9 February 2010 – 65% electric efficiency achieved on SOFCpower’s SOFC stack

Efficiency development target exceeded

65% electrical efficiency based on the lower heating value of fuel was obtained on a standard SOFCpower-HTceramix stack module in a test at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL). The stack was fueled with steam reformed methane (steam-to-carbon ratio of 2) and was operated at 750°C with a power density of 250 mW/cm² and an average cell voltage of 760 mV.

This result exceeded the internal development target of 60% electrical efficiency and confirms the feasibility of high efficient generators based on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells.

With such efficiencies, the distributed generation of electricity in kW-sized units using SOFC technology is more efficient than centralized generation in MW-size plants using the best available combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT)