ClearEdge Power 

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 Forty-five percent of the electricity Americans consume today comes from burning coal – a finite, toxic resource. Around the world, the Energy Information Administration predicts that demand for electricity will increase by 59 percent within the next 20 years. And for the first time ever, residential fuel cells, an alternative energy solution once used to power NASA shuttles to the moon, have been designed and developed for Americans to use to power their homes and businesses.

ClearEdge Power Chairman Jim Kohlberg and ClearEdge Power President and CEO Russell Ford joined Sierra Club Chairman Carl Pope at the Lazlo Bar at Foreign Cinema last night for a cocktail reception celebrating the one-year anniversary release of the first-ever, commercially available residential fuel cells in the United States. Local government officials, clean tech investors, high-end builders and architects also attended the event.

SierraClubGreenHome.com, a Web site created by the Sierra Club to help Americans make their homes more energy efficient, environmentally sustainable and healthy, also celebrated the launch of its Fuel Cell Center addition to its site to educate individuals about this new alternative energy option (Press click here for high and low resolution images of the site). The Fuel Cell Center, developed in partnership with ClearEdge Power, helps ordinary Americans learn about fuel cells, including how they work, how they can be used at home, how much money can be saved, what government incentives are available and what kinds of environmental benefits one can anticipate.

“This is a major development in America’s push to become energy independent,” said ClearEdge Power President and CEO Russell Ford. “We are bringing our fuel cell to other states early next year, but California, with its incredibly high energy rates and position of leadership in green initiatives, was the clear priority. Californians really need a better option, and with the ClearEdge5 fuel cell, they get that option.”

Jennifer Schwab, director of sustainability at Sierra Club Green Home, explains the importance of this technological achievement by ClearEdge Power, which invested seven years developing the stationary fuel cell.

“Billions of dollars have been invested in alternative and renewable energy technologies with not a whole lot to show for it so far in the consumer marketplace,” said Schwab. “ClearEdge Power is a true pioneer in America’s vision to create energy independence. Consumers will now be able to power their homes with only a relatively small natural gas bill. Initially, the home fuel cell makes most sense for homes with a larger footprint and power need, but as the technology is further developed and power costs continue to rise, fuel cells will become accessible to most homeowners. We urge all citizens to visit the Sierra Club Green Home website to learn more about ClearEdge Power’s fuel cells.”

About ClearEdge Power
ClearEdge Power is a privately held, technology company leading the way for smarter, cleaner on-site energy systems focused on commercial, institutional and residential buildings. The company designs, manufactures and markets the ClearEdge5 system, a unique, proven fuel cell appliance that cleanly converts natural gas to electricity and heat, offering both significant financial and energy savings, as well as a greatly reduced impact on the global environment. The ClearEdge Power corporate management systems are certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. For more information, please visit ClearEdgePower.com.

About Sierra Club Green Home
Sierra Club Green Home was developed with a simple mission in mind: to help Americans make their homes more energy efficient, environmentally sustainable and healthy. SCGH does not sell products or services. Instead, the site is designed to educate consumers on how to improve their home health and connect them with providers that can help them achieve their goals. “GreenCheck,” the SCGH screening process, ensures that all providers listed on our site can help you create a greener, healthier home by reducing consumers’ use of energy and non-renewable natural resources, as well as the presence of toxins and chemicals in the home. While SCGH’s education contains some fairly sophisticated content, the primary focus is toward “non-green” and “newly green” citizens. Research indicates the vast majority of Americans are not taking even simple steps to reduce their impact — things like installing CFLs, turning off the water when brushing teeth, recycling cans, bottles and newspapers, or looking for organic produce options. This is where SCGH can have the greatest benefit, by influencing people to take those simple first steps to practice environmental responsibility at home. Vast amounts of education can be found at www.SierraClubGreenHome.com.