Editing 4 Times Square (section)

==== Fuel cells ====
[[File:Condé Nast Building Times Square.jpg|thumb|alt=The building's southeastern corner, with a glass facade on Broadway and a masonry facade on 42nd Street|Southeastern corner, showing the glass facade on Broadway (left) and masonry facade on 42nd Street (right)]]

The building is partially powered by two [[fuel cell]]s that are capable of {{cvt|200|kW}} each.<ref name="Stern (2006) p. 715" /><ref name="nyt20020317" /><ref name="Stephens pp. 95-96">{{harvnb|Stephens|2000a|ps=.|pp=95–96}}</ref> They are installed on the fourth floor.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Brown |first=Kathryn |date=Oct 1999 |title=Invisible energy |journal=Discover |volume=20 |pages=36, 38 |id={{ProQuest|205989663}}|number=10}}</ref> The two cells could provide 50 percent of the exterior signs' nighttime power needs but a minuscule amount of the daytime needs.<ref name="nyt19970928" /> They could generate eight percent of the building's total electricity.<ref name="Stern (2006) p. 715" /><ref name="Stephens pp. 95-96" /> The fuel cells cost $1 million and were made by [[United Technologies Corporation]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bloomberg News |date=February 25, 2000 |title=Metro Business; Powered by Fuel Cells |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/25/nyregion/metro-business-powered-by-fuel-cells.html |access-date=September 20, 2021 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921015640/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/25/nyregion/metro-business-powered-by-fuel-cells.html |url-status=live}}</ref> As part of an agreement with [[Consolidated Edison]] (Con Ed), which operates much of New York City's power-supply system, the cells must be turned off during a power failure, such as the [[Northeast blackout of 2003]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Holusha |first=John |date=August 24, 2003 |title=Commercial Property/After the Blackout; Independent Generators Are Generating Interest |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/24/realestate/commercial-property-after-blackout-independent-generators-are-generating.html |access-date=September 20, 2021 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921152919/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/24/realestate/commercial-property-after-blackout-independent-generators-are-generating.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hendrick |first=Daniel |date=August 14, 2005 |title=Shifting the balance of power |pages=18, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85672460/shifting-the-balance-of-power/ 19] |work=Newsday|issn=2574-5298 |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85672407/shifting-the-balancedaniel-hendrick/ |access-date=September 20, 2021 |archive-date=September 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920213222/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85672407/shifting-the-balancedaniel-hendrick/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Fox & Fowle originally planned to include eight fuel cells, which would have been capable of generating {{cvt|12800000|kWh}} of power annually, including all of the exterior signs' power needs.<ref name="nyt19970330" /> Along with the photovoltaic panels on the facade, the fuel cells would have been able to provide most of the power for 4 Times Square, with building managers purchasing power from the city's electrical grid from Con Ed only as needed.<ref name="nyt19970330" /><ref name="Stephens pp. 95-96" /> The fuel cells would have to run continuously to operate efficiently, since they could not be turned off or on easily, but the building's power needs were much lower at night during the day.<ref name="p398625408" /><ref name="nyt19970928">{{Cite news |last=Holusha |first=John |date=September 28, 1997 |title=Commercial Property/Electricity and Gas; Energy Deregulation: Lower Costs, More Confusion |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/28/realestate/commercial-property-electricity-gas-energy-deregulation-lower-costs-more.html |access-date=September 19, 2021 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921101930/https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/28/realestate/commercial-property-electricity-gas-energy-deregulation-lower-costs-more.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Furthermore, each cell cost $600,000.<ref name="p398625408" /> Consequently, plans for six of the eight fuel cells were discarded in 1997.<ref name="p398625408" /><ref name="nyt19970928" />