A method for initializing a fuel cell grid of three or more fuel cell stacks, each fuel cell stack including one or more heat exchange systems for use in heating the fuel cell stack to an operating temperature that allows the fuel cell stack to perform self-sustaining power generation reactions and for use in removing excess heat from the fuel cell stack; the heat exchange systems of each fuel cell stack being coupled to one or more automated valves of a thermal exchange pathway; each valve being automatically controlled to either bypass or connect the heat exchange system of one or more of the fuel cell stacks to the heat exchange systems of one or more neighboring fuel cell stacks via the thermal exchange pathway; the method comprising: initializing a cascading startup of the grid of three or more fuel cell stacks by automatically controlling the valves to cause excess thermal energy to be routed from an increasing number of hotter fuel cell stacks, as additional excess thermal energy becomes available, to one or more cooler fuel cell stacks via the thermal exchange pathway; continuing the cascading startup until a selected number of fuel cell stacks in the grid of three or more fuel cell stacks have reached an operating temperature capable of performing self-sustaining power generation reactions when supplied with reaction fuel; and wherein the cascading startup includes an expanding pattern of excess thermal energy routing from the hotter fuel cell stacks to the cooler fuel cell stacks that is dynamically controlled via the automated valves to decrease a total startup time for the selected number of fuel cell stacks in the grid. of three or more fuel cell stacks, each fuel cell stack including one or more heat exchange systems for use in heating the fuel cell stack to an operating temperature that allows the fuel cell stack to perform self-sustaining power generation reactions and for use in removing excess heat from the fuel cell stack; the heat exchange systems of each fuel cell stack being coupled to one or more automated valves of a thermal exchange pathway; each valve being automatically controlled to either bypass or connect the heat exchange system of one or more of the fuel cell stacks to the heat exchange systems of one or more neighboring fuel cell stacks via the thermal exchange pathway; the method comprising: initializing a cascading startup of the grid of three or more fuel cell stacks by automatically controlling the valves to cause excess thermal energy to be routed from an increasing number of hotter fuel cell stacks, as additional excess thermal energy becomes available, to one or more cooler fuel cell stacks via the thermal exchange pathway; continuing the cascading startup until a selected number of fuel cell stacks in the grid of three or more fuel cell stacks have reached an operating temperature capable of performing self-sustaining power generation reactions when supplied with reaction fuel; and wherein the cascading startup includes an expanding pattern of excess thermal energy routing from the hotter fuel cell stacks to the cooler fuel cell stacks that is dynamically controlled via the automated valves to decrease a total startup time for the selected number of fuel cell stacks in the grid. initializing a cascading startup of the grid of three or more fuel cell stacks by automatically controlling the valves to cause excess thermal energy to be routed from an increasing number of hotter fuel cell stacks, as additional excess thermal energy becomes available, to one or more cooler fuel cell stacks via the thermal exchange pathway; continuing the cascading startup until a selected number of fuel cell stacks in the grid of three or more fuel cell stacks have reached an operating temperature capable of performing self-sustaining power generation reactions when supplied with reaction fuel; and wherein the cascading startup includes an expanding pattern of excess thermal energy routing from the hotter fuel cell stacks to the cooler fuel cell stacks that is dynamically controlled via the automated valves to decrease a total startup time for the selected number of fuel cell stacks in the grid.