Fuel Cell Technologies Corp. (FCT, Ontario, Canada) announced it has received an award of approximately $6.5 million (US$4.5 million) by the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) of the US Department of Energy (DOE, Washington, DC). The award is to carry out the first four years (Phase 1) of a planned 10-year program.
FCT is a key participant on the team assembled by Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation (SWPC, Orlando, FL). FCT and SWPC have an established working relationship through an existing agreement between the corporations for a 5kW SOFC Power Source Development and Demonstration Program. As a result of this competitive award, FCT and SWPC will work together on the development of a 7kW to 10kW SOFC combined heat and power system for residential applications, and be part of the team for the 3kW to 10kW auxiliary power unit for automotive applications.
The two goals of the project are to reduce the production costs of SOFC power systems and to increase the efficiencies of the current SOFC technology. Phase 1 has a cost goal of US$800 per kilowatt. Achievement of this goal will result in SOFC power systems that can be mass-produced at reduced costs, moving the SOFC systems into mainstream consumer markets.
