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QUINCY, Mass. — Stop & Shop announced earlier this month that it will power 40 of its stores in Massachusetts and New York with Bloom Energy Servers. The servers are said to provide clean, reliable, 24/7 electricity in an AlwaysON Microgrid configuration that will continue to power each store in the event of a grid power outage.
Bloom Energy Servers will ensure that Stop & Shop stores can better serve their local communities when needed most, such as during severe weather or other unforeseen events. The new power solution is expected to reduce Stop & Shop’s carbon emissions by over 15,000 metric tons per year — the equivalent of removing about 3,200 cars from the road. Bloom Energy Servers also virtually eliminate smog-forming pollution and particulate emissions.
“Our stores are an important community resource for our customers, particularly when severe weather strikes,” said Gordon Reid, president of Stop & Shop. “Whether customers need to stock up on food, batteries, flashlights, other emergency items, or even their prescription medications, we know how vital the products and services our stores provide are. These servers will not only reduce our stores’ impact on the environment but also ensure our stores can stay open when needed most.”
The Bloom Energy fuel cells deployed at each Stop & Shop store will be configured as a microgrid that can operate independently of the local electric grid. Because Bloom Energy Servers receive their natural gas or biogas fuel through the underground pipeline system, they are significantly less susceptible to the impacts of extreme weather than overhead power lines.
“Clean, reliable, resilient power is critical to keeping businesses and families working,” said K.R. Sridhar, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Bloom Energy. “We’re proud to give Stop & Shop customers the peace of mind that their local stores will remain open before, during and after severe storms or natural disasters that disrupt the electricity grid.”
Bloom Energy Servers convert natural gas or biogas fuel into electricity without combustion, using solid oxide fuel cell technology. They use no water in normal operation. With the use of the energy servers, Stop & Shop expects to save the fresh water system over 1.6 billion gallons annually.
Installations of Bloom microgrids will begin early this year with Stop & Shop stores located on Cape Cod, followed by additional stores in Massachusetts and Long Island. The Massachusetts projects are made possible through collaboration with the sponsors of Mass Save, including Cape Light Compact, Eversource and National Grid.
Bloom Energy Servers also power a Mt. Vernon, N.Y., store and have helped keep it open during several severe storms since 2014.
