Al Figueroa is president of VFL Energy Technologies, Power Industry Services Division in San Diego. The unit was shut down in December 1999. VFL Energy Technologies, an engineering, consulting and services company with an office in San Diego, managed the operation of the Miramar unit. M-C Power plans to restart the plant in the future. During the recent Business Case for Fuel Cells conference in San Diego there was a healthy recognition of the technical, regulatory and economic problems to be overcome before alternative energy sources become our major sources of power.
Costs have to be reduced.
Regulatory agencies in transportation and utilities need to encourage continuous development and implementation of new energy sources by setting new realistic requirements for clean air, thus inducing the major commercial players in these fields to comply. At the same time regulations and building codes need to recognize the introduction of the new technologies with appropriate changes to allow installation of solar and fuel cell power units in residences and other buildings. San Diego likely will benefit from the advent of the power and energy revolution, first as a producer of fuel cells and solar devices, second as a user of clean energy, and third, from the clean air and quieter neighborhoods, roads and freeways.