NIMBY Pushback to Data Centers a Boon for Bloom Energy, CEO Says

Mounting local opposition to data center construction presents an opening for Bloom Energy Corp., according to its chief executive officer, who pitches its fuel cells as cleaner and quieter than conventional power-generating systems.

“Rationally, our deployment should not be a community issue,” Chief Executive Officer KR Sridhar said in an interview with Bloomberg News in San Francisco. “It’s a business opportunity right now because nobody else is community friendly.”

Bloom’s shares have risen by more than 200% since the start of the year on the back of investor enthusiasm over demand for its technology to power data centers. Its ...