Kaiser Permanente to Install Bloom Box Fuel Cells at California Facilities

If you have not heard of “fuel cells” EBay and Google are also using them to power their buildings in northern California. Not too long ago 60 minutes did a story covering the “Bloom Boxes” and how they work. They are really not that big compared to the power they can provide. California is certainly in a good place with going green in all industries. In the picture at the right you can see the grey boxes and these are what supplies the power.

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Below is the 60 Minute segment that tells all about the fuel cells so we’ll be seeing them rolled out at the Kaiser Permanente facilities soon. By installing the Bloom Boxes it will reduce Kaiser Permanente's use of fossil fuels for electricity by 34 percent at the locations where they are installed. BD

OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Committed to improving the health of the communities it serves, Kaiser Permanente will deploy four megawatts of solid oxide fuel-cell generated power in a deal that will put fuel-cell generators at seven facilities in California by the end of this year. The agreement with Bloom Energy, which makes fuel cell energy servers, expands Kaiser Permanente's commitment to using sustainable energy sources.

Installing these "Bloom Boxes" at Kaiser Permanente buildings is part of a larger plan to use onsite renewable energy sources to power Kaiser Permanente's buildings nationwide. A focus on renewable energy is just one aspect of the organization's industry-leading work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the use of harmful chemicals, and promote sustainable food choices.

"Kaiser Permanente recognizes the health of the environment directly affects individual and community health," says Kathy Gerwig, vice president and environmental stewardship officer at Kaiser Permanente. "By expanding the use of cleaner energy technologies such as fuel cells, we're demonstrating our commitment to greening our energy portfolio and reducing our carbon footprint."