HomeMy WebLinkAboutFedEx Ground Change Order TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
STAFF SITE CHANGE
FOR SITE & SIIBDIVISION
GENERAL:
CHANGE ORDER CONTACT PERSON Justin Adams phone No. (860)839-8373
Address 40 Kennedy Road .
Site Name FedEx Ground P&Z No. 122-9
-Owner FEM SULLIVAN ROAD LLC Phone No. 724 ,E 0244
Contractor Bloom Ener
Signature of A e Date. VZ4
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Signature of Design E Date:
CHANGE: (Describe location and nature of change. Include
Four (4) copies of plan/profile of Change. )
The project consists of the installation of a clean enemy server system consisting:of one(1)Bloomenergy FS-S
outdoor-natural gas clean energy unit. The-new clean energy unit is located on a gravel service pad within a grassed
f area to the south of the existing FedEx building. The clean energy unit is supported on a precast structural concrete pad.
The work includes all associated mechanical piping,electrical,underground piping,conduit routing,and new cast-in-place
concrete pad for the power distribution module,telemetry cabinet,water deionization module and disconnect.
Reason for Change: (Why is change required)
The purpose of the proposed project is to replace the average baseload of the building with a Class I renewable enemy
source,achieve corporate sustainability goals,and improve reliability of electrical systems and equipment.
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APPROVALS: (As Required)
Dir. Of Planning `' Date: 3/j///T_
Town Engineer Date:_
Dir. of Public Nor s Date:
,
Other: Date:
STAFF CO3MENTS:
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White - Town Engineer Yellow - Applicant
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Pink - Director of Planning Goldenrod - Engineering Department
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STATE OF CONNECTICUT
CONNECTICUT SITING COUNCIL
Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, CT 06051
Phone: (860) 827-2935 Fax: (860) 827-2950
ID MAIL E-Mail: siting.council@ct.gov
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED www.ct.gov/csc
February 21,2017
Justin Adams
Bloom Energy Corporation
1299 Orleans Drive
Sunnyvale,CA 94089
RE: PETITION NO.1284-Bloom Energy Corporation,as an agent for FedEx Ground,petition for a
declaratory ruling that no Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need is required for the
construction,operation and maintenance of a Customer-Side 250-Kilowatt Fuel Cell Facility to be located
at the FedEx Ground building,40 Kennedy Road,South Windsor,Connecticut.
Dear Mr.Adams:
At a public meeting held on February 16,2017,the Connecticut Siting Council(Council)considered and ruled that
the above-referenced proposal would not have a substantial adverse environmental effect,and pursuant to
Connecticut General Statutes§ 16-50k would not require a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public
Need,with the following conditions:
1. Approval of any minor project changes be delegated to Council staff;
2. The use of natural gas as a fuel system cleaning medium during fuel cell construction,installation or
modification shall be prohibited;
3. Submit the following information to the Council15 days prior to any fuel pipe cleaning operations related to
fuel cell construction,installation,or modification:
a. Identification of the cleaning media to be used;
b. Identification of any known hazards through use of the selected cleaning media;
c. Description of how known hazards will be mitigated, including identification of any applicable
state or federal regulations concerning hazard mitigation measures for such media;
d. Identification and description of accepted industry practices or relevant regulations concerning
the proper use of such media;
e. Provide detailed specifications (narratives/drawings)indicating the location and procedures to be
used during the pipe cleaning process,including any necessary worker safety exclusion zones;
f. Identification of the contractor or personnel performing the work,including a description of past
project experience and the level of training and qualifications necessary for performance of the
work;
g. Contact information for a special inspector hired by the project developer who is a Connecticut
Registered Engineer with specific knowledge and experience regarding electric generating
facilities or a National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspector and written approval of
such special inspector by the local fire marshal and building inspector;and
h. Certification of notice regarding pipe cleaning operations to all state agencies listed in General
Statutes § 16-50j(h) and to the Department of Consumer Protection, Department of Labor,
Department of Public Safety,Department of Public Works, and the Department of Emergency
Management and Homeland Security;
4. Compliance with the following codes and standards during fuel cell construction,installation or modification,
as applicable:
a. NFPA 54
b. NFPA 853;and
b. ASME B31;
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CONNEC17CUTSI7ING COUNCIL
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer
PETITION NO. 1284
February 21,2017
5. Unless otherwise approved by the Council, if the facility authorized herein is not fully constructed within
three years from the date of the mailing of the Council's decision,this decision shall be void,and the facility
owner/operator shall dismantle the facility and remove all associated equipment or reapply for any continued
or new use to the Council before any such use is made. The time between the filing and resolution of any
appeals of the Council's decision shall not be counted in calculating this deadline.Authority to monitor and
modify this schedule,as necessary,is delegated to the Executive Director. The facility owner/operator shall
provide written notice to the Executive Director of any schedule changes as soon as is practicable;
6. Any request for extension of the time period to fully construct the facility shall be filed with the Council not
later than 60 days prior to the expiration date of this decision and shall be served on all parties and
intervenors,if applicable,and the Town of South Windsor;
7. Within 45 days after completion of construction,the Council shall be notified in writing that construction has
been completed;
8. The facility owner/operator shall remit timely payments associated with annual assessments and invoices
submitted by the Council for expenses attributable to the facility under Conn.Gen.Stat.516-50v;
9. This Declaratory Ruling may be transferred,provided the facility owner/operator/transferor is current with
payments to the Council for annual assessments and invoices under Conn. Gen. Stat. §16-50v and the
transferee provides written confirmation that the transferee agrees to comply with the terms,limitations and
conditions contained in the Declaratory Ruling, including timely payments to the Council for annual
assessments and invoices under Conn.Gen.Stat.§16-50v;and
10. If the facility owner/operator is a wholly owned subsidiary of a corporation or other entity and is
sold/transferred to another corporation or other entity, the Council shall be notified of such sale and/or
transfer and of any change in contact information for the individual or representative responsible for
management and operations of the facility within 30 days of the sale and/or transfer.
This decision is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Council and is not applicable to any other modification or
construction.All work is to be implemented as specified in the petition,dated December 22,2016,and additional
information received on January 26,2017,and in compliance with Public Act 11-101,An Act Adopting Certain
Safety Recommendations of the Thomas Commission.
Enclosed for your information is a copy of the staff report on this project.
Ve yours,
A.�dqtujlja
Robert Stein
Chairman
RS/RDM/lm
Enclosure: Staff Report dated February 16,2017
c: The Honorable Carolyn Mirek,Mayor,Town of South Windsor
Michele R.Lipe,AICP,Director of Planning,Town of South Windsor
Matthew B.Galligan,Town Manager,Town of South Windsor
Joseph Udinskey,Bloom Energy Corporation
STATE OF CONNECTICUT
CONNECTICUT SITING COUNCIL
Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, CT 06051
Phone: (860) 827-2935 Fax: (860) 827-2950
E-Mail: siting.council@ct.gov
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www.ct.gov/csc
Petition No.1284
Bloom Energy Corporation
40 Kennedy Road,South Windsor,Connecticut
Staff Report
February 16,2017
On December 28, 2016,the Connecticut Siting Council (Council) received a petition (Petition) from Bloom
Energy Corporation (Bloom), as an agent for FedEx Ground (FedEx), for a declaratory ruling that no
Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need is required for the installation of a 250-kilowatt
(kW) solid oxide fuel cell facility at the FedEx building located at 40 Kennedy Road in South Windsor,
Connecticut.
Prior to filing the Petition,Bloom discussed the proposed facility with the Town of South Windsor Planning
and Zoning Department. Bloom provided formal notification of the project to abutting property owners,
Town of South Windsor officials and required state agencies and officials on or about December 22, 2016.
The Council submitted interrogatories to Bloom on January 23, 2017. Bloom responded to the Council's
interrogatories on January 26,2017. The Council has not received any written comments on this Petition to
date.
The project site is located on a 60.8-acre parcel that is developed with a warehouse/distribution facility. The
parcel is zoned Industrial (1) and abuts other industrially-zoned property to the south, east and west.
Residential zoning abuts the property to the north/northeast with the nearest residential property
approximately 1,700 feet to the northeast.
Bloom and FedEx have entered into an agreement whereby Bloom would install, operate and maintain one
Bloom ES-5 Energy Server fuel cell that would provide approximately 73 percent of the building's electric
needs under normal operating conditions. Any surplus electricity that is generated would feed into
Eversource's electric distribution system for use by the grid.
The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority classifies the Bloom ES-5 Energy Server fuel cell as a
Class I renewable energy source. The Bloom fuel cell uses non-combustion solid oxide technology that
consumes natural gas as fuel to generate electrical power. The facility would be a customer-side, distributed
resources project,designed only to provide electricity. The fuel cell would not have an Uninterruptible Power
Module and would not provide backup or grid-isolated power. The fuel cell has an operational life of 20
years. The solid oxide fuel cell media would be changed at five year intervals. At the end of the 20 year
contract, the facility would either be dismantled and removed from the property or maintained on-site under
a new contract.
The fuel cell facility would be located in a lawn between a parking lot and a warehouse access road in the
southwestern portion of the property. The ES-5 250-kW Energy Server fuel cell measures approximately
14.75 feet long by 8.5 feet wide by 7 feet high and would be installed on a concrete pad surround by a gravel
access area. Utility equipment would be installed on an approximate 5.75-foot by 9.5-foot concrete pad
adjacent to the fuel cell. Utility and gas connections would extend underground to the fuel cell facility from
existing service adjacent to the west side of the building.
Site safety features include bollards to protect the facility from accidental vehicle impact and locking outer
fuel cell panels to prevent unauthorized access to interior components. The fuel cell would be within an
existing secured area.
CONNEC17CUT SITING COUNCIL
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer _
Petition 1284:Bloom Energy Corporation—South Windsor
Page 2
The fuel cell facility would comply with all applicable Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
(DEEP)water quality standards. Bloom's design only requires an initial input of approximately 94 gallons of
water, after which no additional water is consumed or discharged during normal operation. The proposed
facility is not located within an aquifer protection area. The site is not within a designated 100-year or 500-
year flood zone or within a DEEP designated Coastal Management Area. The proposed project is not within
a DEEP Natural Diversity Database marked area. The nearest wetland consists of a manmade stormwater
detention basin located approximately 200 feet west of the proposed facility.
Air emissions produced during fuel cell operation would be below the applicable DEEP limits, as shown in
the table below—thus,no air permit is required:
Comparison of the Fuel Cell Facility with Applicable Air Emission Criteria
Compound Fuel Cell Facility Emission Standard
bs/MWh bs/MWh
NO. <0.01 0.071
CO <0.05 0.11
CO2 679-833 1,6502
1 Low Emissions Renewable Energy Credit Program
2 Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies Section 22a-174-42(b)(3)(C);22a-174-42(d)(2)(B)(ri)&Table 42-2
The project would result in a net carbon dioxide reduction for the environment because it would displace
emissions from traditional fossil-fueled generation. The proposed facility would reduce net CO2 emissions
for the environment by at least 25 percent per year when compared to the ISO-NE fossil fuel output
emissions rate.
The proposed facility would emit no methane (CH4), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6),hydrofluorocarbons (known
as HFCs) or perfluorocarbons (known as PFCs), which are greenhouse gasses defined in Regulations of
Connecticut State Agencies Section 22a-174-1(49),and emit negligible amounts of sulfur oxides,a component
of acid rain.
The fuel cell facility has a desulfurization process to remove the sulfur compounds which were added to the
natural gas as an odorant, with sulfur compounds collected within a canister containing sulfur filter media.
There are no air emissions related to the desulfurization process. When a desulfiutization canister is taken out
of service, typically after five years,it is taken by a Bloom contractor to a licensed out of state facility. The
desulfurization canister has been certified by the U.S. Department of Transportation for transport of this
material.
Bloom utilizes an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exemption that provides for the regulation
of the desulfurization canisters up to the point of removal of any waste. The EPA exemption has also been
incorporated into Connecticut's Hazardous Waste Management Regulations. Thus,Bloom would dispose of
desulfim ization canister substances at an EPA-permitted Transportation, Storage and Disposal Facility in
Texas.
The fuel cell facility has internal and remote 24/7 operational monitoring. Abnormal operation would cause
the unit to automatically shut down. The fuel cell can also be shut down through a remote operations center
as well as by manual switches on the unit. The fuel cell facility is designed in accordance with American
National Standards Institute and Canadian Standards Association (ANSI/CSA)America.FC 1-2014 and the
National Fire Protection Association, Inc. Standard 853 for stationary fuel cell power systems and includes
extensive safety control systems, including both automatic and manual shutdown mechanisms that comply
with pertinent engineering standards. An Emergency Response Plan for the facility has been developed by
Bloom and is included within the Petition.
Petition 1284:Bloom Energy Corporation—' South Windsor
Page 3
Any noise associated with the construction of this facility would be temporary in nature and exempt per
DEEP noise regulations. According to Bloom,the operation of the facility would result in a projected noise
value of 38 dBA at the nearest abutting property line, zoned industrial, and is well below the DEEP Noise
Control regulatory level of 70 dBA.
Visual impact from the proposed project would be minimal as it is remote from public roads and is located in
a developed industrial area.
Construction of the facility would require minimal grading and the removal of one landscape tree.
Appropriate erosion and sedimentation controls would be established prior to construction. Bloom
anticipates commencing construction in the Spring of 2017 with construction taking approximately 8 weeks.
Construction work hours would conform to Town of South Windsor construction ordinances.
The proposed installation would not have any substantial adverse environmental effect and would meet
DEEP air and water quality standards. It would reduce the emission of air pollutants that contribute to smog
and acid rain,and to a lesser extent,global climate change.
Staff recommends the following condition:
1) Approval of any minor project changes be delegated to Council staff.
Petition 1284:Bloom Energy Corporation—South Windsor
Page 4
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Location of Site—40 Kennedy Road,South Windsor