ECL and PowerCell Group AB (publ) today announced a strategic partnership to deploy industrial-grade hydrogen fuel cell power across ECL's AI data center platform. The agreement comprises a firm purchase order for PowerCell PS190 fuel cell systems, alongside a separate non-binding memorandum of understanding between ECL and PowerCell for approximately 300 MW of additional hydrogen fuel cell capacity as ECL expands its FlexGrid data center footprint. The partnership is underpinned by PowerCell's industrial partnership with Bosch, its manufacturing partner and largest shareholder.
ECL and PowerCell partner for hydrogen fuel cell deployment across AI data centers.
Firm purchase order for PowerCell PS190 fuel cell systems plus MOU for 300 MW additional capacity.
Initial deployment at ECL's 35MW CSC-1 campus in Santa Clara, California.
PowerCell has 25+ years of fuel cell experience and 1M+ hours of field data.
Bosch provides manufacturing foundation and U.S.-based service infrastructure.
PowerCell PS190 systems already deployed in production at ECL's MV-1 facility for 2+ years.
Yuval Bachar, founder and CEO of ECL, stated: "We evaluated multiple fuel cell technologies under real operating conditions over two years at our MV-1 facility before selecting PowerCell and Bosch. This is not a pilot or a proof of concept. We are deploying these PowerCell PS190 units with the operational data to back it up, and we are signing an MOU for an additional 300 MW because the demand from AI operators for power in constrained markets far exceeds what any single grid connection can deliver."
PowerCell, which spun out of the Volvo Group, brings more than 25 years of fuel cell experience and over one million hours of field data across automotive, marine and stationary power applications. Bosch, PowerCell's largest shareholder and strategic manufacturing partner, provides large-scale production capability and U.S.-based service infrastructure to support ECL deployments. Richard Berkling, CEO of PowerCell Group, stated: "ECL is among the very few operators who not only run hydrogen in production but understand how to orchestrate it intelligently alongside storage and other energy sources as one integrated system."
Thilo Müller, Senior Vice President Fuel Cell Business at Bosch, added: "Bringing hydrogen fuel cells to industrial scale requires more than strong technology; it requires manufacturing discipline, predictable quality and dependable lifecycle support. Bosch is proud to bring that industrial foundation to the partnership with PowerCell and ECL. Our goal is to turn promising technology into reliable, long-term infrastructure."
Initial deployment begins at ECL's 35MW CSC-1 campus in Santa Clara, California, where containerized PowerCell fuel cell systems will integrate into ECL's FlexGrid microgrid architecture alongside grid power, natural gas and battery storage. PowerCell's Distributed Master Controller platform will integrate with ECL's Lightning real-time management system to manage dynamic load balancing across fuel cells, batteries, the grid, and natural gas at each FlexGrid site.
About ECL
ECL is a next-generation data center company focused on building high-density, AI-ready facilities that can be deployed where traditional power infrastructure falls short. ECL's FlexGrid microgrid architecture and ECL Lightning real-time management platform combine grid power, natural gas, batteries and hydrogen fuel cells to deliver resilient, efficient power tailored to AI and inference workloads. ECL introduced the world's first operational hydrogen-powered AI data center at its MV-1 site in Mountain View, California, in 2024.
About PowerCell
PowerCell is a world leader in hydrogen electric solutions with unique fuel cell stacks and systems. With decades of experience, it uses its expertise to accelerate the transition to an emission-free, more sustainable world. The company targets industries such as aviation, marine, power generation, rail, off-road and on-road. PowerCell is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
About Bosch Power Solutions
The Power Solutions division is part of the Bosch Mobility business sector. It offers integrated powertrain solutions from a single source, spanning e-mobility, gasoline and diesel injection, as well as hydrogen fuel-cell and internal combustion technologies. The division's goal is to make mobility as clean, economical, and efficient as possible.
