The World Trade Center (WTC) has been a sensitive symbol for this country especially after 9-11. Being built at this same location in New York is the Freedom Tower symbolizing among many other things, the tenacity of our citizens.
The Freedom Tower and three other towers that are a part of the rebuilt World Trade Center will now be going green using four UTC Power hydrogen fuel cells that will provide 4.8 MW total of energy. The onsite hydrogen fuel cells will supplement other offsite green energy the WTC will receive.
According to New York Governor David A. Paterson, “The fuel cells and other measures will help make the new World Trade Center towers an exemplar of environmental sustainability and will signal to the world New York State’s commitment to greater energy security and reduced dependence on foreign oil. I can think of few sites in the country where the symbolism of this is more important.”
The new World Trade Center UTC Power fuel cell installation, one of the largest in the world, was negotiated by the New York Power Authority (NYPA). The use of hydrogen fuel cells along with offsite wind power will help the WTC attain LEED certification.
In a time of high oil prices, when attaining energy independence is so critical, what better symbol could there be of freedom from foreign fossil fuels than the Freedom Tower powered by renewable energy?