Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1529610
24 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | NOVEMBER 25 2024 FOCUS | CLEAN ENERGY CT startup raising $2.5M to develop heavy-duty fuel cell engine Michael Gorman, co-founder and CEO of Nimbus Power Systems Inc., based in Groton. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO house gas emissions," Gorman said. "Nimbus will soon announce demon- stration programs, development partners and other collaborations that will build upon our core technology and products." Fuel cell engines work by converting hydrogen into electricity to power a motor. The electricity is created from a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, which releases water and heat as byproducts. Konstantine Drakonakis, managing director of the ClimateTech Fund at Connecticut Innovations, said Nimbus' technology has the potential to "significantly impact the global effort to reduce emissions and combat climate change." "We look forward to seeing their technology contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable transportation sector," Drakonakis said. Developers behind Noble Gas brand buy Orange industrial property for electric charger station By Hanna Snyder Gambini hgambini@hartfordbusiness.com A development team with ambitious plans to grow their rapidly evolving line of hybrid service stations has purchased an Orange industrial property slated for redevelopment. Michael Frisbie and Abdul Tammo, through Noble Orange LLC, have purchased a two-building light indus- trial property in Orange, at 88 Marsh Hill Road, for $3.75 million. The 4.5-acre site includes a 21,300-square-foot warehouse and another 4,900-square-foot industrial office building. The town, in January 2023, approved a redevelopment plan for the property that includes converting it into a 23,500-square-foot electric vehicle showroom and service center, with 16 fuel pumps and eight electric vehicle charging stations, and an 8,300-square-foot conve- nience store with a fast-food restau- rant and drive-thru. Over the past decade, Frisbie and Tammo have built or refurbished Michael Frisbie and Abdul Tammo, co-owners of Noble Gas Inc. HBJ PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER about a dozen gas stations under their Hartford-based Noble Gas Inc. brand, aiming to offer clean and friendly service that is a cut above the competition. More recently, they've pivoted to building a new generation of larger service centers with more amenities, designed to accommodate future driving and consumption habits. The centers blend traditional offer- ings with a high-end deli, coffee and ice cream shops, latest-generation electric vehicle chargers and more. Frisbie has also opened six Soapy Noble car washes at several of his Noble gas sites, including in East Hartford and Newington. Frisbie said the Orange project, which has been in the works for nearly three years, will be one of four new Noble gas, electric charging and convenience store/food service sites in the state, with locations in East Hartford, Newington, Hamden and now Orange set to open within a year's time. He said he expects to start construction on the Orange site this winter and be open around this time next year. "Our plan was to open three or four a year for the next five years, and we're on target for that," he said, adding that Connecticut has a strong market for this type of development. By Andrew Larson alarson@hartfordbusiness.com A Groton-based company developing a fuel cell engine for heavy-duty vehicles — an emissions-free alternative to a traditional diesel engine — has closed a pre-seed fundraising round led by Connecticut Innovations. Nimbus Power Systems Inc. Co-founder and CEO Michael Gorman said the company has raised "most" of the $2.5 million offering it reported to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Sept. 12. Gorman said the company expects to close on the balance in early December. The funding came from Connecticut Innovations, the state's quasi-public venture arm, and other investors, including Stonehenge Capital's Connecticut office, the company said. According to Nimbus, the funding will allow it to focus on scaling its technology, including research and development, pilot projects and workforce expansion. "This funding will allow us to accel- erate our development timeline and demonstrate that our zero-emission fuel cell engine can meet the rigorous demands of heavy-duty applications while significantly reducing green-