High-temperature fuel cells being promoted by NETL utilize both hydrogen and carbon monoxide to create electricity by a virtually pollutant-free, electrochemical process. This technology operates on a variety of fuels (pure hydrogen, natural gas, or coal) to efficiently generate electricity on demand and on location, offering appealing power choices for commercial entities. Bringing this alternative technology to the general market is a comprehensive undertaking, and two NETL facilities are taking the lead. The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Experimental Laboratory (SOFCEL) and the new DOE Fuel Cell (DFC) testing facility contribute design research and evaluation results to the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA), whose ultimate goal is to commercialize low-cost, solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems.

NETL's SOFCEL investigates SOFC fundamentals and has made advances in understanding the root causes of fuel cell degradation. New tools for fuel cell designers, such as high-temperature strain gauges, are also being developed. These and other SOFCEL research developments will improve the understanding of fuel cell operation and contribute to the optimal design of SECA's fuel cell technology.

As SECA develops SOFC prototypes, independent performance testing and evaluation must occur÷and NETL's DFC fulfills this requirement. DFC researchers are currently using a 5-kilowatt SOFC system supplied by Acumentrics, a SECA industry team, to evaluate and calibrate the testing facility, which can accommodate up to a 10-kilowatt fuel cell system. Plans call for at least one SECA prototype system to be brought to the DFC in 2006 for testing and evaluation. NETL's program managers will utilize testing results to assess the progress of SECA's manufacturing partners toward achieving overall SOFC cost and performance goals.

Of course, NETL is already planning next-generation, large-scale energy solutions÷solutions that build on SECA's SOFC development. Creating a bridge to the hydrogen economy, SECA technology will serve as the building blocks of zero-emission power plants, like FutureGen, when integrated into high-efficiency hybrid systems.

A third NETL facility, the Hybrid Performance Project (HYPER), examines the operability of such fuel cell/gas turbine hybrid systems combining actual turbine hardware and computerized simulations of fuel cell models. HYPER has achieved successful start-up of the system without stalling, which can otherwise cause high-dollar damage to real fuel cell stacks. The facility is also addressing fuel cell response to transient events and evaluating related control strategies to aid in the development of appropriate design and operational parameters for future hybrid systems.

The benefits of fuel cell technology are already recognized, and the challenges facing researchers and designers are being conquered each day. Without question, the transition to a hydrogen economy has begun, and NETL's unique fuel cell facilities provide the support needed for this national—even global—energy transformation.