O'SULLIVAN, JOHN
EPRI, Palo Alto, CA

Abstract: Overview of Small Scale Electric Generation Technologies, Fuel Requirements, and Costs

Although field power generation is not new, most applications have greatly exceeded 1 MW. Recent advances in fuel cell and microturbine technology will provide economic power plants in the <300 kW size range. These developments are derivative of R&D efforts focused on vehicular propulsion. Small engines for hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cells for electric vehicles are yielding technology that can be applied to stationary power. The fuels of choice for market entry products are natural gas and propane with some minor emphasis on methanol. At least six fuel cell developers are emphasizing power plants in the 2 to 5 kW range. The early market products will begin to appear in 1999. The four major microturbine developers are introducing products in the 30 to 75 kW range. These will begin to enter the market in late 1998.

These small power plants should see wide application in the oil and gas industry if the claims for efficiency, reliability and cost are substantiated by their field operation. Most systems are designed for operation with pipeline quality fuels. Available fuels in the field may have quality issues that will negatively impact both fuel cell and turbine operation. The fuel processing subsystems for fuel cells are especially sensitive to sulfur species and to heavy hydrocarbons, unless designed for their presence. The microturbines operate most effectively on fuels at 3 to 4 atm; otherwise a cost and efficiency penalty is taken for a gas compressor. Developers are projecting costs in the $500-1000/kW range. It remains to be seen whether product orders will provide a manufacturing volume that will meet these cost targets.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90928©1999 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas