This is an updated version of an earlier report.
Fuel cell manufacturer ClearEdge Power has landed part of a $100-million, seven-state clean energy deal to power 19 Verizon facilities, creating the South Windsor company’s largest single-user project.
ClearEdge will install its PureCell fuel cell systems at Verizon sites in California, New York, and New Jersey, generating 60 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, enough to power 5,100 single-family homes. The facilities include corporate offices, call centers, data centers, and central offices.
ClearEdge is headquartered in Oregon but will manufacture the fuel cells at its South Windsor location. The installation for the Verizon facilities will run through the end of 2013.
To handle the increase in production, ClearEdge plans to add to its workforce in South Windsor, although it declined to say by how much. The company laid off 39 percent of its worldwide workforce in March after it acquired UTC Power in South Windsor.
“The Verizon project provides us an excellent opportunity  to increase our production volume for the year,” said Joe Triompo, chief operating officer for ClearEdge Power. “To support the additional activity, we will also need to increase our staffing at the South Windsor, CT facility. This is a very exciting time for our company.”
The contract is part of a larger $100 million effort by Verizon to install fuel cells and solar panels at facilities in seven states, including Massachusetts, California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Arizona, and North Carolina. The solar panels will be provided by San Jose-based SunPower Corp.
The exact value of ClearEdge’s portion of the project was not disclosed.
