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Petra Power looks to modernize energy for data centers and defense vehicles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2026

As AI gobbles up an ever larger amount of energy, the hunt is on for efficient and cost-effective power sources. One of the companies leading the charge is Petra Power.

Petra, which was founded in 2017, sells solid oxide fuel cells — ceramic devices that convert fuel, like natural gas, into electric power without burning it. The company markets them as a more efficient and environmentally friendly way to operate data centers and large vehicles.

Petra’s founder, Aaron Goodman, told TechCrunch that his company’s product has significantly lower fuel costs and emissions than traditional power sources, and that they have much less of a physical footprint, too, because they’re more compact and lightweight.

The efficiency, and the cost savings that come with it, is what makes the fuel cells attractive. “Combustion takes fuel and creates explosions,” Goodman said, describing how traditional power generation works. “Those explosions create heat. That heat creates motion. The motion powers an electromotive force, which eventually creates electricity. It’s a lot of steps, and they all have so much loss in them that you end up with a really inefficient system.”

Petra’s fuel cells skip most of these steps. “What fuel cells do is they take the electrons directly off of the fuel, so they strip the fuel of its electrons, which creates electricity,” he explained. “It’s one step, no loss, and subsequently, in theory, at least, they’re much, much more efficient.”

As a result, companies that run off fuel cells stand to save a significant amount on fuel costs, Goodman said.

Although it may offer an innovative product, the customer base is still emerging for Petra. Goodman said that his company is targeting two different types of customers: data centers and the Defense Department.

Goodman doesn’t want to reveal specific agreements just yet, but said Petra is currently working with neoclouds and other infrastructure providers that were a few steps down from the hyperscaler crowd. The target for first deployment with these customers is 2028, with full-scale production for the company hopefully set for 2029, Goodman said.

“Hyperscalers are an ICP [ideal customer profile] for us, and we talk a lot to them, but we don’t have anything firm with them yet,” said Goodman. “We’re still kind of working in that direction. Obviously, they’re the largest consumers of power. They’re the ones that we can make the biggest impact with, so that’s where we’d like to go.”

The other customer — the government — is also still taking shape. The idea is that Petra’s fuel cells will be able to provide auxiliary power for land vehicles, meaning electricity for onboard equipment when the main engine is off. But Petra’s product has not actually deployed on a live vehicle yet, Goodman clarified. Instead, the fuel cells are in the testing phase, during which the government is deciding whether to move forward, he said.

Petra is a small team — some 15 people — but the company is growing, Goodman said. Petra has so far received nearly $9 million in contracts from the Defense Department, and the hope is to scale that work significantly in the coming years, he said.

Petra Power was selected for this year’s TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200, a group of 200 startups chosen for the program. You can catch all the action this coming week in downtown San Francisco at Moscone West.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

Related Topics:centers data defense Energy modernize Petra power vehicles

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Bauchi police arrest fake soldier accused of attacking employer, stealing vehicle

Published

5 minutes ago

October 31, 2026

PlateauReports

Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 26-year-old man, John Umar Shehu, for allegedly impersonating a Nigerian Army personnel, attacking his prospective employer and stealing his vehicle.

The suspect, a native of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, was arrested over alleged criminal impersonation, criminal breach of trust, assault and theft.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, October 30, 2026.

According to the statement, the command received a written petition on October 22 from a resident of Gida Dubu area of Bauchi, who alleged that the suspect had contacted him seeking employment as a driver at his pure water factory.

The petitioner said the suspect contacted him on October 18 and was invited for an interview and driving assessment.

However, during the assessment on October 22, the suspect allegedly attacked the factory owner and the son of one of his neighbours before fleeing with the employer's vehicle.

The stolen vehicle was identified as a white H-Jet motor vehicle with registration number AE-278-ALK. A green Infinix Smart 5X mobile phone was also reportedly stolen.

The police said detectives subsequently launched an investigation and arrested the suspect through intelligence-led policing.

A search conducted on him led to the recovery of several Nigerian Army uniforms and military items, including desert camouflage, green camouflage, a jungle hat, an Army raincoat, a camouflage vest and an Army sweater.

The stolen vehicle was also recovered from the suspect in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

The statement said the suspect allegedly presented himself as Private Umar Shehu, with service number NA/22/82/1064, claiming to be attached to the 7 Division, Maimalari Barracks, 134 Special Forces Battalion, Borno State.

The Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, condemned the alleged impersonation, warning that the command would not tolerate the use of security agencies' identities to perpetrate crimes.

He said: "The Command will not tolerate criminal impersonation of security agencies to perpetrate crime."

The police commissioner further assured that the suspect would be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.

He added: "The suspect will be diligently investigated and charged to court."

The police said the arrest followed intelligence-led policing, while the recovered vehicle and military items would serve as exhibits in the investigation.

Bauchi police arrest fake soldier accused of attacking employer, stealing vehicle

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Lagos 2027: 'Hamzat has what it takes to succeed Sanwo-Olu' – Obasa

Published

9 minutes ago

October 31, 2026

PlateauReports

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashir Obasa, has declared that the gubernatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Dr Obafemi Hamzat has what it takes to succeed the current Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Obasa made this declaration while addressing journalists at Hamzat's formal manifesto presentation.

The event was held at Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, formerly known as the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

Our correspondent reports that the event took place on Friday.

DAILY POST gathered that Hamzat is the current deputy governor of the state.

He eyed the position in 2019 before he was persuaded to deputise the current governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Obasa while speaking at the event on Friday, expressed confidence in Hamzat's ability to deliver on his campaign promises.

He explained that Hamzat’s educational background and wealth of experience in private and public offices are enough for him to deliver.

Obasa while speaking said, "He has the competence, character, and most importantly, the determination to rewrite the Lagos State socio-economic narrative".

Lagos 2027: ‘Hamzat has what it takes to succeed Sanwo-Olu’ – Obasa