SOURCE: Fujitsu America, Inc.
August 17, 2007 14:00 ET
Fujitsu Becomes First Silicon Valley Company to Install Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power
New Power Plant Is Clean, Sustainable and Economically Viable Step for Fighting Global Warming by Reducing CO2 Emissions
SUNNYVALE, CA--(Marketwire - August 17, 2007) - Fujitsu America, Inc. today dedicated a
hydrogen fuel cell on its Sunnyvale campus. The fuel cell provides clean,
efficient power for the campus data center and other operations,
significantly reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Fujitsu, the first
Silicon Valley company to install its own hydrogen power plant, has spent a
decade making a significant, sustainable investment in enterprise-wide
initiatives designed to reduce the environmental impact of its products and
operations. The hydrogen fuel cell will provide 50 percent of the power
needed to cool the Fujitsu Sunnyvale campus data center and labs, reducing
the amount of fossil fuel that must be burned to maintain operations and
easing pressure on the local power grid.
According to the EPA, data centers across the U.S. consumed about 61
billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2006, roughly 1.5 percent of the total U.S.
electricity consumption, and based on current trends, consumption is
expected to double by 2011. The fossil fuel-burning power plants used to
generate this electricity release more than 40 percent of the total U.S.
CO2 emissions, a prime contributor to global warming.
"Our real-world use of the hydrogen fuel cell is a clear demonstration of
the ability of corporations to make a significant and financially
responsible investment in reducing harmful impacts on the environment, with
the ultimate goal of reversing global warming," said Tetsuo Urano, head of
American operations, Fujitsu America. "With a payback of about three and a
half years and a lifespan of about 15 years, hydrogen power is an excellent
investment for the company. All of us at Fujitsu have a deep commitment to
environmental responsibility, and we are proud of the leadership we've
shown over the years, from reducing our carbon footprint, to eliminating
lead and other harmful wastes from our supply chain and products, to broad
recycling and reuse programs. We will continue to invest in innovation and
programs that are both good for the environment and good for our business."
The hydrogen fuel cell installed on the Fujitsu Sunnyvale campus is the UTC
Power PureCell(TM) Model 200 system, featuring ultra-low emissions. It
meets the most stringent air emissions standards as set by the California
Air Resources Board (CARB 07). Although it utilizes natural gas, it
produces 35 percent less CO2 per megawatt-hour than the average fossil
fuel-based power plant, and approximately 4,000 lbs per year less NOx, the
equivalent of taking more than 100 average passenger cars off the road. The
system has a low sound profile at 60 decibels at 30 feet, and emits no
ozone-depleting fluorocarbons. Fujitsu America will also be contributing to
water conservation. When compared to conventional power plants, a UTC Power
PureCell(TM) Model 200 system will save at least 800,000 gallons of water
per year. Over the 15-year life of the fuel cell system, Fujitsu will leave
12 million gallons of water untouched.
"Fujitsu is a model for how large organizations can work through the
process of understanding their energy requirements, researching the best
solution to meet their fiscal requirements and their environmental impact
goals, and then making a solid, long-term investment in a clean, efficient,
cost-effective energy system," said Jan van Dokkum, UTC Power President.
"Our environmentally advanced UTC Power PureCell(TM) products offer proven
reliability, energy productivity and a reduced carbon footprint to benefit
our customers and their communities."
The Greening of Fujitsu
The hydrogen fuel cell is just the latest environmental initiative for
Fujitsu. Other corporate-wide initiatives include meeting the stringent
requirements of the European Union's RoHS standard for eliminating toxic
substances; establishing end-of-life product recycling programs in North
America, Europe and Asia; and initiating a variety of operational and
employee-based programs such as recycling, carpooling, reduced lighting,
and compulsory e-learning programs on the environment. Fujitsu has made the
Dow Jones Sustainability World Index eight years in a row, and the
FTSE4Good Index Series five years in a row. (1)
Fujitsu currently has 16 Silver-rated LifeBook(R) mobile PC and
Stylistic(R) tablet PC products registered on the Electronic Product
Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) (2). Fujitsu also has notebook
computers that comply with the new stricter ENERGY STAR(R) 4.0 guidelines,
and the company is an early participant in the Climate Savers Computing
Initiative (3). The Fujitsu PRIMERGY(R) TX120 server currently has the
world's smallest footprint of any server and PRIMERGY and PRIMEQUEST(TM)
servers offer a Cool Safe Design for increased cooling efficiency.
ETERNUS(R) storage systems offer Massive Array of Idle Disks (MAID) that
conserve energy by powering down when not in use. Fujitsu has introduced a
new 2.5-inch hard disk drive that reduces power consumption by more than 50
percent and footprint by nearly 70 percent. High-speed, RoHS-compliant
document scanners allow Fujitsu and customers to reduce the use of paper in
offices. And by producing technical documentation only on CD ROM and DVD,
one Fujitsu division is saving 2.6 million pieces of paper per year.
Fujitsu was also the first company to utilize a bio-based polymer made from
corn and other plant starches in fabricating notebook PC housings.
About Fujitsu America, Inc.
Fujitsu America, Inc. provides administrative and financial support to
Fujitsu North American Companies. The company offers shared services in IT,
facilities, HR operations, employee benefit programs, as well as payroll
and other administrative functions. In addition, Fujitsu America supports
its sister companies in tax, legal and customs for compliance purposes. The
company also supports Fujitsu Limited, its Japanese parent company, in
procurement operations, and provides IT support to the National
Astronomical Observatory of Japan with the operation of the Subaru
telescope in Hilo, Hawaii.
About Fujitsu
Fujitsu is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and communications
solutions for the global marketplace. Pace-setting device technologies,
highly reliable computing and communications products, and a worldwide
corps of systems and services experts uniquely position Fujitsu to deliver
comprehensive solutions that open up infinite possibilities for its
customers' success. Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702)
reported consolidated revenues of 5.1 trillion yen (US$43.2 billion) for
the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007. See http://www.fujitsu.com for
further information.
Fujitsu, the Fujitsu logo, LifeBook, PRIMEQUEST, and ETERNUS are trademarks
or registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited in the United States and other
countries. Stylistic is a trademark or registered trademark of Fujitsu
Computer Systems Corporation in the United States and other countries.
PRIMERGY is a trademark or registered trademark of Fujitsu Siemens
Computers GmbH in the United States and other countries. ENERGY STAR is a
U.S. registered mark of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
All other trademarks and product names are the property of their respective
owners.
The statements provided herein are for informational purposes only and may
be amended or altered by Fujitsu America, Inc. without notice or liability.
Product description data represents Fujitsu design objectives and is
provided for comparative purposes; actual results may vary based on a
variety of factors. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Copyright 2007 Fujitsu America, Inc. All rights reserved.
(1) The Dow Jones Sustainability World Index consists of companies
representing the top 10 percent of the leading corporate sustainability
companies in 58 industry groups across 24 countries. These companies are
selected from the largest 2,500 companies by market cap in the Dow Jones
Global Indexes. Corporate Sustainability is a business approach that
creates long-term shareholder value by embracing opportunities and managing
risks deriving from economic, environmental and social developments. The
FTSE4Good Index Series has been designed to measure the performance of
companies that meet globally recognized corporate responsibility standards,
and to facilitate investment in those companies. Transparent management and
criteria alongside the FTSE brand make FTSE4Good the index of choice for
the creation of Socially Responsible Investment products. FTSE Group (FTSE)
is a leader in the creation and management of more than 100,000 equity,
bond and hedge fund indices.
(2) EPEAT, operated by the Green Electronics Council (GEC), helps buyers
evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors
based on their environmental attributes. EPEAT also provides a clear and
consistent set of performance criteria for the design of products, and
provides an opportunity for manufacturers to secure market recognition for
efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its products.
(3) The Climate Savers Computing Initiative brings together industry,
consumers and conservation organizations to significantly increase the
energy efficiency of computers and servers. Visit
http://www.climatesaverscomputing.org/.