While Congress is on a five week recess from Washington, 5th District Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty is using the time to tour the region.  She stopped in Danbury yesterday where she visited the Danbury Mall to see how the fuel cell site installed there recently is working.

The 750 kilowatt fuel cell array is providing the mall with more than a third of the electricity used by the 1.3 million square foot shopping center.  The fuel cell project was installed by California-based Bloom Energy.

The project was financed in partnership with Washington Gas Energy Services and the Connecticut Low-emission Renewable Energy Certificate Program.  The gas company paid for the fuel cells, and the mall is paying the gas company for the electricity generated from the units.

More than 400 solar panels are planned for the central roof of the mall.  The shopping center installed energy efficient exterior LED lighting and a thermoplastic white reflective roof.  In addition to recycling cardboard and plastic, the mall is now composting food waste.