Connecticut Transit received a $5.7 million federal award on Wednesday to install a stationary fuel cell at the New Haven Division bus maintenance facility.
With the money, CT Transit can install the fuel cell that will produce electricity onsite for the maintenance facility while recovering waste heat from the chemical process. This form of distributed generation allows facilities to reduce their reliance on the electric grid for power while also using cleaner energy technology.
The grant comes from the federal Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction Program, also known as TIGGER. The program is run by the Federal Transit Administration.
TIGGER is a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the so-called stimulus bill. In allocating federal funds for certain programs like TIGGER, the Obama Administration wants to shift the country toward cleaner, more environmentally friendly energy.
