Sierra Nevada uses beer waste to reduce energy costs

CALIFORNIA - Sierra Nevada, the U.S. brewer, is using beer power to reduce its energy costs with the help of FuelCell Energy, a manufacturer of ultra-clean electric power plants.

The move was made possible by the recent upgrading of FuelCell Energy's 1-megawatt direct fuel cell power plant at the Sierra Nevada brewery, to use fuel created from a waste by product of the beer brewing process.

Through the upgrade Sierra Nevada has increased its sustainability and energy-efficiency, while realizing substantial cost savings by offsetting its purchase of natural gas.

The brewery's fuel cell power plant, which began running last summer and was dedicated by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, initially ran on natural gas.

To boost the brewery's energy efficiency and ecologically friendly profile, Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman sought to convert the ultra-clean fuel cells from operating solely on natural gas to a gas mixture that the brewery produced as a byproduct, methane.

The 1 MW power plant, one of three FuelCell Energy megawatt-class sites now running in California, is classified as an ultra-clean technology under California law and provides virtually 100% of Sierra Nevada's base load power requirements.

In a statement, Mr Grossman said: "The fuel cell power plant provides us with reliable, 24/7 electricity and helps make our energy self-sufficiency a reality."