FuelCell Energy, Inc. (FCEL) has announced that its patented Direct FuelCell/Turbine (DFC/T) achieved a record-setting performance — establishing a mark of 56 percent electrical efficiency in the sub-megawatt (sub-MW) class for 800 continuous hours during initial testing.
This significantly exceeds the electrical efficiency of other distributed generation technologies of similar size. For example, gas engines have an electrical efficiency of 30 to 42 percent, low temperature fuel cells have an electrical efficiency of 30 to 35 percent and microturbines have an electrical efficiency of 25 to 30 percent.
“The DFC/T power plant’s 56 percent electrical efficiency is unmatched anywhere in the industry for distributed generation products in its size range and has the potential for customers to substantially reduce their energy costs,” said R. Daniel Brdar, President and CEO of FuelCell Energy. “This sub-MW combined cycle system will be an ideal ultra-clean, reliable base load product for smaller commercial and industrial customers with a demand for electric power only and will complement our DFC power plants that are designed for combined heat and power applications.”
FuelCell Energy has been developing the DFC/T product following an initial Vision 21 Program contract award from DOE in 2000. The DFC/T system is based on FuelCell Energy’s 250 kilowatt (kW) Direct FuelCell (DFC) power plant and an integrated 60 kW microturbine from Capstone Turbine Corporation. Heat generated by the fuel cell is used to drive a modified unfired microturbine to generate additional electricity. The supplemental microturbine power increases the electrical efficiency and reduces the cost of power generated without using additional fuel. The combined-cycle DFC/T system has the same ultra-clean emissions profile of FuelCell Energy’s Direct FuelCell (DFC) power plants.
In 2002, the original contract was expanded to include this alpha unit for operation at the FuelCell Energy’s testing facilities in Danbury and, subsequently, at a customer site – the Deaconess Billings Clinic in Montana – where it will provide ultra-clean, reliable and firm, base load electricity for this hospital. The program includes a beta unit, also for operation at a customer site, which is expected to be built in 2007. Total contract value from program inception through the beta unit is approximately $19.3 million that is cost-shared between 20 and 50 percent, depending on the task, with the DOE.
FuelCell Energy expects target customers to be commercial and industrial customers with a need for electric power only, such as industrial companies or small grid-support applications.
FuelCell Energy has also developed designs for a 10-40 megawatt (MW) DFC/T power plant that is expected to achieve 70 percent or greater electrical efficiency. This approaches the objective of the DOE’s Vision 21 Program of developing larger, multi-MW power plants that will generate electricity with net efficiencies approaching 75 percent on natural gas with near-zero emissions. In comparison, a state-of-the-art combined cycle gas turbine plant can reach 55 to 60 percent electrical efficiency, but is typically 200 MW or greater in size. FuelCell Energy expects this multi-MW DFC/T power plant, upon successful product development, would be suitable for larger-scale power generation opportunities, particularly in grid constrained locations, in regions where Renewable Portfolio Standards programs are being implemented and other areas that may require flexible, ultra-clean and high efficient power.
Yesterday, U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow toured FuelCell Energy’s plant and viewed the new very high efficiency energy system. “The work being done here at FuelCell Energy is a wonderful example of how American innovation and technology will lead us to a new day of reduced reliance on foreign sources of energy,” Snow said.
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