Bloom Energy Debuts Advanced Fuel Cell to Provide Clean,Reliable, and Affordable Power 24/7
Bloom Energy Server provides continuous onsite electricity from wide range of
renewable or traditional fuel sources
Industry-leading customers include Bank of America, Coca-Cola,
Cox Enterprises, eBay, Google, FedEx, Staples, and Walmart
Sunnyvale, CA - February 24, 2010— ( Investorideas.com Renewable Energy Newswire ) Bloom Energy Corporation, a Silicon Valley-based company committed to changing the way people generate and consume energy, announced
today the availability of the Bloom Energy Server™, a patented solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)
technology that provides a cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable alternative to both today’s
electric grid as well as traditional renewable energy sources. The Bloom Energy Server provides
distributed power generation, allowing customers to efficiently create their own electricity onsite.
The company introduced its groundbreaking technology at an event hosted today at eBay Inc.
headquarters along with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, General Colin Powell, and
several of its early customers.
Built using abundant and affordable materials, Bloom’s fuel cell technology is fundamentally
different from the legacy “hydrogen” fuel cells most people are familiar with. The Bloom Energy
Server is distinct in four primary ways: it uses lower cost materials, provides unmatched efficiency
in converting fuel to electricity, has the ability to run on a wide range of renewable or traditional
fuels, and is more easily deployed and maintained.
Unlike traditional renewable energy technologies, like solar and wind, which are intermittent,
Bloom’s technology can provide renewable power 24/7.
Each Bloom Energy Server provides 100 kilowatts (kW) of power in roughly the footprint of a
parking space. Each system generates enough power to meet the needs of approximately 100
average U.S. homes or a small office building. For more power, customers simply deploy multiple
Energy Servers side by side. The modular architecture allows customers to start small and “pay
as they grow”.
Bloom’s customers have deployed the solution to lower and/or fix their energy costs, while
significantly cutting their carbon footprint and enhancing their energy security by reducing their
dependence on the grid. Customers who purchase Bloom’s systems can expect a 3-5 year
payback on their capital investment from the energy cost savings. Depending on whether they are
using a fossil or renewable fuel, they can also achieve a 40-100% reduction in their carbon
footprint as compared with the U.S. grid. Customers announced today include Bank of America
(NYSE: BAC); The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO); Cox Enterprises; eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY);
FedEx Express, an operating company of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX); Google (Nasdaq: GOOG);
Staples (Nasdaq: SPLS); and Walmart (NYSE: WMT).
Since the first commercial customer installation in July 2008, Bloom’s Energy Servers have
collectively produced more than 11 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, with CO2 reductions
estimated at 14 million pounds – the equivalent of powering approximately 1,000 American
homes for a year and planting one million trees.
“Bloom Energy is dedicated to making clean, reliable energy affordable for everyone in the world,”
said Dr. KR Sridhar, principal co-founder and CEO of Bloom Energy. “We believe that we can
have the same kind of impact on energy that the mobile phone had on communications. Just as
cell phones circumvented landlines to proliferate telephony, Bloom Energy will enable the
adoption of distributed power as a smarter, localized energy source. Our customers are the
cornerstone of that vision and we are thrilled to be working with industry leading companies to
lower their energy costs, reduce their carbon footprint, improve their energy security, and
showcase their commitment to a better future.“
Powder to Power – How It Works
Founded in 2001, Bloom Energy can trace its roots to the NASA Mars space program. For NASA,
Sridhar and his team were charged with building technology to help sustain life on Mars using
solar energy and water to produce air to breath and fuel for transportation. They soon realized
that their technology could have an even greater impact here on Earth and began work on what
would become the Bloom Energy Server.
The Bloom Energy Server converts air and nearly any fuel source – ranging from natural gas to a
wide range of biogases – into electricity via a clean electrochemical process, rather than dirty
combustion. Even running on a fossil fuel, the systems are approximately 67% cleaner than a
typical coal-fired power plant. When powered by a renewable fuel, they can be 100% cleaner.
Each Energy Server consists of thousands of Bloom's fuel cells – flat, solid ceramic squares
made from a common sand-like "powder."
“Today we are witnessing something special," said John Doerr, partner at Kleiner Perkins
Caufield & Byers and Bloom Energy board member. "This is new kind of product announcement.
It comes long after a product has shipped and it comes directly from marquis customers. For
years, there have been promises of new energy solutions that are clean, distributed, affordable,
and reliable; today we learn that Bloom, formerly in stealth, has actually delivered. Americans
want clean, affordable, energy, 24x7 -- and all the jobs that go with it. Bloom's boxes are a
breakthrough, serving energy, serving demanding customers, and serving our country."
Bloom Energy’s management team possesses expertise across a number of relevant industries,
including aerospace, high volume manufacturing, semiconductors, automotive, naval nuclear, and
Silicon Valley startups. In addition to CEO Sridhar, the company’s board members include John
Doerr, partner, Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers; General Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of
State; Scott Sandell, general partner, New Enterprise Associates (NEA); T.J. Rodgers, chairman,
SunPower; and Eddy Zervigon, managing director, Morgan Stanley.
Bloom Energy’s investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, representing the firm’s first
clean tech investment, as well as Morgan Stanley, NEA, and Northgate Capital.
About Bloom Energy
Bloom Energy is a provider of breakthrough solid oxide fuel cell technology that generates clean,
highly-efficient power onsite from virtually any fuel source. Bloom Energy’s mission is to make
clean, reliable energy affordable for everyone in the world. The Bloom Energy Server is currently
producing power for several Fortune 500 companies. The company is headquartered in
Sunnyvale, CA. For more information, visit BloomEnergy.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that reflect Bloom Energy’s judgment and involve risks and
uncertainties as of the date of this release, including without limitation the statements related to anticipated
product development timelines and Bloom Energy’s manufacturing strategy. All forward-looking statements
and other information included in this press release are based on information available to Bloom Energy as
of the date hereof, and Bloom Energy assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements
or information. Bloom Energy's actual results could differ materially from those described in Bloom Energy's
forward-looking statements. Other factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are
not limited to, risks related to significant regulatory, supply and competitive barriers to entry and risks related
to the Bloom Energy's manufacturing strategy which relies heavily on third party suppliers for a significant
portion of the contents of the Bloom Energy Server.
Bloom Energy Server(R) is a registered trademark of Bloom Energy Corporation. All other names are
trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Press Contacts:
Nicki Dugan
bloom@outcastpr.com
____________________________________________
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