Paid feasibility study

Find out in 14 days whether a behind-the-meter fuel cell pencils at your site — for $2,500.

A fixed-fee, 14-day study that tells your CFO whether a carbonate fuel cell behind your meter beats your current PG&E or SMUD bill, clears your air district, and qualifies for the incentive stack. The fee credits 100% against any Bcal development agreement signed within 6 months.

Buy now — $2,500 → Schedule a call instead

$2,500 USD · one-time, fixed fee · refund if ineligible

PG&E or SMUD service territory. 24/7 baseload load profile. Site control or facility ownership.

What you get

A 5-section, ~10-page PDF written specifically for your site — the same memo a CFO and a facilities director can both sign off on.

Energy & demand-charge savings

Annual kWh and peak-kW analysis vs. your current PG&E or SMUD tariff, modeled against an FCE1500 carbonate plant operating 24/7 baseload behind your meter.

Rule 21 fast-track screen

Interconnection screen against PG&E (or SMUD) Rule 21 fast-track criteria: feeder capacity, export posture, and the realistic timeline from PFSA to PTO.

Project cost & incentive stack

Total installed cost range, plus the stack: 30% federal ITC, current SGIP step, IRA bonus adders where eligible, and the biogas premium where applicable.

Carbon footprint delta

Tons of CO₂ avoided per year vs. your current grid mix, and vs. the diesel backup generation you'd otherwise lean on during PSPS or grid events.

Two-page go / no-go recommendation

A plain-English recommendation from Bcal: build, wait, or walk away. With the development engagement scope priced against your site — what we develop, what you provide, what each milestone costs.

Fixed fee. $2,500 USD, paid once at kickoff.
Turnaround. 14 calendar days from NDA execution.
Credit. 100% credited against any Bcal development agreement signed within 6 months.
Refund. Full refund if your site is determined ineligible during intake. Pro-rated refund if Bcal cannot deliver in 14 days.

$2,500USD · one-time

Eligibility

The study is only useful if your site can actually host an FCE1500 plant. Three hard filters — we'll confirm them all during intake before any work starts.

PG&E or SMUD territory

Bcal develops only in PG&E primary territory and SMUD. Other California IOUs and municipals are out of scope for this study.

24/7 baseload profile

The economics depend on running the plant 95%+ of the year. Daytime-only or seasonal sites do not pencil; we will flag that fast.

Site control or ownership

You either own the facility or hold a long-term lease with sublease/ground-lease consent. Without site control, we cannot model a 15–20 year structure.

Frequently asked

What's the turnaround time?

14 calendar days from the day the NDA is fully executed (which itself happens within 48 hours of payment). The clock does not start on the payment date — it starts on NDA execution — so a fast countersignature gets you the memo faster. If Bcal cannot deliver inside the 14-day window, you receive a pro-rated refund.

What's the refund policy?

Two cases. (a) Ineligible site. If, during intake, your site is determined ineligible — wrong service territory, non-baseload load, no site control — you receive a full refund, no questions. (b) Late delivery. If Bcal cannot deliver the memo inside 14 calendar days from NDA execution, you receive a pro-rated refund based on actual days late.

Is there an NDA?

Yes. A mutual NDA is executed within 48 hours of payment and before any site data is exchanged. Bcal sends the executable PDF directly after payment lands. Your tariff data, single-line diagrams, and site information are covered under the mutual NDA for the duration of the engagement and beyond.

What if we don't proceed after the study?

That's fine, and it's part of the deal. The whole point of the $2,500 study is to get an honest go / no-go answer before anyone commits to a $9–11M project. If the answer is no-go, you walk away with a memo you can show your CFO and the diligence file you'd need anyway. Bcal does not chase you after delivery.

Who delivers it?

Bharath Ramanidharan (President, Bcal Energy) leads the engagement and signs the memo. Bcal coordinates directly with FuelCell Energy engineering for platform-specific inputs (heat rate, thermal output, footprint) where the analysis requires it. Bcal is platform-loyal to the FCE1500 carbonate fuel cell and is independent of FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL).

Can the $2,500 be credited if we delay past 6 months?

The 100% credit applies to any Bcal development engagement signed within 6 months of memo delivery. If you sign after 6 months, the credit no longer applies, but the memo itself remains valid for any future Bcal engagement. If you have a known long timeline (board cycle, capital plan), tell us at kickoff — we routinely extend the credit window in writing for sites with a credible reason.

About Bcal Energy

Bcal Energy is an independent California-based developer of behind-the-meter fuel cell power plants for industry. Behind your meter, behind the storm. Built on the FuelCell Energy carbonate platform.

Bcal is founder-led and currently developing first projects in PG&E service territory. We are platform-loyal to the FuelCell Energy FCE1500 carbonate fuel cell — the same platform that's been deployed at scale by FCE customers worldwide.

Founder. Bharath Ramanidharan, President. Background in energy project development and commercial structuring; California-based; full surname Ramanidharan.

Bcal Energy is pre-revenue and currently developing first projects. The FCE platform's global operating record (30M+ operating hours across the FuelCell Energy fleet) is the FCE platform's track record, not Bcal's.

FCE1500 platform — canonical specs

Net power (BOL): 1,250 kW AC
Voltage: 480 V, 3-phase, 60 Hz
LHV efficiency: 49% (44–49% over life)
CHP total efficiency: ~80% conservative
NOx: < 0.01 lb/MWh
Fuel: NG, biogas, NG/H₂ up to 40% H₂
Footprint: 58' × 42' × 20'
Noise: 72 dBA at 10 ft
Capacity factor: 24/7 baseload (LTSA-backed)