Hope Gas has officially signed off on a partnership with WATT Fuel Cell Corp to launch a groundbreaking Hope Gas customer program for the WATT HOME fuel cell system.
According to certain reports, the stated partnership is expected to initially make over 7,250 next-generation backup power configured fuel cell units exclusively available for Hope Gas residential customers across West Virginia over the next three years. By doing so, it will effectively address the state’s pressing need for reliable, resilient power, utilizing the state’s plentiful and reliable natural gas to achieve that objective.
More on that would reveal how this particular program will mark the advent of an advanced solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology, which operates on readily available natural gas. This it will achieve through WATT HOME’s industry-leading ability to provide dependable, low-emission electricity even when the power grid is down.
To understand the significance of such a development, though, we must also take into account one U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Electric Power Industry Report, where it was revealed that West Virginia faces among the most challenging electric reliability in the country, experiencing some of the most frequent power outages and longest blackout times in all of US.
Against that, the development in question will mark the largest residential fuel cell initiative in US’ history. Not just that, it also gives us an insight into a national model for partnerships that solve local infrastructure challenges using distributed energy resources.
Beyond this, we ought to mention how the whole arrangement actually revolves around a leasing philosophy, meaning Hope Gas customers can access ease of adoption, along with a no-hassle option for energy independence without large upfront capital investments.
“This partnership between Hope Gas and WATT Fuel Cell represents a powerful shift in how we think about residential energy,” said Caine Finnerty, CEO, WATT Fuel Cell. “By combining our scalable, innovative technology with the trusted service of Hope Gas, we’re empowering West Virginians to take greater control of their energy future.”
Talk about the whole value proposition on a slightly deeper level, we begin by expanding upon the access to WATT’s fuel cells. We referred to how WATT Fuel Cell will lease 7,250 WATT HOME systems, but what we haven’t touched upon yet is how leases will be available starting in 2026 for 750 systems, with 2500 systems becoming available in 2027, and 4000 more systems becoming available in 2028.
Next up, we must dig into a fact that there will be no upfront costs for customers when entering lease for the WATT HOME system. Each lease term will run for 10 years, whereas monthly lease fees will be added to the customer’s Hope Gas bill.
As for what happens at the end of the lease term, customers will retain the right to extend the lease or return the system.
Moving on to the prospect of installation and maintenance, it will see Hope Gas providing installation and maintenance support across each system for the length of this lease. The support service is available for customers at no extra cost.
Hope Gas’ rise up the ranks stems from providing gas service to residential, industrial, and commercial customers in thirty-eight West Virginia counties. The company’s excellence in what it does can also be understood once you consider it serves more than 140,000 customers.
Turning our attention towards WATT Fuel Cell Corp, it is a manufacturer and developer of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell stacks and systems that operate on common, readily available fuels like propane and natural gas. The company presently works in tandem with renewable power sources (solar and wind) and energy storage to provide quiet, efficient, affordable, and environmentally responsible energy solutions that emphasize return on investment for customers across the globe.
“Hope Gas is excited to partner with WATT to bring this innovative fuel cell technology to the families we serve in West Virginia,” said Morgan O’Brien, chief executive officer of Hope Gas. “Hope has thousands of miles of existing natural gas distribution infrastructure throughout the Mountain State that reliably delivers natural gas to the homes we serve even when the electric power is out.”
