We wrote a bit about KP-funded fuel cell vendor Bloom Energy in a blog post earlier this week (see Bloom Rumors).

I just caught wind of a recent announcement in Knoxvillebiz.com stating that:

• East Tennessee will be the location of  a 100-kilowatt demonstration fuel cell developed by Bloom that could be a precursor to the potential siting of a manufacturing facility in Tennessee.

• The system will be at the Electric Power Board HQ in Chattanooga and will be close to a final version that Bloom Energy plans to introduce in the broader market later this year, according to CEO KR Sridhar.

• The project is funded through a federal appropriation as well as support from the Electric Power Board's research and development organization, according to Joe Ferguson, head of special projects for the Enterprise Center, a Chattanooga-based economic development organization and he expects delivery of the equipment "before the end of June."

I also heard from someone who used to work for Bloom who had a lot to say about the firm.  I’ll relay some of their views and claims – Bloom’s mantra is “No comment” so I cannot confirm or deny these statements.

• The system is a 25-kilowatt unit and they put four together for a 100-kilowatt system (The 25-kilowatt size makes sense according to Bloom's recent paperwork with the CSI).

• Their first 100-kilowatt unit went to Google

• eBay ordered four of the 100-kilowatt units.

• The units run on natural gas which gives them about 48 percent efficiency overall.

• Bloom is having production problems.

You can assume that Bloom has no comment.