| Fuel cell focus
Future outlook, and the return of major players
So, what does the future look like for the solid oxide fuel cell market? Partnerships have been announced aimed at high volume manufacturing, due to come online within the next five years, with different companies targeting varied applications. In other cases, such as vehicles (including marine), limited success for SOFCs is expected, with alternative fuel cell technology (PEM) set to dominate.
The major negative aspect of PEM technology is the necessity for ultra-high purity hydrogen. Solid oxide fuel cells overcome this thanks to their ability to operate on a range of fuels and, therefore, potential use in a wide range of applications. High operating temperatures are a double- edged sword for SOFCs: enabling this fuel flexibility due to the capability to internally reform light hydrocarbons but, as already noted, introducing potential stresses due to mismatched thermal expansion coefficients of neighbouring components.
Despite the positive aspects of SOFCs, with commercial opportunities ranging from utility- scale power generation to off-grid residential applications, many large players exited the market between 2010 and 2018. Siemens Energy was an early mover in the early 21st century, but its focus shifted to PEM fuel cells and electrolysers. Delphi produced a SOFC
auxiliary power unit (APU) for heavy-duty trucks circa 2010, but little commercial activity has been seen recently, including after its acquisition by BorgWarner. Ballard is a recognisable name in the fuel cell industry and was one of the first major players to enter the SOFC market when it acquired Protonex in 2015. However, this new solid oxide division was quickly divested in 2017, leading to the formation of Upstart Power. Perhaps the most notable movement was seen when LG Fuel Cell ceased operations alongside Rolls Royce Fuel Cell Systems in 2018, despite reportedly investing over $350m into SOFC R&D and launching a prototype system. Haldor Topsoe was another company to cease activity, when its focus was shifted to solid oxide electrolysers in 2014. However, arguably, the first green shoots of recovery for the SOFC market were seen when Haldor joined the SOFC4Maritime project in 2021. GE Power Conversion also returned to the market in 2021. Previous activity was seen between 2006 and 2014 before a partnership was announced with Ceres Power in 2021 – also focusing on the marine sector, particularly cruise ships. Ceres operate a licensing model and have entered into partnerships with several large players, such as Bosch, Weichai, and Doosan, with high-volume manufacturing of the licensed SOFC technology to commence in the coming years. In terms of internal R&D, Cummins is developing SOFC
SOFC systems promise more reliable power supply
WATT Fuel Cell has announced that it will supply 500 residential Imperium®
solid oxide fuel cells
systems to Hope Gas, Inc, a West Virginia based natural gas utility. The natural-gas-powered fuel cells, which operate in parallel with the commercial power grid, are sized to “provide a typical home with quiet, pollution-free electric power.” The new fuel cells will be offered to residential customers of Hope Gas. Ensuring reliable on-site power is vital in West Virginia, as the state has one of the least reliable electric services in the United States, with outages occurring at four or five times the national average rate, according to WATT Fuel Cell. The state’s power plants aren’t the problem, notes WATT Fuel Cell, it’s the distribution grid. Reliability problems are the greatest in rural and mountainous areas, where
dense forests play havoc with vulnerable power lines and limit accessibility for line maintenance, the company says.
The WATT Imperium fuel cell has a 1.5 kW capacity and is designed to operate continuously in the consumer’s home, generating on-site power sufficient for most needs, estimated to total about 1.2 kW typically.
Customers who adopt fuel cell power units will enjoy immediate benefits, says WATT Fuel Cell, including energy security when storms or grid problems disrupt residential power. Wider adoption of the new power-generation technology will also help in the state’s energy transition away from coal by positioning the region as a fuel-cell “hub”, the company notes, helping it to secure funding from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
technology of its own and stated to IDTechEx that system availability is set for 2024. Regulation and economic policy are determining the demand for fuel cells in the APAC region specifically, and a JV has been established between Noritake, Toto, and NGK Spark Plug, targeting the commercial launch of SOFCs by 2025.
So does the movement of big players towards the SOFC market, either entering or returning, indicate impending growth for the sector? The hype must be tempered by comparing to the status of PEM fuel cells, which are the leading solution for fuel cell power in the mobility sector for a variety of reasons, while also being better suited to emergency power than SOFCs due to shorter ramp up times and longer lifetime across multiple cycles.
Despite strong opportunities in sectors requiring 24/7, always-on power, such as commercial and industrial applications, the total annual MW installation of SOFCs is expected to be an order of magnitude lower than that for PEM fuel cells over the coming decade.
However, the emergence of promising opportunities, coupled with fuel flexibility and the onset of high-volume manufacturing by big players, could accelerate the growth of the SOFC market and change the outlook dramatically.
BauWatch camera towers
SFC Energy has received an order from the Netherlands to deliver further EFOY Pro (direct methanol) fuel cells to BauWatch, provider of surveillance systems.
Above: Fuel cell vs genset, how WATT Fuel Cell sees itl
The fuel cells will be used in camera towers, mainly on construction sites for monitoring progress and increasing protection against criminal activity. BauWatch’s security systems are also used for wind farms, solar parks and other types of infrastructure projects. The camera towers are equipped with batteries and the EFOY Pro fuel cell system monitors the battery’s state of charge, switching itself on when the voltage drops and recharging the battery. The fuel cell then switches back to standby mode. Unlike diesel generators, the EFOY Pro fuel cells do not produce any harmful emissions, SFC Energy notes.
www.modernpowersystems.com | July/August 2023 | 15
EFOY Pro fuel cells for
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