Interchange Recharged Fuel cells are powering AI data center demand: they’ve moved from interesting clean tech to major player. How are utilities using them?
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Jan 27, 2026 Akhil Bateja, Director of Technology Strategy at Bloom Energy with deep experience in fuel cells and hydrogen, joins to explain why fuel cells have leapt into data center power planning. He discusses how solid oxide fuel cells stack like Lego for fast, modular onsite power. They cover handling AI’s spiky loads with supercapacitors, grid resilience, DC power potential, and pathways to cleaner fuels like hydrogen and biogas.
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AI Data Centers Are Reshaping Power Demand
- U.S. data center announcements average 435 MW per month, creating ~175 GW committed or under construction.
- This surge strains grid and traditional interconnection timelines, driving demand for faster on-site power solutions.
Fuel Cells Offer Cleaner, Quiet Primary Power
- Bloom Energy's solid oxide fuel cells electrochemically produce electricity without combustion and emit no NOx, SOx, or particulates.
- They run quietly, consume no water during steady operation, and offer competitive economics versus other on-site options.
High Efficiency And Heat Reuse Are Key
- Bloom's SOFCs reach mid-50% electrical efficiency, exceeding single-cycle turbines and engines.
- Reusing high-temperature waste heat can push overall system efficiency toward ~90% with combined heat use.