Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd. (CFCL, Australia) announced that it is ready to begin mass production of its ceramic fuel cell plates. The company believes that its blueprint for the design of a high-volume, manufacturing plant places it at the forefront of solid-oxide fuel cell companies seeking to meet market demand for efficient and clean stationary power.
In September 2004, CFCL signed an agreement with Ceram Research Ltd. to identify the design and cost options for a manufacturing plant for mass production of its ceramic fuel cell plates. Ceram delivered its initial report in December, and CFCL is now reviewing it. CFCL has designed its fuel cell components to be suitable for mass production. CFCL has looked to produce all related components in a fuel cell stack: the electrolyte plates, separator plates, and the seals and coatings in one automated process. CFCL is in discussions with potential joint venture partners regarding the design platform, building footprint and requirements for a mass production plant.
"One of the key challenges for us and Ceram in this project has been to find the balance between innovative processing and off-the-shelf equipment. We are conscious of the fact that our decisions relate to the cost of our market-entry product," stated CFCL Exceutive Chairman Julian Dinsdale.
