SUFFIELD, CT — A developer wants to install 16 natural gas-powered fuel cells behind a Bennett Road warehouse, generating electricity through a chemical reaction while raising questions about noise near a neighboring home.
DE Suffield FC LLC, affiliated with Dispatch Energy/Renewables, is seeking state clearance for the 4.975-megawatt facility at 2 Bennett Road. The proposal is pending before the Connecticut Siting Council.
Fuel cells turn the chemical energy in fuel into electricity rather than burning it to run an engine. Units using natural gas draw on hydrogen in that fuel and oxygen from the air, producing electricity, heat, water and carbon dioxide, according to U.S. Department of Energy guidance. They can keep generating power as long as fuel is supplied.
The Suffield equipment would occupy part of the warehouse parking lot and surrounding grounds, with a fenced area covering about 0.24 acres of the 2.62-acre property, according to Department of Energy and Environmental Protection comments.
DEEP said the project was selected for Connecticut's Shared Clean Energy Facilities program, which provides electricity bill credits to low-income and other eligible subscribers.
The agency's air-permitting staff said fuel cells produce near-zero levels of regulated air pollutants. Natural gas-powered fuel cells still produce carbon dioxide.
Dispatch Energy says its proposed facilities would have no substantial adverse environmental effect and would nearly eliminate regulated emissions, CT Insider reported. According to that report, the company anticipates starting construction in summer 2027 and completing the work in about six months, if approved.
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Noise is a central concern in the state reviews. DEEP said projected sound at the nearest residential property boundary could reach about 52 decibels, above its 51-decibel nighttime limit.
"Noise levels might exceed local and state noise ordinances," the agency wrote, recommending a noise study after construction if the facility is approved.
The Council on Environmental Quality raised additional questions in an Oct. 29 letter. It asked whether the developer's analysis included all 16 fuel cells and three transformers operating at the same time.
The council also identified a discrepancy in the equipment's distance from residential land. The application described about 150 feet, while a site drawing appeared to show roughly 83 feet between the closest fuel cell and the residential property to the south.
Although the developer's analysis recommended noise controls along the site's southern edge, the council said the filing did not explain what those measures would be or show they would meet noise limits.
It recommended clarifying projected sound levels, identifying noise controls and testing the completed facility at full operation. It also sought confirmation of wetlands boundaries by a qualified soil scientist and a minimum 100-foot vegetated buffer between wetlands and proposed equipment.
DEEP cautioned that its review "should not be considered to be a final endorsement or rejection."
The Siting Council's posted schedule lists Dec. 7 for action on the petition and April 6, 2027, for a final decision. The listed public comment deadline was Nov. 7.
For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.
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