February 14, 2025 [Storage Terminals Magazine]- Bloom Energy, a global leader in fuel cell electricity generation, and Chart Industries, Inc., a leading provider of energy and industrial gas solutions, have announced a strategic carbon capture partnership. This collaboration will utilise natural gas and fuel cells to generate near zero-carbon, always-on power, providing a reliable and scalable solution for industries such as data centres and manufacturing.
As part of the partnership, Chart will leverage its expertise in carbon capture to process the high-purity carbon dioxide exhaust stream produced by Bloom Energy’s fuel cells. This captured CO₂ can then be directed toward utilisation markets or prepared for sequestration. In regions where sequestration infrastructure is not yet available or permitted, CO₂ utilisation serves as an important interim solution, enabling the repurposing of captured carbon while supporting long-term decarbonisation efforts.
According to Morgan Stanley, over 500 million tonnes per annum of carbon storage capacity is expected to become operational within the next five years. As sequestration capabilities expand in the US and globally, the ability to efficiently capture and utilise CO₂ will play a vital role in reducing industrial emissions.
A key factor in the efficiency of carbon capture technology is the purity of the CO₂ in the exhaust stream. Conventional natural gas power generation technologies—such as gas turbines and reciprocating engines—produce exhaust streams containing only around five percent CO₂, making capture both complex and costly.
Bloom Energy’s proprietary high-temperature fuel cell technology, however, generates electricity without combustion. This results in a CO₂-rich exhaust stream that has 15 times lower mass flow and ten times the CO₂ concentration of traditional combustion-based power generation. These properties significantly reduce the cost and complexity of carbon capture, making the process more efficient and economically viable.
KR Sridhar, founder, chairman, and CEO of Bloom Energy, highlighted the significance of the collaboration:
“Our partnership with Chart aims to demonstrate that cost-effective, onsite baseload power from natural gas with carbon capture is feasible at scale. Bloom fuel cells generate electricity without combustion, producing a concentrated CO₂ stream that lowers extraction costs, making carbon capture more affordable and efficient. For energy-intensive industries like data centres and large manufacturers, this will provide a path to reliable, scalable power while significantly reducing carbon emissions. I am excited about the opportunities this partnership can unlock and the positive impact for our planet.”
Jill Evanko, CEO of Chart Industries, also emphasised the potential of the collaboration:
“Chart is a global leader in carbon capture, and we are excited to bring this expertise to Bloom and their unique platform, which is capable of not just producing reliable power but also a concentrated CO₂ stream. Working with a market leader in solid oxide fuel cells, we see exciting opportunities for our partnership in both sequestration and utilisation markets. We are already working on projects where the captured CO₂ will be utilised in the food and beverage industry.”
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