Monday, September 22, 2008

HBH Gas Systems Announces Central Propane Gas System Installation At Rocky Creek Development Near Austin, Texas

HBH Gas Systems has announced the planned installation of a Central Propane Gas Distribution System to fuel the new Rocky Creek Ranch community just west of Austin, Texas. The development is located in an area that lacks reasonable access to natural gas infrastructure. Extending the natural gas infrastructure to the site was not feasible due to financial and logistical constraints. Knowing that their homeowners would greatly prefer dual-fuels over all-electric homes, the developers of Rocky Creek Ranch turned to HBH Gas Systems to implement a Central Gas System.

Austin, Texas (PRWEB) September 9, 2008 -- HBH Gas Systems has announced the planned installation of a Central Propane Gas Distribution System to fuel the new Rocky Creek Ranch community just west of Austin, Texas. The development is located in an area that lacks reasonable access to natural gas infrastructure. Extending the natural gas infrastructure to the site was not feasible due to financial and logistical constraints. Knowing that their homeowners would greatly prefer dual-fuels over all-electric homes, the developers of Rocky Creek Ranch turned to HBH Gas Systems to implement a Central Gas System.

The Central Gas System that HBH Gas Systems will bring to Rocky Creek Ranch will provide each home in the community with individually metered gas from a single, centralized propane tank. A Central Gas System provides gas that is piped underground to the homes and facilities from a centralized tank. It is metered and billed in a manner identical to a natural gas system.
Phase 1 of Rocky Creek Ranch consists of 154 lots. At final buildout, the development will include 396 lots spanning 468 acres. The community's gas homes are expected to average over 3,500 square feet and most are in the $400,000 range. High-efficiency gas appliances that will be installed in the homes at Rocky Creek Ranch include on-demand tankless water heaters, gas furnaces, kitchen appliances, outdoor gas stubs for barbecue grills or full outdoor kitchens, among many more gas-fueled options that are made possible by the Central Gas System. The system at Rocky Creek further illustrates the scalability and diversity of applications that are hallmarks of an HBH Gas System.

In general, homeowners greatly prefer homes with gas fuel because gas appliances are more efficient and more comfortable. Builders prefer building in communities with underground piped, metered gas because, in addition to homeowner preference, they are able to offer more appliance upgrades and additional amenities like pool heaters, outdoor kitchens and fire pits, and impactful accents like gas lamps. Developers who implement Central Gas Systems from HBH Gas Systems can steer their off-grid developments away from the inefficient, carbon-heavy electric grid toward more sustainable development fueled by gas. Both builders and developers enjoy the tremendous marketing advantages of offering gas fuel where it is otherwise not available.

HBH Gas Systems specializes in the marketing, design, and implementation of fully-engineered Central Gas Distribution Systems, or Central Propane Systems, nationwide. To obtain more information about this project or HBH Gas Systems visit http://www.hbhsystems.com/ or contact Harris Baker at 512-306-0073 or info@hbhsystems.com.

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See the whole press release online: HBH Gas Systems Announces Central Propane Gas System Installation At Rocky Creek Development Near Austin, Texas

See the press release on the HBH Gas Systems News & Updates page

FuelCell Energy Completes Successful Demonstration of ‘On-the-Fly’ Dual Fuel Operation of Fuel Cell with Standard Propane

Here's a very interesting application of propane:

DANBURY, Conn. FuelCell Energy, Inc., a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean electric power generation plants for commercial, industrial and government customers, today announced the successful demonstration of its stationary power plants’ ability to switch rapidly between fuels, validating the systems’ capacity to guard against fuel supply interruptions from natural disasters or security issues at mission-critical facilities.

Evaluated in conjunction with Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), operators of the Department of Defense (DoD) Fuel Cell Test and Evaluation Center (FCTec) in Johnstown, Pa., the power plant continued to generate base load electricity on a secondary fuel supply (propane) when the loss of its primary fuel source (natural gas) was triggered during testing. This rapid fuel switch was successfully demonstrated more than 40 times during operations exceeding 3000 hours.

The R&D project is being sponsored by the federal government to demonstrate the “dual fuel” capability of Direct FuelCell power plants. CTC is the primary contractor to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, involving its Engineer Research and Development Center's Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL). FuelCell Energy and CTC operated a sub-megawatt DFC power plant on HD-5 propane fuel at full load achieving an electrical efficiency of 46 percent. The Johnstown plant continues to operate, having accumulated a total of 3060 hours on propane and generated 425 Megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity as of June 28, 2006. The plant also operated 550 hours on natural gas - generating an additional 45 MWh.“

Successful dual fuel testing demonstrates DFC power plants can be a vital part of our nation's homeland security efforts by providing ultra-clean, firm base load power at mission-critical facilities,” said Christopher R. Bentley, Executive Vice President of Government Research and Development Operations. “On-the-fly switching among fuel sources enhances the flexibility and value of our DFC products.”

Propane, a readily available fuel that can easily be stored onsite, is used as a primary fuel in isolated or sensitive locations such as islands, remote sites, national parks, data centers, military bases, hotels, and hospitals, and, therefore, is an ideal backup fuel for DFC power plants. The DoD can enhance the energy reliability at its facilities around the world by using HD-5 propane in conjunction with FuelCell Energy's DFC power plants.

Rapid fuel switching from natural gas to propane and back again was achieved on more than 40 fuel swaps at various load levels while the plant was generating power. The fuel swap to backup propane occurs instantaneously when the system detects natural gas pressure dropping below a predetermined trigger point.

Improved in-line fuel utilization measurement technology was also successfully tested, improving fuel flow control. This is important for propane operation since a rapid change in fuel composition occurs when filling the propane fuel tank. This technology played a key role in achieving the rapid validation of the instantaneous fuel switching.

With increasing focus on establishing effective homeland security measures, the rapid fuel switching capability of FuelCell Energy's DFC products can provide enhanced on-site power generation options for facilities where reliable 24/7 power is essential, said Franklin H. Holcomb, CERL's Fuel Cell Team Project Leader. “Multiple fuel operation is part of the rapid evolution of fuel cells as a replacement for conventional electric power where high efficiency, increased reliability, reduced harmful emissions and lower noise levels are key requirements for installation.”

Testing validated the DFC power plant is capable of continuous long-term high-load high-efficiency operation on propane, as well as instantaneous fuel switching from natural gas to propane in the event of loss of natural gas supply without loss of power. The unit can also switch back to natural gas from propane, instantaneously and on-load, once natural gas service is restored.

The project is supported by funding through DoD, the U.S. Army and ERDC-CERL.

Source: Fuel Cell Today: link

Central Gas Systems from HBH Gas Systems

HBH Gas Systems Announces Central Propane Gas System Installation At Rocky Creek Development Near Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas – HBH Gas Systems has announced the planned installation of a Central Propane Gas Distribution System to fuel the new Rocky Creek Ranch community just west of Austin, Texas. The development is located in an area that lacks reasonable access to natural gas infrastructure. Extending the natural gas infrastructure to the site was not feasible due to financial and logistical constraints. Knowing that their homeowners would greatly prefer dual-fuels over all-electric homes, the developers of Rocky Creek Ranch turned to HBH Gas Systems to implement a Central Gas System.

The Central Gas System that HBH Gas Systems will bring to Rocky Creek Ranch will provide each home in the community with individually metered gas from a single, centralized propane tank. A Central Gas System provides gas that is piped underground to the homes and facilities from a centralized tank. It is metered and billed in a manner identical to a natural gas system.

Phase 1 of Rocky Creek Ranch consists of 154 lots. At final buildout, the development will include 396 lots spanning 468 acres. The community’s gas homes are expected to average over 3,500 square feet and most are in the $400,000 range. High-efficiency gas appliances that will be installed in the homes at Rocky Creek Ranch include on-demand tankless water heaters, gas furnaces, kitchen appliances, outdoor gas stubs for barbecue grills or full outdoor kitchens, among many more gas-fueled options that are made possible by the Central Gas System. The system at Rocky Creek further illustrates the scalability and diversity of applications that are hallmarks of an HBH Gas System.

In general, homeowners greatly prefer homes with gas fuel because gas appliances are more efficient and more comfortable. Builders prefer building in communities with underground piped, metered gas because, in addition to homeowner preference, they are able to offer more appliance upgrades and additional amenities like pool heaters, outdoor kitchens and fire pits, and impactful accents like gas lamps. Developers who implement Central Gas Systems from HBH Gas Systems can steer their off-grid developments away from the inefficient, carbon-heavy electric grid toward more sustainable development fueled by gas. Both builders and developers enjoy the tremendous marketing advantages of offering gas fuel where it is otherwise not available.

HBH Gas Systems specializes in the marketing, design, and implementation of fully-engineered Central Gas Distribution Systems, or Central Propane Systems, nationwide. To obtain more information about this project or HBH Gas Systems visit http://www.hbhsystems.com/ or contact Harris Baker at 512-306-0073 or info@hbhsystems.com.

See this Press Release Online: HBH Gas Systems Announces Central Propane Gas System Installation At Rocky Creek Development Near Austin, Texas