Morgan Stanley Unveils Fuel-Cell Energy System at its Purchase, N.Y., Headquarters

Earlier this month, Morgan Stanley unveiled a new fuel-cell system at the firm’s headquarters in Purchase, N.Y.

The fuel-cell system and a solar-panel field completed earlier this year are the latest in a series of initiatives to improve the facility’s “energy efficiency and resiliency,” according to the financial-services firm.

The Bloom Energy fuel-cell system produces electricity without burning fossil fuels, reducing emission of greenhouse gases. The system will supply approximately 250 kilowatts of constant-base-load power to the facility, as well as grid-independent electricity to power portions of the building’s critical load during grid outages, according to the company.  

“Environmental sustainability begins at home, and Morgan Stanley is committed to improving the energy efficiency and resiliency of all of our facilities,” said Jim Rosenthal, chief operating officer of Morgan Stanley. “Annual grid consumption at Westchester has dropped from 29.1 million [kilowatt hours] in 2008 to 23.7 million [kilowatt hours] projected for 2014. We are proud of the progress we’ve achieved so far and are excited to incorporate this new technology into our facility in Westchester.”

The new solid-oxide fuel-cell system converts fuel into electricity through a highly efficient electrochemical process, resulting in onsite, clean and reliable power.

Combined with the solar field, the new installations are expected to produce approximately 3 million kilowatt hours of energy a year. During periods of peak energy consumption, they can supply approximately one megawatt, or up to 30 percent of the building’s demand, according to the company.