Jobs are coming to Delaware as a fuel cell producer breaks ground on a new plant.
California fuel cell maker Bloom Energy broke ground Monday on its new 200,000-square-foot plant in Newark.
The new plant is being built on the 272-acre site of the former Chrysler automobile plant now owned by the University of Delaware.
"This factory should give hundreds of new employees a chance to put their energy into manufacturing products that will power homes and businesses across the east coast," said Gov. Jack Markell in a press release posted to his website. "It will combine the legacy of quality construction that marked the site for decades under Chrysler with a new legacy of research and innovation that will emerge from the University's new Science, Technology and Advanced Research Campus. Some of the nation's largest companies have turned to Bloom to serve their energy needs. We're excited to see Bloom turning to Delaware to build those servers. "
Blooms sees the new Delaware plant as an opportunity to expand on the east coast.
"Choosing a location for the facility that we are here to celebrate today was a very big decision for us," said KR Sridhar, Principal Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bloom Energy said in a statement. "Once the Bloom Energy Manufacturing Center is completed, we will double Bloom Energy's production capacity. Delaware complements our California roots and strategically positions us to better serve our expanding customer base."
The new plant could also create anywhere from 600 to 900 new jobs.
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Fuel cells create cleaner electricity from natural gas electrochemically without burning the fuel. Bloom has attracted venture capital funding and big name clients but industry observers say the company hasn't proven it can survive yet outside of states that heavily subsidize the technology.
Delaware has offered financial incentives and revised its renewable energy standards so that Delmarva Power can count electricity from fuel cells toward its renewable energy requirements.
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