Tri-gen Receives U.S. Department of Energy 2025 Better Project Award

by Toyota | May 1, 2025

FuelCell Energy, Inc. (FuelCell Energy) and Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) today announced that the first-of-its-kind 'Tri-gen' facility at the Port of Long Beach has received the U.S. Department of Energy's 2025 Better Project Award. The Better Project Award recognizes accomplishments at individual facilities for innovative and industry-leading accomplishments in implementing energy, water, and waste reduction efficiency measures.

'Tri-gen is an excellent example of FuelCell Energy's game-changing innovation, delivering solutions that empower our customers' businesses with clean energy without requiring them to sacrifice their established business models or operations,' FuelCell Energy CEO and President Jason Few said. 'We were proud of our collaboration with Toyota to create solutions that are as practical as they are transformative and to be part of the Port of Long Beach's efforts to improve the air quality in its community for its residents.'

'It is truly an honor to see the Tri-gen facility receive this award from the U.S. Department of Energy, a testament to the magnitude of the system's impact, scalability, and ingenuity in addressing environmental challenges,' TMNA Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs Group Vice President Tom Stricker said. 'FuelCell Energy's platform has helped us accomplish several of our own environmental goals simultaneously, and the result is a model that sets a precedent for integrating hydrogen solutions into clean energy ecosystems as a proven way to enrich communities and strengthen energy independence.'

Commissioned by Toyota and owned and operated by FuelCell Energy, Tri-gen produces three products for port vehicle processing operations at Toyota Logistics Services: renewable electricity, renewable hydrogen and usable water.

Tri-gen converts directed biogas from a California wastewater treatment facility digesting organic waste diverted from landfills to generate up to 2.3 megawatts of renewable electricity through an electrochemical process. The use of renewable electricity helps reduce more than 9,000 tons of anticipated CO2 emissions and avoid more than six tons of grid NOx emissions annually. Electricity not used by Toyota is returned to the local utility.

Additionally, Tri-gen produces up to 1,200 kilograms of hydrogen daily for fuel cell electric vehicles, such as the 2025 Toyota Mirai and class 8 trucks.

Finally, Tri-gen recycles about 1,400 gallons of water daily, which is used to wash newly processed vehicles prior to delivery, reducing water usage from the local utility.

The successful implementation of this project exemplifies commitment to sustainable solutions from both Toyota and FuelCell Energy. Both Toyota and FuelCell Energy believe that the emerging approach used in Tri-gen can be replicated to serve customers and markets at a lower cost with a lower environmental impact than existing alternatives.

Toyota and FuelCell Energy celebrated the grand opening of Tri-gen in May 2024.

To learn more about the Better Project Awards, visit: Better Project and Better Practice Awards | Better Buildings Initiative

Photo credit: Toyota
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