Petra Power is developing solid oxide fuel cells to power AI data centres and military vehicles, positioning its technology as a more efficient alternative to conventional power generation. The startup plans initial data centre deployments in 2028 while testing its systems for potential defence applications.
Founded in 2017, Petra develops ceramic fuel cells that convert fuels such as natural gas directly into electricity without combustion. Founder Aaron Goodman says the technology can reduce fuel consumption, emissions and equipment size compared with traditional generators.
Conventional combustion-based systems generate electricity through several energy conversion stages, including producing heat and mechanical motion. Petra’s fuel cells instead use an electrochemical process to extract electrical energy from fuel, avoiding many intermediate steps and the associated efficiency losses.
Petra Power Targets AI Data Centres and Defence Vehicles
Petra is pursuing two customer groups: data centre operators and the U.S. Department of Defence. Goodman said the company is working with smaller cloud infrastructure providers, including neocloud operators, with initial deployments targeted for 2028 and full-scale production planned for 2029.
Major hyperscale cloud operators remain potential customers, although Petra has not secured firm agreements with them. Goodman said those companies represent an important opportunity because of their substantial electricity requirements.
For defence applications, Petra is developing fuel cells that could supply auxiliary electricity to military ground vehicles, powering onboard equipment while the main engine is switched off. The technology has not yet been deployed on an operational vehicle and remains in government testing.
The company has received nearly $9 million in Defence Department contracts, according to Goodman. With approximately 15 employees, Petra hopes to expand its government work as development progresses.
Its commercial prospects still depend on successful testing, customer adoption, and manufacturing expansion. For now, Petra’s near-term focus is advancing its fuel cell systems toward deployment in data centres and potential military applications.
