SECA Fuel Cells Promote Cost Reduction and Fuel Versatility

Surdoval, Wayne A.¹ (1) U.S. DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy, through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, is forging government/industry partnerships under the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) to reduce the cost of fuel cells and to develop fuel cell coal-based systems for clean and efficient central power generation. These goals equate to removing environmental and climate change concerns associated with fossil fuel use while simultaneously establishing a foundation for a hydrogen-based economy and a secure energy future in the U.S.

Launched in 2000, SECA is an inventive collaboration among government, the private sector and the scientific community to accelerate the development of modular, low-cost, fuel-flexible solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems that can operate on coal gas, natural gas, bio-fuels, diesel fuel and hydrogen. This approach will facilitate deployment into the marketplace by emphasizing cost competitiveness with established technologies while taking advantage of existing fuel distribution infrastructures. SECA's DOE mission is to have its fuel cell systems ready for FutureGen, soon to be the world's cleanest coal-fueled power plant.

SECA has surpassed its first set of cost reduction targets providing strong confidence in the 2010 $400/kW goal. By developing fuel cells to operate cost effectively on various fuels, it is building a bridge to the hydrogen economy while solving today's environmental, climate change, and fuel availability issues. The once distant vision of using clean, low-cost fuel cell technology for everyday applications is now within reach.