Petra Power, a company established in 2017, is developing solid oxide fuel cells as an alternative power source. These ceramic devices convert fuels, such as natural gas, directly into electricity without combustion, which the company states results in significantly lower fuel costs and emissions compared to traditional power generation.
Aaron Goodman, Petra's founder, explained that traditional power generation involves multiple steps with energy loss, whereas fuel cells directly strip electrons from fuel to create electricity in a single step, making them theoretically more efficient.
Petra is currently targeting data centres and the US Defense Department. The company is working with neoclouds and other infrastructure providers, with a target for first deployment in 2028 and full-scale production hoped for in 2029. For the government, Petra's fuel cells are in the testing phase for potential use as auxiliary power in land vehicles, providing electricity for onboard equipment when the main engine is off. Petra has secured nearly $9 million in contracts from the Defense Department for this testing.
Petra Power, a team of approximately 15 people, was selected for this year’s TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200.