In statehouses across the country, there’s a good chance a conversation is underway about one of the most pressing challenges of the moment: how to power data centers without overstressing the electric grid or driving up costs for consumers.
For many leaders, the answer is becoming increasingly clear: if you want to build a data center, you need to bring your own power—or pay to add more.
One of the most notable voices is Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, whose recent budget address has gained national attention. In unveiling the state’s new Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development standards, Shapiro called for a fundamental reset in how data centers are built and powered. His message was unmistakable: developers who want to build in Pennsylvania must supply their own power or pay their way.
This approach reflects a growing consensus among energy experts and regulators that distributed, onsite power solutions can prevent grid strain, protect ratepayers, and shield communities from negative impacts on natural resources and air quality.
FuelCell Energy’s innovative technology fits squarely within this model.
Our systems have been delivering distributed power for 23 years, and they are engineered to deliver:
- Firm, reliable 24/7 power
- Ultra‑high efficiency to reduce overall resource consumption
- Near‑zero NOx, SOx, and particulate emissions
- Modular scalability for mission‑critical, always‑on environments—including data centers
FuelCell Energy and Communities: A Good Fit
FuelCell Energy has nearly a gigawatt of systems deployed around the world, operating both behind and in front of the meter at our customers’ sites, but all fitting well in local communities. Our installation in Derby, Conn., which sits quietly alongside our state’s Housatonic River, delivers competitively priced Class I Renewable Energy as part of a 20-year power purchase agreement with local utilities. The result is reduced emissions and greater grid reliability.
The site’s compact design, quiet operation, and clean emissions profile made it easy to site in a populated area like Derby. For states like Pennsylvania, which seek economic growth without burdening communities or ratepayers, and for developers who need certainty in power delivery, solutions like ours are available now and essential.
A National Trend That’s Only Growing
Across the country, communities and leaders are sending a clear message: they support data center growth, but not at the expense of local ratepayers or grid reliability. As AI workloads scale and capacity tightens, expectations are shifting toward developers funding and supplying their own power rather than relying on shared infrastructure. And within the data center industry, this shift is no longer viewed as a temporary bridge. Developers, utilities, and equipment providers increasingly recognize onsite generation as a core component of long‑term power strategy, especially in capacity‑constrained markets.
FuelCell Energy: Future‑Ready Power Today
Gov. Shapiro’s “bring your own power” message reinforces the value of what FuelCell Energy has delivered for decades: clean, always‑on distributed power that operates continuously at utility scale and can be deployed onsite, close to the load. Our systems are modular, scalable, and available today, giving energy‑intensive industries a practical path to grow responsibly in capacity-constrained markets.
And that’s the core principle: large energy users should supply and pay for the power they need. Distributed generation makes that possible by placing reliable, low-emissions power directly where demand exists—without added grid strain or cost-shifting to ratepayers.
As AI accelerates demand for round-the-clock electricity, expectations are becoming clear. Power must be built onsite, funded by the user, and trusted by the communities where it operates. That is the model FuelCell Energy delivers today, and the standard increasingly shaping how data centers are built tomorrow.