Bloom_Energy Quietly Revises Emissions Estimates
Bloom Energy is a young company that makes a big promise: clean, affordable electricity that’s off-the-grid. Their “Bloom Boxes” use cutting edge fuel-cell technology to turn natural gas into electricity on-site, like a mini-power station. Big companies like Google and Walmart have been using the tech to power select stores and data-centers. In the Bay Area, AC Transit uses Bloom to power their facilities.
Bloom claims their fuel cells release far fewer greenhouse gasses than the average electric grid. But an NBC Bay Area investigation found that the fuel cells rarely hit their published emissions targets. On paper, the company claimed that their fuel cells emit 773 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) per megawatt-hour (MWh).
