COLUMBUS, Ohio – Amazon’s ongoing data center construction in Hilliard is now facing new scrutiny after the company proposed adding a large fuel cell facility to help power the site. While the project aims to expand energy efficiency and sustainability, residents living near the site have voiced growing concerns about potential safety risks and environmental impacts. The plan has sparked debate among city officials and community members about the speed of approval and the lack of local regulation governing such technology.
For longtime Hilliard resident Chris Ighnat, the development has changed the character of his neighborhood. Having lived in his home for more than two decades, Ighnat said the wooded view behind his property was replaced by the imposing structure of Amazon’s expanding data center. “Nobody wants to go out on their back porch and look at the back of some building,” he said. “The reason why we purchased the home is because it backs up to the woods — or it did.” Though he has accepted the presence of the massive facility, Amazon’s new proposal to install more than 200 fuel cells near his property has renewed his concerns.
The fuel cell system, according to city documents, would convert natural gas into electricity through a chemical process rather than combustion. The facility is expected to provide a steady power source to support the data center’s heavy energy demands. However, residents like Ighnat worry that the city lacks sufficient oversight. “The city of Hilliard has no code, no ordinances in place to regulate or provide guidelines for fuel cells,” he said, adding that he fears the potential hazards if a malfunction or fire were to occur. “How do they put out a fire, if one would start over there?” he asked.
City Councilman Les Carrier has echoed those concerns, noting that both officials and residents have limited understanding of how the technology operates. “They take gas — eight-inch gas main, by the way, huge gas line — and it’s forced into these cells,” Carrier explained. “That process is non-combustible, but creates energy.” While fuel cells are generally considered a cleaner alternative to traditional combustion-based generators, the councilman said the scale of the proposed installation warrants closer review before approval.
In October, the Hilliard Planning and Zoning Commission decided to table Amazon’s proposal for further study. Despite that delay, Carrier expressed frustration over what he perceives as an attempt by the company to accelerate the process. “We’re really disappointed in Amazon,” he said. “They’re trying to bootstrap a power plant into a data center approval process.” He emphasized that while innovation is welcome, it must not come at the expense of safety, transparency, or proper regulatory procedures.
In a statement responding to questions about the proposal, an Amazon spokesperson said the company is working collaboratively with utilities and local stakeholders to ensure responsible energy use. “We work with local utilities to access the energy needed to meet the needs of our customers,” the spokesperson said. “This includes collaborating with a diverse set of stakeholders to deliver highly reliable electricity from local power grids along with enabling new carbon-free generation sources like solar and wind.” The company maintains that fuel cell technology aligns with its broader goals of sustainability and carbon reduction across its global operations.
Amazon’s data center expansion is part of a broader pattern of rapid development in central Ohio, where technology and logistics companies have been investing heavily in infrastructure. The region’s growth has brought economic opportunities but also challenges for local governments tasked with balancing industrial expansion and community safety. Hilliard’s experience highlights the tension between the drive for technological progress and the need for clear local regulations governing emerging energy systems.
As the debate continues, residents remain watchful. Some are calling for independent safety reviews and environmental studies before the project moves forward. Others are urging city leaders to establish formal guidelines for fuel cell installations and similar technologies that could appear in future developments. The outcome of the Hilliard case may serve as an early test of how communities across Ohio will manage the influx of energy-intensive facilities accompanying the region’s tech boom.
For now, the city’s planning commission has postponed further decisions on Amazon’s proposal while officials seek additional information about the project’s design and safety protocols. The discussion underscores a growing reality for rapidly developing suburbs: as corporations like Amazon expand their footprint, communities must adapt quickly to understand and regulate the technologies shaping their future.
