Rolls-Royce announced on Monday that it will expand its fuel cell research division in North Canton, a move that public officials said will create 60 jobs and retain 32.   “This type of high-tech investment is exactly what we need to create and expand business opportunities for Ohio companies and position our state as a leader in innovation and technology,” said Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.

The expansion of the Rolls-Royce labs at the Stark State College of Technology campus will add a few more engineering jobs, from about 30 currently to about 40 or 50.  The real growth in jobs would be in 2012 when Rolls-Royce completes its design of the utility-scale fuel cells — and if it agrees to build assembly plants in Ohio.

The company said it will invest $3 million in processing and testing equipment, consolidating its research and development activities in North Canton. The chief executive of its U.S. fuel cell division, Mark Fleiner, said Ohio’s commitment to support a fuel cell industry and a strong partnership with Stark State College factored into its expansion decision. Rolls envisions global production of very large fuel cells — generating hundreds of thousands or millions of watts. The megawatt-sized units would be ideal for electric utilities looking to augment their giant, coal-fired power plants or nuclear plants by distributing the fuel cells on local, neighborhood distribution systems.

The news was announced at Stark State College of Technology, where Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems established its North American headquarters in 2006. The state has targeted fuel cells for development because Ohio has the technological expertise and work force to build them — everything from the fuel cell itself to myriad pumps and compressors and accompanying electronics in a complete fuel cell system.