EPIC 2019: U.S. DOE Office of Fossil Energy Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Program

U.S. DOE Office of Fossil Energy Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Program Shailesh Vora Technology Manager, Fuel Cells National Energy Technology Laboratory

14th Annual Electric Power Energy Conference University of Pittsburgh Presentation to

October 28, 2019

Fuel Cells Are….. ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢

Energy conversion devices Highly efficient Modular A family of technologies characterized by the electrolyte:

- Low Temperature

• Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) • Phosphoric Acid (PAFC)

- High Temperature

• Molten Carbonate (MCFC) • Solid Oxide (SOFC)

Balance-of-Plant

Module

Fuel Cell Stacks

Contribution to Cell Performance Cathode: Anode: All other:

Fuel

60% 20% 20%

Air

Balance-ofPlant Power out

Exhaust

Contribution to System Cost

Power to grid

Fuel Cells: 40% Fuel Cell Module: 30% Balance-of-Plant: 30%

SOFC Power System Figure courtesy LG Fuel Cell Systems

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SOFC Program Mission To enable the generation of efficient, low-cost electricity with intrinsic carbon capture capabilities for: • Near term: Natural gas-based distributed generation • Long term: Coal and natural gas utility-scale applications with Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS)

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Distributed Generation Technologies 11,000

High Temperature Fuel Cells 10,000

Average Installed Cost , $/kWe

9,000

DG TECHNOLOGY

8,000

Tax Credits and Incentives

7,000

RATED POWER RANGE (kW) LOW

HIGH

Micro-Turbines

65

250

Mini-Turbines

300

3,000

Reciprocating Engines

100

5,000

3,000

Solar PV

100

1000

2,000

High-Temperature Fuel Cells

300

1,200

6,000

Solar PV*

5,000

Micro-Turbines

4,000

NETL 2030 Goal

1,000

Mini-Turbines

Reciprocating Engines

0 20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

Net Electric Efficiency (HHV) % *For non-grid-support applications storage costs (2000 $/kW – 3000 $/kW) may need to be included

60

65

70

SOFC DG System Cost Reduction

via RD&D and high volume manufacturing Applied R&D

14,000

Path to Market

System Specific Cost, $/kWe

12,000

High Volume Manufacturing

No Additional R&D

10,000 8,000

~25 MWe

6,000 2020

4,000

2030

Commercial DG Technologies

2,000

2025

0

0.1

1 10 Cumulative Installed Capacity (MWe)

100

1,000

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SOFC Program Structure Key Technologies TECHNOLOGY AREA

SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS

KEY TECHNOLOGIES

Cell Development

Figure courtesy NETL

Core Technology Figure courtesy LG Fuel Cell Systems

Systems Development Figure courtesy FuelCell Energy

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SOFC Program R&D Approach

• Applied Research

• Cell and Core Technologies • TRL 2 – 5 • Collaboration with an SOFC developer (industry) encouraged

• Development

• State-of-the-Art systems development • Innovative Concepts • TRL 5 – 6

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SOFC Program Funding History

Annual Appropriation, $M

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2017 2018 2019

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SOFC Program Project Portfolio FY19 Participants

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SOFC Program Technology Evolution MODULES

10 kWe-Class Stack Tests

- Improved efficiency, 35 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 41% - Reduced degradation, <2%/1000 hr - Cost target at high volume achieved (extrapolated)

50 MWe UtilityScale Demo (planned)

200 kWe Prototype Field Tests

Cell and Stack Performance Improvements STACKS

- Increased cell area by 5x - Increased cell power by 10x - Degradation reduced to 0.2 - 0.5%/1,000 hrs

Cell Development

CELLS SYSTEMS

- increased power - Established material set - Improved reliability - Reduced cost

Proof-of-Concept Systems

- Two POC systems, 50kW & 200 kW - Efficiency improvements to >55%

Technology Validation 2000

200 kWe POC

(courtesy LG Fuel Cell Systems)

2010

2020

50 kWe POC

(courtesy FuelCell Energy)

2030

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SOFC Program Metrics Metric

Current

System Cost (100 kW- 1MW)

>$12,000/kWe

Single Cell Degradation

0.2 - 0.5% per 1,000 hrs

Cell Manufacturing Approach

2020 Target

2025/2030 Target

$6,000/kWe

$900/kWe

Batch

Semi- Continuous

Continuous

System Degradation

1 – 1.5% per 1,000 hrs

0.5 - 1.0% per 1,000 hrs

<0.2% per 1,000 hrs

Fuel Reformation

Primarily external natural gas conditioning/reforming

100% integrated natural gas reformation inside cell stack

Durability

<2,000 hrs

5,000 hrs

5 years

Platform

Proof-of-Concept

Prototype/Pilot

DG: Utility-scale:

Configuration

Breadboard/Integrated systems

Fully packaged

Fully packaged

Fuel

Natural gas

Natural gas Simulated syngas

Natural gas Coal-derived syngas

Demonstration Scale

50 kWe – 200 kWe

200 kWe – 1 MWe

DG: Utility-scale:

Commercial Pilot

MWe-class 10 – 50 MWe

Single-cell performance and degradation are acceptable; stack and system performance, reliability and endurance need to be demonstrated 11

SOFC Power System FuelCell Energy 200 kW Prototype Field-Test • 200 kWe integrated SOFC Power System • Test site: Clearway Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA • Natural gas fuel • Grid Connected • ~3,000 hours of operation

Fuel Desulfurizer

100kW SOFC Modules Plant Control System

DC/AC Inverter & Transformer

Cathode Air System

Start-Up Water Treatment System

Data Collection Hardware

Photos courtesy FuelCell Energy Fuel Cell Instrumentation

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FuelCell Energy 200 kW Oneline HMI Screen

Current Control: Individual set-point sent to respective Inverter 13

Operation at Clearway Site = Grid Disturbance

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FuelCell Energy Next Generation Stack Technology

Baseline Large Area Stack (LAS): • 76 W/kg • 185 W/L

Compact SOFC Architecture (CSA) Full Height : • 470 W/kg • 780 W/L

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SOFC Program Key Takeaways

• Program emphasizing the resolution of design, operation, and performance considerations at the system level • Acquiring fabricating and operational experience on integrated, prototype field tests based on state-of-theart cell and stack technology • Cell Development and Core Technology research continues and is well aligned with industry need

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For Additional Information

Office of Fossil Energy: NETL Website:

www.energy.gov/fe/office-fossil-energy www.netl.doe.gov/

Dr. Shailesh D. Vora Technology Manager, Fuel Cells National Energy Technology Laboratory U. S. Department of Energy 412-386-7515 Shailesh.Vora@netl.doe.gov

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