop is an Ahold company. To learn more, visit www.stopandshop.com.
The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) was created by the Connecticut General Assembly and is funded by the electric ratepayers. CCEF is administered by Connecticut Innovations, a quasi-public authority. For more information, visit www.ctcleanenergy.com.
UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. company, is a South Windsor, Conn.-based leader in developing and producing fuel cells that generate energy for buildings and for transportation, space and defense applications. For more information, visit www.utcpower.com