Overview

Based in Danbury, CT (USA), FuelCell Energy (Nasdaq: FCEL) develops and markets Ultra-Clean stationary fuel cell power plants that generate electricity with up to twice the efficiency of conventional fossil fuel plants – and with virtually no air pollution. With more than 30 years of experience, we are recognized as a global leader in the development, manufacture, and commercialization of stationary electric power generation. FuelCell Energy owns and operates a manufacturing plant in Torrington, Connecticut, with a capacity of 50 MW of fuel cells per year. FuelCell Energy's Danbury, Connecticut headquarters acts as the nerve center for the company's commercial, industrial, and grid-support applications. The Danbury facility is also the hub for the company’s GTAC (Global Technical Assistance Center) monitoring system, which remotely monitors and operates more than 60 commercial fuel cell units operating at 40 locations all over the world. The company’s Direct FuelCell^® (DFC^®) power plants have generated over 200 million kW hours. Contact us today and turn your electrical requirements into a powerful competitive advantage.

Company History

FuelCell energy can trace its roots back to 1969 and the founding of Energy Research Corporation (ERC) by early fuel cell research pioneer Bernard Baker and chemical engineer Martin Klein, an expert in advanced battery technologies. The company focused on conducting research into the commercialization of fuel cell technology. ERC also conducted advanced battery research, but spun off its battery efforts as a seperate company in 1999 and renamed itself FuelCell Energy.

In the 1970's, with funding from the U.S. military and utility companies, the company conducted extensive research into low-temperature fuel cells as well as silver-zinc battery cells. In the 1980's and 1990's the company switched its focus to high-temperature carbonate fuel cell systems which offered greater commercial possibilities due to the ability to internally reform readily available fuels into the hydrogen required by the fuel cell.

A major milestone for the company was reached in 1992 when they successfully demonstrated a 120 kilowatt (kW) high temperature carbonate fuel cell system, and with public interest mounting, and the commercialization of fuel cell technology near at hand, the company went public with an initial stock offering that raised $6.5 million. The company continued to improve its patented Direct FuelCell^® (DFC^®) technology, and in 1996 a 2 megawatt (MW) DFC power plant went online in Santa Clara, California.

In 1997, Bernard Baker decided that the company needed a more commercially-oriented leader and appointed Jerry Leitman to the position of CEO. With Leitman at the helm, and Baker able to pursue his own passion, research & development, the company continued to thrive. FuelCell Energy's current leader, R. Daniel Brdar, was appointed CEO in 2005 and Chairman in 2007. Mr. Brdar continues the forward-looking philosophies set forth by his predecessors that have made FuelCell Energy the leading developer and manufacturer of stationary fuel cell technology in the world.

FuelCell Energy continues to lead the way in the development and manufacture of stationary fuel cell power plants for commercial and industrial applications. The company currently possesses a product line offering systems from 300 kilowatts (kW) to 2.4 megawatts (MW), scalable up to 50 MW.