A previous FuelCell Energy installation, a 10.4 MW fuel cell power plant in South Korea (courtesy FuelCell Energy).

The event will take place on Friday, May 3, 2013, 11 am EDT at 1366 Railroad Ave. Bridgeport, Conn. (visitors will be directed where to park).

Dominion, one of the nation's largest energy companies, announced in December that it had acquired the fuel cell power generating facility from FuelCell Energy. The facility will produce 14.9 MW of electricity – enough to power approximately 15,000 homes – using an electro-chemical process that efficiently converts natural gas into electricity.

The project supports Connecticut's clean energy goals while producing significant economic development benefits for the state and the City of Bridgeport.

The Dominion Bridgeport Fuel Cell facility is part of Project 150, a program sponsored by the state andThe location of the new fuel cell (Courtesy Google Maps) supported by the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) to increase renewable and clean energy projects in Connecticut by 150 megawatts.

FuelCell Energy Inc. will supply five Direct FuelCell^® stationary fuel cell power plants and an organic rankine turbine that will convert heat from the fuel cells into additional electricity.

FuelCell Energy has expanded its Connecticut manufacturing workforce by more than 20 percent or more than 50 jobs in the past six months, reflecting demand such as this Bridgeport fuel cell park. The project is scheduled to be completed and placed into operation in late 2013.  Dominion will sell the output of the fuel cell power station to Connecticut Light & Power under a 15-year fixed energy purchase agreement.

Mayor Bill Finch visits Pleasure Beach

The restoration of Pleasure Beach has been one of Mayor Bill Finch’s primary goals. The Master Plan represents the City’s desire to restore the park, and transform the undeveloped area into a sustainable, environmentally friendly, family-oriented outdoor recreation area.

The plan incorporates needed facilities through restoration and new construction, and emphasizes co-existence between wildlife and people. Pleasure Beach is to serve as a recreational, educational, and a wildlife resource.

Through a grant from CT DEEP, a new fishing pier has been built, and several new buildings that will serve as restrooms, An example of new Pleasure Beach Infrastructureshowers, concession stands, and a welcome center are planned for construction. The new construction will feature sustainable building practices and materials such as recycled rubber roofing, composite decking and metal, permeable pavement, solar hot water systems, and rainwater harvesting systems.

The final step in the master plan is the addition of a new water taxi. The taxi will take the place of the old wooden bridge by shuttling visitors from mainland Bridgeport out to Pleasure beach.

The new splash pad at Washington Park

Improvements to the park system will revitalize the surrounding areas, and increase the vitality of the city as a whole. The Margaret E. Morton Government Center plaza, Knowlton Park, and Washington Park are some of the first locations that have benefitted from the master plan.

Improvements to Knowlton Park such as new plazas, gently sloping open lawn areas, and an overlook pavilion are included in the master plan. Boardwalks that allow for pedestrian waterfront access will weave throughout native vegetation plantings that provide habitat for wildlife in the area and cleanse stormwater runoff.

Washington Park was Bridgeport’s first public park. Renovations and improvements for Washington Park will include a gazebo, restrooms, basketball court improvements, fence restoration, lighting and sidewalk repairs, site furnishing, and landscape improvements.

An artist's rendition of the Knowlton Park improvements A splash pad has already been installed in Washington Park, and a new swing area is nearly complete. A new curb around the Victorian garden has been completed and work is now being done to install granite curbing. The restoration of this historic park will be an example of community pride and pleasure.

The Broad Street Plaza in front of the Margaret E. Morton Government Center has recently been renovated. Improvements to the area include several new benches, the installation of new sidewalks that utilize permeable pavement, and improved landscaping.

Possible locations for stormwater management systems

One type of green infrastructure includes plant and soil systems such as bioswales and rain gardens. These systems naturally filter stormwater before it flows into local waterways, thereby reducing the amount of pollution flowing into the Sound. Another solution to stormwater runoff is the use of stormwater collection systems.

Stormwater can be collected, and either reused, cleaned, or evaporated. Since 2004, an estimated 1.6 billion gallons of sewage have been dumped into the Long Island Sound by Bridgeport in order to avoid sewage and stormwater mixture overflow within facilities.

Save the Sound along with NRDC and CT DEEP have conducted a study of the feasibility of stormwater control measures in Bridgeport and New Haven. This map (above) shows the various possible locations for stormwater management systems around the coast of the Long Island Sound.

The City of Bridgeport is also investigating the use of permeable pavement, which allows polluted stormwater to pass through roads and sidewalks before it is allowed to flow into the Sound.

The electric vehicle charging station at City Hall

Electric cars are quickly becoming a popular alternative to gasoline and diesel vehicles; they do not run on gas and they emit zero emissions when driven.

As electric vehicles become more common in the US, it is necessary to have local electric charging stations for them.  The United Illuminating Company (UI) has installed a charging station at City Hall, Lyon Terrace at no cost to the City of Bridgeport.

UI is able to power the station through its own power lines and meters, and pays for any electricity consumed at the station.  This means that electic vehicle owners can charge their cars for free at City Hall.

The program will last about two years, but may be terminated or extended by UI based on their discretion. The pilot is also subject to decisions made by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). 

An example of a complete street

Complete Streets aim to increase mobility, efficiency, and sustainability. Reducing the number of cars on the road will decrease emissions from individual transportation.

Complete streets will also ensure the transformation of underutilized areas into valued outdoor green spaces by making them more accessible, encourage green business practices, reduce vehicle trips and vehicle emissions, provide city workers with a wide range of transportation options, and foster community growth.

An overhead view of Lincoln Boulevard and the surrounding streetsComplete streets aim to incorporate green infrastructure such as Bio-swales and rain gardens. These types of installations increase water quality and reduce the amount of contaminated runoff flowing into public waterways, thereby reducing pollution and treatment cost.

Increased vegetative cover will help lower the City’s temperature during the summer, improve respiratory health, and alleviate excessive stormwater flow.

Permeable pavement will also be incorporated into the complete street design. Contaminated rainwater will be able to flow to the ground, instead of into the Long Island Sound.

How would complete streets impact your daily travel habits? Let us know in the comments section!

Rain Garden in Vernon, CT (reducerunoff.org)Diverting rain water to gardens and rain barrels instead of combined sewer/stormwater systems prevents sewage from draining into the Sound during rain events, and protects animals, plants, and people who depend on a healthy Long Island Sound.

Employment and population growth are one reason for the increased ridership. GBT expects that increasing ridership will result in fuller buses with more stops and higher maintenance needs. To meet the demand, GBT is replacing buses with larger articulated ("bendy") buses and is pursuing funding to overhaul their maintenance facility.

Using transit instead of driving can reduce your carbon footprint by 5,000 pounds per year.