Fuelcell Energy Inc (FCEL) and Alliance Power have formed a joint venture, Alliance Star Energy LLC, which has entered into a Master Energy Services Agreement (MESA) with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. The MESA provides the framework for fuel cell power plant projects for Starwood’s hotels and will streamline the process for business opportunities between Starwood and Alliance Star Energy. Initial focus will be in California, but the MESA is open to all of Starwood’s hotels and resort properties. The first project under this MESA is to provide one megawatt of fuel cell power to the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, the fourth hotel employing FuelCell Energy’s ‘ultra-clean’ Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) technology. Four 250-kilowatt DFC power plants will supply base load electricity for the 1,044-room hotel. The heat byproduct will be used for the hotel’s Lagoon Pool. Delivery is expected in the fourth calendar quarter of 2005. [ more ]
