Hope Gas and WATT Fuel Cell Launch Innovative WATT HOME™ Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Backup Power Leasing Program to Strengthen Grid Resiliency Across West Virginia
Program Committed to Initially Deploy 7,250 Units Over Three Years, Marking the Largest Residential Fuel Cell Initiative in the Country
Article content
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In a major step forward for distributed energy solutions in Appalachia, WATT Fuel Cell Corp and Hope Gas proudly announce the launch of a groundbreaking exclusive Hope Gas customer program for the WATT HOME fuel cell system. This strategic partnership will initially make over 7,250 next-generation backup power configured fuel cell units exclusively available to Hope Gas residential customers across West Virginia over the next three years, directly addressing the state's pressing need for reliable, resilient power utilizing the state's plentiful and reliable natural gas.
Article content
Article content
Electric power outages are more than an inconvenience. For families and businesses, they can disrupt everyday life. West Virginia experiences among the most challenging electric reliability in the country according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual Electric Power Industry Report. The state sees some of the most frequent power outages and longest blackout times in the country. Hope Gas customers in West Virginia will have access to cutting-edge WATT Fuel Cell technology to provide back-up power to their homes starting in 2026.
Article content
The innovative program exclusively offers Hope Gas customers access to the WATT HOME system—an advanced solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology that operates efficiently on readily available natural gas. Designed for residential use, WATT HOME provides dependable, low-emission electricity even when the power grid is down.
Article content
'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. The WATT HOME systems available through this partnership will create back-up power for homes using natural gas when there is an electric outage. Hope Gas is constantly exploring innovative ways to provide cutting-edge solutions to our customers and communities. Leasing this technology will avoid any up-front capital outlay for Hope customers. This partnership with WATT is revolutionizing utility service reliability for our customers.'
Article content
The deployment of 7,250 WATT HOME systems marks the largest residential fuel cell initiative in the country. It also highlights West Virginia's leadership in modern energy innovation, with the potential to serve as a national model for partnerships that solve local infrastructure challenges with distributed energy resources.
Article content
'This partnership between Hope Gas and WATT Fuel Cell represents a powerful shift in how we think about residential energy,' said Caine Finnerty, CEO of 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.'
Article content
The leasing model ensures affordability and ease of adoption, giving Hope Gas customers a no-hassle option for energy independence without large upfront capital investments. The program is expected to be especially impactful as grid vulnerability continues to grow with increased extreme weather events and longer duration outages.
Article content
'Hope Gas is committed to innovation that serves our customers and strengthens West Virginia,' said O'Brien. 'The WATT HOME system gives our customers access to cutting-edge energy technology that supports their homes, their safety, and the state's long-term energy resilience.'
Key highlights:
Article content
Access to WATT's fuel cells: WATT Fuel Cell will lease 7,250 WATT HOME systems configured to provide homes with backup power to Hope Gas residential customers. Leases will be available starting in 2026 for 750 systems. An additional 2500 systems will be available in 2027, and 4000 more systems will be available in 2028.
Article content
Lease information: There will be no upfront costs to customers when entering the lease for the WATT HOME system. Each lease term will be 10 years. The monthly lease fees will be added to the customer's Hope Gas bill. At the end of the lease term, customers may extend the lease or return the system.
Article content
Installation & Maintenance: Hope Gas will provide installation and maintenance support for each system for the length of the lease. Installation and maintenance are included in the lease and will not result in additional costs.
Article content
About Hope Gas
Article content
: Hope Gas is a Local Distribution Company (LDC) that proudly provides gas service to approximately 140,000 residential, industrial, and commercial customers in thirty-eight West Virginia counties. We monitor and maintain over 7000 miles of pipelines that safely deliver West Virginia natural gas to many homes and commercial and industrial sites. We currently employ nearly 600 employees working right here in our beautiful Mountain State with the sole purpose of staying true to our company's mission and vision in West Virginia. Learn more at HopeGas.com.
Article content
About Hope Utilities
Article content
: Hope Utilities owns natural gas and water distribution utilities across eight states. We provide service to more than 200,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in the communities we serve. We currently operate natural gas utilities in West Virginia, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, and Ohio; and water and wastewater utilities in Arizona, Michigan, and Texas. Hope's growth strategy is built on being a trusted member of the communities we serve, providing our customers with safe, reliable, and cost-effective utility service. Learn more about Hope at HopeUtilities.com.
Article content
) is a manufacturer and developer of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ('SOFC') stacks and systems that operate on common, readily available fuels such as propane and natural gas. WATT's proprietary, patented additive manufacturing process (AMP) has allowed it to produce commercially viable SOFC products for small-scale and remote power applications. WATT's Hybrid Power Management system works in tandem with renewable power sources (solar and wind) and energy storage to provide quiet, efficient, affordable, and environmentally responsible energy solutions prioritizing a return on investment for customers across the globe.
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Contacts
Article content
Media Contacts:
Article content
Hope Gas
Article content
Article content
Erin O'Donnell
Article content
Article content
Erin.g.odonnell@hopegas.com
Article content
Article content
847-738-3118
Article content
Article content
Article content
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
21 minutes ago
- CTV News
TikTok building new version of app ahead of expected U.S. sale, The Information reports
The TikTok app page in the Google Play store on a smartphone arranged in the Queens borough of New York, U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. TikTok is building a new version of its app for users in the United States ahead of a planned sale of the app to a group of investors, The Information reported on Sunday, citing unnamed sources. This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he will start talking to China on Monday or Tuesday about a possible TikTok deal. He said the United States 'pretty much' has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app. TikTok has developed a plan to launch the new app to U.S. app stores on September 5, the report said. Last month, Trump extended to September 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the U.S. assets of TikTok. The report added that TikTok users will eventually have to download the new app to be able to continue using the service, although the existing app will work until March of next year, though the timeline could change. TikTok did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. A deal had been in the works earlier this year to spin off TikTok's U.S. operations into a new U.S.-based firm, majority-owned and operated by U.S. investors. That was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump's announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump said the United States will probably have to get a deal approved by China. Reporting by Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Editing by Will Dunham and Bill Berkrot
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Trump's global tariff pause expires Wednesday. What's at stake for Canada?
U.S. President Donald Trump's three-month pause on his sweeping global tariffs is set to expire in just a few days. Ahead of the deadline, some trade experts say Canada still faces big risks, despite avoiding that round of levies back in April. "What the president needs is a bunch of wins by July 9 because he needs to show that his strategy is working," said Inu Manak, a fellow for trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, during an interview with CBC's The House that aired Saturday. On April 2, Trump held up a list in the Rose Garden of the White House and announced what he called "reciprocal tariffs" on more than 150 countries, including China and the European Union. The rates for individual countries on the list varied from 10 per cent to more than 40 per cent. Canada wasn't on that list, though other tariffs Trump had previously imposed on Canadian goods remained. One week after he unveiled the list, the president backed down and said he would freeze the global tariffs for 90 days to allow each country to negotiate deals with his administration. The problem for Canada is Trump hasn't closed many deals in those 90 days, Manak said. So far, the U.S. has reached agreements with Britain and Vietnam. Negotiations with other top markets like China, India, the European Union and Japan are ongoing. "If we don't see a lot of deals coming out of this, what we're likely to see is [Trump] to get more agitated and ask for more concessions from the countries that he knows he can push a little harder," Manak said. "So I think for Canada, that would be a very bad situation." Carlo Dade, international policy director at the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy, told CBC News "there's a risk every day of the week that [Trump] decides to come after Canada. That is not an exaggeration." "We're open to this potential as long as the president has unrestrained power to implement tariffs whenever, wherever, however he wants," he said. Trump used a law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to apply the worldwide tariffs and his earlier fentanyl tariffs on Canada and Mexico. The law is intended to address "unusual and extraordinary" threats during national emergencies. In late May, the New York-based U.S. Court of International Trade ruled Trump exceeded his authority by invoking IEEPA. The White House swiftly appealed and a federal appeals court allowed IEEPA tariffs to remain in effect while it reviewed the decision. WATCH | Europe gets a reprieve on tariffs: Trump delays tariff threat on EU to July 1 month ago Duration 2:52 U.S. President Donald Trump says he will delay his 50 per cent tariff on imports from the European Union until July 9 after a weekend phone call between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Manak said another challenge is Trump isn't facing political consequences for his tariffs right now — and no major economic fallout, either. "Right now, he's kind of sitting at a point where he feels he can kind of get away with maintaining the pressure that exists. And that pressure is enough to get other countries to the table," she said. At a White House news conference at the end of June, Trump told reporters the U.S. "can do whatever we want. We could extend [the July 9 deadline]. We could make it shorter. I'd like to make it shorter." Trump said on Friday he'd signed letters to 12 countries outlining the tariff levels they'd face on goods they export to the United States. He declined to name the countries involved and said they would be made public on Monday. Is there opportunity for Canada? Fen Osler Hampson, co-chair of the Expert Group on Canada-U.S. Relations at Carleton University, said Canada could leverage the economic uncertainty from Trump's tariffs and "put the pedal to the metal" to expand trade with European and Asian allies. Hampson added that Canada already has good trading relationships with those regions through the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). With U.S. tariffs, Hampson said those countries are "going to be looking for other market opportunities, both to sell and buy. I think our challenge is to get serious and to realize the real dividends that can come from those two major regional trading agreements." WATCH | Trump isn't pleased with taunts of 'chickening out' on trade: Does Trump 'always chicken out' on tariffs? 1 month ago Duration 5:34 Investors are poking fun at U.S. President Donald Trump's on-again, off-again tariff threats, calling it 'TACO' trade — which stands for 'Trump Always Chickens Out.' When asked about the term, Trump called it a 'nasty question.' CBC's Katie Simpson reports. Diversifying Canada's trading partners is one of Prime Minister Mark Carney's top goals — and a key objective for International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu. "I think Canada has a lot to offer and we should be screaming that at the top of our lungs," Sidhu told CBC's The House in an interview that aired Saturday. Canada has already deepened its trade relationships with countries such as Ecuador and the United Arab Emirates since Carney and Sidhu came into office. But key markets that could make a big dent in easing Canada's reliance on U.S. trade — like the U.K., India and China — are thornier due to fraught diplomatic relationships and other irritants. Colin Robertson, a former Canadian diplomat and vice-president at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, agreed that Canada can do more trade with other countries, but added a note of caution: businesses, not governments, are the only ones who can decide which companies they trade with. "Ultimately, business has to see a business opportunity," Robertson said, adding that the U.S. continues to be the market with the easiest access for Canadian businesses. On The House, Sidhu told guest host Janyce McGregor that Canadian businesses were indeed comfortable dealing with the U.S., but now they're asking him to help facilitate access to more countries. Canada-U.S. trade talks Carney and Trump continue to negotiate a Canada-U.S. trade deal, after setting a deadline of July 21. Hampson said the deadline helps Canada hold the Americans' attention as the Trump administration negotiates with other countries. Canada and U.S. restarted negotiations Monday morning, Carney says 6 days ago Duration 1:15 Prime Minister Mark Carney says he had a 'good' conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday, and that the two leaders will keep working to reach a deal by July 21. The federal government scrapped the digital services tax over the weekend after Trump paused all trade talks. The Americans also have an interest in getting a deal done soon, Robertson said. "If [the Americans] can't do it with Canada, their ally and their partner, it's much harder to do with Mexico, much harder with China," he said. "We should be the lowest of the hanging fruit from the American perspective." Trade discussions hit a roadblock in late June when Trump announced he would walk away from the negotiating table over Canada's digital services tax. The federal government scrapped the tax a few days later and discussions got back on track. Robertson said he's a bit skeptical about how far Canada will get with the U.S. by July 21, but adds that Trump enjoys declaring victory even if the agreement is "only 80 per cent of the way there." "Would we settle for 80 per cent? Be basically there and leave the rest to be cleaned up? I think so," he said. "Because if Trump's taken his eye off it and says it's basically there, then that's sufficient from where we're coming from."
National Post
2 hours ago
- National Post
'America Party': Musk forms new political party after split with Trump
Elon Musk said he's carrying out his threat to form a new political party after his fissure with President Donald Trump, announcing the America Party in response to the president's sweeping tax cuts law. Article content Musk, once an ever-present ally to Trump as he headed up the slashing agency known as the Department of Government Efficiency, broke with the Republican president over his signature legislation, which was signed into law Friday. Article content Article content As the bill made its way through Congress, Musk threatened to form the 'America Party' if 'this insane spending bill passes.' Article content 'When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,' Musk said Saturday on X, the social media company he owns. 'Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.' Article content Article content The formation of new political parties is not uncommon, but they typically struggle to pull any significant support away from the Republican and Democratic parties. But Musk, the world's richest man who spent at least $250 million supporting Trump in the 2024 election, could impact the 2026 elections determining control of Congress if he is willing to spend significant amounts of money. Article content His reignited feud with the president could also be costly for Musk, whose businesses rely on billions of dollars in government contracts and publicly traded company Tesla has taken a hit in the market. Article content Article content As of Sunday morning, there were multiple political parties listed in the Federal Election Commission database that had been formed in the the hours since Musk's Saturday X post with versions of 'America Party' of 'DOGE' or 'X' in the name, or Musk listed among people affiliated with the entity. Article content Article content But none appeared to be authentic, listing contacts for the organization as email addresses such as ' wentsnowboarding↕ ″ or untraceable Protonmail addresses. Article content Last month, he threatened to try to oust every member of Congress that voted for Trump's bill. Musk had called the tax breaks and spending cuts package a 'disgusting abomination,' warning it would increase the federal deficit, among other critiques.
