How-to, Tips and Articles: Fuel Cell-combined Cycle (FC-CC) Power Plant is the Latest of GE’s Clean Energy Innovation

The future of power has arrived. After more than a century of technology development, market and technology forces are now converging to accelerate fuel cell adoption across the globe. These forces will work in harmony to expedite the integration of fuel cells into the global energy landscape in the decade ahead. In many ways, the adoption of fuel cells will mirror the renewable energy transition that has taken place over the last decade, which moved renewable power technologies from niche applications to mainstream power technologies. The three primary drivers that are moving fuel cells to the tipping point are: technology innovation, the emerging age of gas, and the rise of distributed power.i

INNOVATION

GE is a global technology company in relentless pursuit of innovation. We are deeply committed to clean energy innovation. GE’s ongoing investment in fuel cells is part of our $25 billion commitment to clean energy development over the past decade, which is part of our Ecomagination initiative. Our new Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle (FC-CC) technology is the latest example of GE’s clean energy innovation. The FC-CC is a small heat and power generation system that is comprised of a natural gas-fueled solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and a GE Jenbacher reciprocating gas engine.

The FC-CC is unique in several ways. First, the SOFC will be produced using proprietary additive manufacturing techniques that dramatically reduce costs beyond what has been previously achieved. Second, by combining the SOFC and the Jenbacher, the FC-CC is projected to achieve an electrical efficiency between 60 and 65 percent—that’s an unprecedented level that has previously been the domain of only the most advanced large natural gas combined-cycle machines. Together, we believe that these breakthroughs will drive FC-CC costs down to a level that will enable it to successfully compete with other distributed generation technologies in the absence of direct policy supports.

Figure 1. The power of tomorrow

GE’s Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle (FC-CC) is a unique combination of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and a Jenbacher gas-fueled reciprocating engine. In this configuration, natural gas is reformed to produce hydrogen. The resultant reformate, along with oxygen, is used to produce electricity and water through an electrochemical reaction within the SOFC. The fuel output or tail gas is then fed to a Jenbacher gas engine in order to create more electricity and heat. The resultant electrical efficiency of the combined process is projected to be 60 to 65 percent. The combined heat and power (CHP) efficiency is expected to be as high as 90 percent.

We are so excited about the technology that we created GE-Fuel Cells—a nimble start-up company within GE that will commercialize the FC-CC. “We have a real breakthrough in fuel cell technology that will enable a distributed power system with a high electrical efficiency. GE-Fuel Cells is moving fast to bring this technology to the world,” says Johanna Wellington, CEO of GE-Fuel Cells. The FC-CC will provide customers with modular, flexible power that provides near-zero environmental emissions and is a net water producer. We believe that this package of benefits is ideally suited for stationary power applications from 1 to 10 megawatts (MW). Furthermore, one of the most exciting aspects of the FC-CC is its ability to provide power as a new source as well as a retrofit option. Existing gas engine installations around the world can be retrofitted with an SOFC module and transformed into an FC-CC system. This option provides customers with the ability to triple their power output without any additional environmental emissions on a per megawatt hour (MWh) basis and produce water in the process.

In this manner, the SOFC provides a pathway for increasing power generation in key markets across the globe without increasing the environmental footprint of power production. The FC-CC’s water production potential is particularly attractive in arid regions of the world such as parts of the United States and China, the Middle East, and North Africa. When all of these pieces are considered together, it is easy to be enthusiastic about the world-changing potential of this extraordinary GE innovation.

Because of the unique environmental benefits offered by the FC-CC, we have included the technology in GE’s Ecomagination portfolio of clean technology products and services. In order to be included in the Ecomagination portfolio, technologies must qualify by meeting strict environmental standards. According to Debora Frodl, GE’s Ecomagination Global Executive Director, “The Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle technology epitomizes what Ecomagination is all about—solving the world’s toughest challenges by creating technologies that are both economically and environmentally beneficial.”

THE AGE OF GAS

After decades on the margin of the global power system, natural gas is shifting from a regional and marginal fuel to becoming a focal point of the global energy landscape. It has caught up with and now competes head-to-head with oil and coal, and complements wind and other renewable energy re- sources. At the global level, natural gas production and consumption is growing, in part because the land-based and seaborne networks that underpin the connection between supply and demand are becoming more diverse as they expand around the world. Gas network growth, coupled with technology innovation, is contributing to creating greater availability, delivery flexibility, and improved economics. Natural gas fuel cells like the FC-CC are poised to benefit from this emerging age of gas, which promises greater gas availability around the globe and more economically favorable gas prices.

THE RISE OF DISTRIBUTED POWER

Beyond the increased availability of natural gas, the rise of distributed power technologies across the globe is also a driving force for the FC-CC. The rise of distributed power is being driven by the same forces that are propelling the broader decentralization movement: distributed power technologies are more widely available; they are smaller, more efficient, and less costly today than they were just a decade ago.

However, the rise of distributed power is also being driven by the ability of these systems to overcome the constraints that typically inhibit the development of large capital projects, and transmission and distribution lines. Distributed power systems have lower capital requirements and can be built, and become operational, faster and with less risk than large power plants or new transmission lines. GE expects annual distributed power capacity additions to grow from roughly 150 gigawatts (GW) per year today to 200 GW per year by 2020.

Stationary distributed power fuel cells like GE’s FC-CC will be a primary beneficiary as global power networks incorporate an increasing number of distributed generation technologies and migrate toward what we call integrated power networks. Integrated power networks are those that contain a combination of both central and distributed power systems connected through increasingly sophisticated physical and digital networks. Indeed, a cluster of fuel cells that is already being used in this manner has been coined a transmission-integrated grid energy resource (TIGER) by researchers at the National Fuel Cell Research Center (NFCRC). The world’s largest fuel cell installation is the 59 MW TIGER station at the Gyeonggi Green Energy facility in Hwaseong City, South Korea.

LET THE TRANSFORMATION BEGIN

According to the US Department of Energy’s 2013 Fuel Cell Technologies Market Report, worldwide fuel cell industry revenues reached $1.3 billion in 2013. About 35,000 fuel cell systems were shipped in 2013, an increase of 26 percent over 2012, and 400 percent more than 2008. One hundred and fifty megawatts of stationary fuel cells shipped worldwide in 2013, an increase of 24 percent over 2012 and 244 percent over 2008.ii

Although fuel cells reflect a small fraction of today’s overall distributed generation market space— accounting for 570 MW of installed capacity across the globe—fuel cell market growth projections show a strong positive trajectory. For example, fuel cell industry experts project a 400 percent increase in annual MW-scale stationary fuel cell installations by 2020.iii

Stationary power applications hold the most promise for fuel cells over the next decade. Industrial, commercial, and residential power-only and combined heat and power (CHP) applications are a particularly attractive fit for the technology. Indeed, stationary fuel cells are already commercially installed across a wide variety of applications including universities, hospitals, data centers, water resource recovery facilities, and at leading companies like Verizon, AT&T, Walmart, Coca-Cola, eBay, FedEx, and Google. In California, in excess of 100 MW are deployed. In South Korea, the installed fleet is approaching 300 MW.iv This is why we are in the process of developing a 1.3 MW FC-CC demonstration, with an eye toward scaling the technology up to the 10 MW range.

The benefits of the 1.3 MW FC-CC are considerable. First, it will generate enough electricity to meet the needs of approximately 1,000 US homes. Second, the FC-CC actually produces one half gallon of water per MWh. This water production stands in contrast to the US power plant average consumption rate of 2,000 gallons per MWh.v By generating electricity without consuming water for cooling, the FC-CC will save enough water to fill eight Olympic swimming pools every year. Of course, this level of water savings is extremely valuable, particularly in arid regions or areas grappling with drought. Third, because the 1.3MW FC-CC generates electricity at a projected efficiency of 60 to 65 percent, it will consume less fuel compared to the average US power plant. When compared to the US average natural gas-fired power plant, we estimate that the fuel savings as a result of the high efficiency of the FC-CC will be enough to meet the space heating, water heating, and cooking needs of 580 US homes every year.

By creating GE-Fuel Cells and developing the FC-CC, we deepen our commitment to the distributed power market. At GE, we are proud to play a role in realizing the potential of fuel cells, and we are humbled by the opportunity to help usher in a new energy era—just as we did in 1882 when Thomas Edison built the world’s first power plant. Together, let’s power the future.

Figure 2. Ready to take the plunge?

GE is in the process of developing a 1.3 megawatt (MW) Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle (FC-CC) system en route to the eventual development of a 10 MW system. The 1.3 MW system will produce enough electricity for 1,000 homes. Compared to the US power plant average water consumption rate, it will save enough water to fill eight Olympic swimming pools every year. Further, when compared to the US average natural gas-fired power plant, the fuel savings due to the projected high efficiency of the FC-CC will be enough to meet the space heating, water heating, and cooking needs of 580 US homes every year.

I. INTRODUCTION

After more than 150 years of technology development, forces are now aligning to accelerate fuel cell adoption. “We’ve reached the tipping point,” says Morry Markowitz, President of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association. “When it comes to fuel cells, I think the future is now. In the next decade, we are going to see a transformation in the manufacturing and use of fuel cells around the world.”

The signs are everywhere. Dozens of Fortune 500 companies utilize fuel cells to power corporate buildings and data centers, and to provide backup power to telecom towers. Apple, Google, and Walmart are among those who have adopted fuel cells. United States and South Korean utilities are adding megawatt (MW)-sized fuel cells to their portfolios. According to the US Department of Energy’s 2013 Fuel Cell Technologies Market Report, the worldwide fuel cell industry reached $1.3 billion in 2013. About 35,000 fuel cell systems were shipped in 2013, an increase of 26 percent over 2012, and 400 percent more than 2008. One hundred and fifty megawatts of stationary fuel cells shipped worldwide in 2013, an increase of 24 percent over 2012 and 244 percent over 2008.vi

Businesses, utilities, and municipalities have taken notice and are deploying fuel cells in a range of applications. Breakthrough Technologies Institute (BTI) Executive Director Robert Rose elaborates: “Fuel cells are diverse—from small portable devices to large megawatt-scale power plants—some of these segments are doing very well and have favorable growth prospects because, from a technology standpoint, fuels cells have arrived.”

GE is always in relentless pursuit of technology innovation. Over the last decade, through our Ecomagination initiative, we’ve targeted our research efforts toward clean energy solutions GE’s investment in fuel cells is part of our sustained effort to invest $25 billion in clean energy technologies through Ecomagination.

What Is a Fuel Cell?

A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy in natural gas or hydrogen into electricity and water through an electrochemical reaction with oxygen. Fuel cells are similar to batteries in structure, except they rely upon an external fuel source instead of stored chemical reactants. While there are different types of fuel cells, each is made up of three layers: an anode, an electrolyte, and a cathode. Here’s how fuel cells work:

Hydrocarbon fuel, such as natural gas, is reformed to produce hydrogen, water, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide;
both the reformate and oxygen from ambient air are fed into the fuel cell;
the reformate flows on the anode side, a negatively charged electrode, where it combines with oxygen ions traveling through the electrolyte from the cathode side to electrochemically react and form water; and then
the electrons create an electrical current in the external circuit that becomes the useful energy.

Fuel cells can be used in a variety of ways. For example, they can be used in cars and trucks to convert hydrogen into electricity to power the vehicle. They can be used in small, portable applications to provide electricity when and where it is needed. They can be used as stationary electricity generators or combined heat and power systems. Although fuel cells have been under development since the nineteenth century, recent innovations by GE and others promise to make fuel cells more economically competitive.

GE’s new Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle (FC-CC) technology is one example of the fruits of our commitment to clean energy innovation. GE Ecomagination Global Executive Director Debora Frodl sums it up: “The Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle technology epitomizes what Ecomagination is all about—solving the world’s toughest challenges by creating technologies that are both economically and environmentally beneficial.”

The FC-CC is a first-of-its-kind combination of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and a GE Jenbacher reciprocating gas engine. In this configuration, natural gas is first fed into the SOFC. The FC-CC then takes advantage of the residual heating value of the fuel that exits the SOFC. This fuel is fed into a gas-fueled Jenbacher reciprocating engine, which generates even more electricity. The SOFC and the Jenbacher are combined in a capacity ratio of 2:1 to create power generation solutions in the 1.3 to 10 MW range. When configured in this manner, the SOFC and the Jenbacher will provide a projected combined efficiency of 60 to 65 percent. Efficiencies in excess of 60 percent for power generators in the size range of 10 MW and below have never before been achieved.

In the coming years, GE will begin offering the FC-CC in size ranges from 1.3 to 10 MW to provide stationary power solutions for our customers. By creating GE-Fuel Cells and developing the FC-CC, we deepen our commitment to the growing distributed power space. We are excited about the potential of the revolutionary FC-CC. That’s why we created GE-Fuel Cells, a start-up company within GE that is currently developing a 1.3 MW SOFC demonstration project.

II. FUEL CELL INNOVATION

Technology innovation is the key ingredient that has led to the development of the revolutionary FC-CC. Indeed, recent technology innovations by GE and others have brought fuel cell technologies to the cusp of competitiveness. Automotive manufacturers like Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai have made a commitment to develop and commercialize hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and have achieved improved reliability, performance, and power density. GE’s FC-CC is the latest fuel cell innovation. To develop the FC-CC, we’ve built upon a rich legacy of fuel cell innovation that dates back over 150 years. Indeed, we stand on the shoulders of giants.

FUEL CELL HISTORY

The first prototype fuel cells were conceptualized and developed in 1839 by Welsh physicist William Grove and German physicist Christian Friedrich Schönbein. In 1893, Friedrich Wilhelm Ostwald experimentally determined the interconnected roles of the various components of the fuel cell: electrodes, electrolyte, and oxidizing and reducing agents.vii Chemists Ludwig Mond, Charles R. Alder Wright, and C. Thompson independently built functioning fuel cells around the turn of the twentieth century. Their fuel cells produced a small electrical current but were much too costly to build. In 1896, William W. Jacques built a fuel cell with a thermoelectric efficiency of 8 percent.

In the first decades of the twentieth century, hydropower and steam turbines were able to produce large amounts of electricity at increasingly lower costs. Fuel cells couldn’t compete with either, and fuel cell research retreated to the laboratory. By 1939, British engineer Francis Thomas Bacon successfully developed a 5 kilowatt (kW) stationary fuel cell. Bacon’s work was put on hold due to World War II, but over the course of twenty years after the war, Bacon continued his work, which eventually led to large-scale demonstrations with alkali cells.

GE’s history with fuel cells dates back to the 1950s, when GE scientists W. Thomas Grubb and Leonard Niedrach jointly invented the first proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. After developing the PEM in 1955, GE went on to develop this technology for NASA in 1962, leading to its use during Project Gemini— NASA’s second human space flight program. This was the first commercial use of a fuel cell. Research on SOFC began in the late 1950s at GE’s global research center in Niskayuna, New York. Scientists at Westinghouse began SOFC research in the 1960s, funded in part by the US Department of Interior. In 1964, GE developed the first nickel-yttria stabilized zirconia (Ni-YSZ) anode.

Figure 3. Fuel cell innovation timeline

Fuel cell developments can be traced back to 1839. By the turn of the twentieth century, researchers concluded that fuel cells were too inefficient and costly to compete with increasingly large central generation plants. After a century of gradual innovation, GE researchers are now developing the megawatt-scale Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle (FC-CC), an innovative fuel cell hybrid technology that is expected to achieve efficiency levels that have hitherto been the domain of only the largest and most efficient power plants in the world.

High costs and low efficiencies continued to create challenges for fuel cell researchers. Increasingly efficient large-scale technologies and low fossil fuel prices meant that researchers would have to achieve cost reduction and efficiency breakthroughs to make fuel cells commercially viable. Nonetheless, GE research forged ahead. In 1982, GE developed a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) electrolyte. By the end of the 1980s, GE researchers began focusing their efforts on the more promising SOFC. GE continued its fuel cell research throughout the 1990s and early 2000s at its Hybrid Power Generation Systems business in Torrance, California.

In 2002, GE researchers partnered with the US National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) with support from the US Department of Energy Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) program. The challenge was to reduce manufacturing costs while improving energy density and reducing degradation. GE researchers made a major pivot in 2006 to find a lower cost manufacturing approach, and by 2012 had achieved a significant measure of success. During 2013, GE’s efforts focused on fuel cell scale-up, which brought about the decision to form GE-Fuel Cells in 2014.

GE INNOVATIONS

More recently, GE researchers independently discovered a novel and significantly less expensive method to manufacture SOFCs. They took a well- known process— thermal spraying that is used on GE aircraft engines and industrial gas turbines—and reapplied it to fuel cells manufacturing. Applying thermal spray technology to the SOFC was a significant breakthrough because it opened the door to the potential of high volume, low cost manufacturing of SOFCs.

The second recent innovation involved marrying the SOFC with another mature technology that had a rich history of its own and was already an important part of GE’s distributed power portfolio: GE’s Jenbacher gas engine. “It was right under our nose,” says Johanna Wellington, seasoned GE Technology Director and CEO of GE-Fuel Cells. “We just had to put the pieces together.”

It is unrealistic to expect that every single hydrogen ion and oxygen ion will combine in perfect chemical reaction within the fuel cell stack of an SOFC system. Some amount of fuel will pass through unused. Instead of focusing their efforts on getting the exact chemistry in the fuel cell, GE researchers decided to feed the unutilized fuel or tail gas to a Jenbacher gas engine. By putting the SOFC together with a Jenbacher engine in a combined cycle configuration, GE researchers project the FC-CC efficiency to be 60 to 65 percent. Further, by directing the tail gas to the gas engine, the fuel cell system design is simplified – leading to lower costs and longer life. It’s a technology win-win.

GE’s FC-CC makes perfect sense. “Fuel cells are made for hybridization,” according to Robert Rose, Executive Director of BTI. “It’s a natural fit because hybridization makes the fuel cell system more efficient and economical.” By combining two technologies into an integrated system and making fuel cells less costly and more efficient, GE has finally achieved what fuel cell researchers had been trying to accomplish for more than a century. Indeed, GE’s success in this endeavor is the product of the cumulative effort of a long line of researchers stretching back over 150 years. We are tremendously proud to be part of this legacy.

III. FUEL CELL DRIVERS

GE is always in relentless pursuit of technology innovation. Over the last decade, through our Ecomagination initiative, we’ve targeted our research efforts on clean energy solutions like the new Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle.

Although innovation played a key role in bringing fuel cells to the cusp of competitiveness, other key factors are at work today in support of fuel cells. The most important trends are what we call the age of gas and the rise of distributed power.viii The age of gas is the phrase we use to capture the current and expected growth in natural gas production, consumption, and networks around the world. The rise of distributed power refers to the current growth in small, distributed power systems across the globe. Both of these trends positively reinforce what’s happening in the fuel cell market.

What is GE-Fuel Cells?

GE-Fuel Cells is a new start-up business funded by GE Ventures. It was born from fuel cell technology that GE scientists have been developing at GE’s Global Research Center in Niskayuna, New York. Led by longtime research leader Johanna Wellington, GE-Fuel Cells is focused on commercializing the Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle (FC-CC) technology, which is a hybrid system comprised of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and a Jenbacher gas engine. The FC-CC will be available in 2018.

THE AGE OF GAS

The first commercialized natural gas use occurred in Britain. Around 1785, the British used natural gas produced from coal to light houses and streets. In 1816, Baltimore, Maryland, used this type of manufactured natural gas to become the first city in the United States to light its streets with gas. What is new and changing today is the role of this unique resource in the global energy mix. Natural gas is shifting from a regional and often marginal fuel to becoming a focal point of the global energy landscape as it catches up and competes head-to- head with oil and coal, and complements wind and other renewable energy sources.

Gas growth is accelerating, in part because the networks that underpin the connection between supply and demand are becoming more diverse as they expand around the world. Gas network growth, coupled with technology innovation, is creating greater availability, greater flexibility, and improved economics. As a result, the world is now entering what we call the age of gas. Distributed natural gas-fueled technologies, like the FC-CC, will be one of the most prominent beneficiaries of the emerging age of gas.

THE RISE OF DISTRIBUTED POWER

The rise of distributed power is also a driving force for fuel cell technologies. A wave of decentralization is sweeping across the globe and changing the way we live, work, and play. The organization of resources and people is moving away from centralized systems toward integrated networks that include both distributed and centralized elements. The trend is pervasive across society and the global economy. Telecommunications, computing, retail, and entertainment have all moved toward decentralization. Today, we are at the beginning stages of decentralization in higher education, healthcare, and energy. The decentralization movement has the potential to enable unprecedented productivity gains and improve living standards for all.

Electric power systems are riding the wave of decentralization through the deployment and use of distributed power technologies. These innovations, which have been around since Thomas Edison built the first power plant in 1882, are used more and more today to provide electrical and mechanical power at or near the point of use. The use of distributed power technologies creates a decentralized power system within which distributed generators meet local power demand throughout the network.

Figure 4. Natural Gas Production

Gas production and consumption is expected to increase over the next decade. According to GE’s forecast, natural gas production will grow 35 percent between 2012 and 2025 to 4,780 billion cubic meters up from 3,518 in 2012. The growth in gas will be supported by an increase in both land-based pipeline and seaborne liquefied natural gas trade. Gas-fueled distributed power technologies, such as GE’s new Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle (FC-CC), will be one of the primary beneficiaries of this emerging age of gas.

The portfolio of distributed power technologies includes diesel and gas reciprocating engines, gas turbines, fuel cells, solar panels, and small wind turbines. Although there is no standard definition, distributed power technologies are less than 100 MW in size—and typically less than 50 MW, which is the limit that distribution systems can accommodate at distribution voltages. They are highly flexible and suitable across a range of applications including electric power, mechanical power, and propulsion. Distributed power technologies can stand alone, or they can work together within a network of integrated technologies to meet the needs of both large and small energy users.

The rise of distributed power is being driven by the same forces that are propelling the broader decentralization movement: distributed power technologies are more widely available, smaller, more efficient, and less costly today than they were just a decade ago. But the rise of distributed power is also being driven by the ability of distributed power systems to overcome the constraints that typically inhibit the development of large capital projects and transmission and distribution (T&D) lines. Because they are small, they have lower capital requirements and can be built and become operational faster, and with less risk than large power plants. In addition, distributed power systems can be incrementally added to meet growing energy needs.

Taken together, the net result is an increase in distributed power investment and capacity installations that is expected to continue over the next decade. In 2012, $150 billion was invested in distributed power technologies including gas turbines, reciprocating engines, and solar PV in electric, power, mechanical drive, and propulsion applications globally. Approximately 142 GW of distributed power capacity was ordered and installed. During the same year, GE estimates that 218 GW of central power capacity was ordered. This means that distributed power capacity additions accounted for about 39 percent of total global capacity additions.

By 2020, distributed power will play an even larger role. GE estimates that annual distributed power capacity additions will grow from 142 GW in 2012 to 200 GW in 2020. That’s a 58 GW increase and represents an average annual growth rate of 4.4 percent. During this period, investment in distributed power technologies will rise from $150 billion to $206 billion. To be sure, installations of central power capacity will also increase between 2012 and 2020. GE estimates that annual central power additions will grow from 218 GW in 2012 to 272 GW in 2020. That represents an average annual growth rate of 2.8 percent. This means that on a global basis, distributed power capacity additions will grow 60 percent faster than central power additions. As a result, distributed power’s share of global capacity additions will increase from 39 percent in 2012 to 42 percent in 2020.

The proliferation of distributed power systems will benefit nations, industries, and people around the world because power use is critical to human and economic development. Research has shown that increasing electricity use is positively correlated with advances in income, education, and health. This is particularly true in developing countries—such as China, India, and Brazil—that have lower per capita income levels, and this is where the demand for distributed power is the greatest today.

THE INDUSTRIAL INTERNET

The world is in the midst of the widespread penetration of information technology hardware, software, and communications technologies into the business and social fabric of our lives. From the way we shop, to the way we receive our news and run our business operations—all aspects of our lives have been enhanced by digital technologies in the last decade. Today, the penetration of digital technologies is acting as an accelerant to the adoption of distributed power technologies around the world. Its impact on the rise of distributed power will grow over time as each of these trends gains additional momentum.

Digital control systems currently embedded in distributed power technologies enable operators to remotely optimize operations and minimize costs in ways that were not possible a decade ago. Both hardware and software have grown more sophisticated to the point where distributed power systems can be controlled from a smartphone. But that’s not the whole story. The forthcoming marriage of the Internet and industrial machines, in what is known as the Industrial Internet, promises to transform isolated distributed power technologies into remotely operated and synchronized fleets of virtual power plants with extended capabilities.ix

Tomorrow’s Industrial Internet-enabled distributed power control systems will have extended capability beyond today’s systems.

Figure 5. Global distributed power capacity additions

Between 2012 and 2020, distributed power capacity additions will grow from 142 gigawatts (GW) to 200 GW. That’s a 58 GW increase and represents an annual growth rate of 4.4 percent. During this period, investment in distributed power technologies will rise from $150 billion to $206 billion. Stationary power fuel cell applications will be part of the growing mix of distributed power solutions.

They will provide operations decision support, such as how to run, start, shut down, and buy power. This will create better investment decisions, leading to better economic returns for investments. Additional capabilities will allow distributed power operators to self-install software upgrades and eliminate the risks and costs of downtime.

Beyond enhanced control and optimization of distributed power technologies, the Industrial Internet holds the promise of coordinating distributed power systems in ways that add further value to distributed power technologies at the system level. This extended capability has the potential to further tilt the landscape in favor of distributed power systems like the FC-CC.

A virtual power plant (VPP) is a group of distributed power technologies that are aggregated and operated in unison by a centralized control system powered by the Industrial Internet. Centralized control and operation extends the capabilities of individual distributed power units by enabling groups of grid-connected plants to deliver electricity to the transmission network in unison during periods of peak demand. A VPP could serve as a substitute to a single large power plant. Further, individual distributed power units would be more flexible and quicker to react to fluctuations in electricity demand. VPPs also have the potential to coordinate distributed power system operation with options related to electricity demand, such as demand response and other load-shifting approaches.

Today’s distributed power digital control systems have already enabled operators to remotely monitor and control all aspects of power plant operation. This capability has enhanced the distributed power value proposition, and it is part of the driving force behind the rise of distributed power. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Tomorrow’s control systems will open the door to an extended range of capabilities that will further enhance the appeal of distributed power. VPPs will enable a fleet of distributed power systems to operate in a coordinated manner to facilitate fleet-wide optimization. VPPs will serve as a virtual complement to large central power plants by providing both electricity supply and coordinating demand-side options. Together, the digital wave and the Industrial Internet will propel distributed power to new heights.

TRANSMISSION-INTEGRATED GRID ENERGY RESOURCES (TIGERS)

Technology advances have enabled the development of a new breed of distributed power technologies, like the FC-CC, that have the ability to rival the cost and performance of central station power plants, but in a much smaller package. Just as important, today’s distributed power technologies now enable control and customization to occur either on-site or remotely. Thus, the operation of distributed power technologies can be synchronized within the context of broader integrated power networks that are composed of both distributed and central power plants.

Integrated power networks are characterized by a combination of central station and distributed power systems that can operate in isolation or together within increasingly interconnected and intelligent transmission networks. Power networks across the globe will become increasingly integrated over time as distributed power technologies and intelligent T&D components are added to legacy networks. Thus, the rise of distributed power is ushering in a new power landscape where technologies work in tandem to provide a range of services that couldn’t be provided by either central station or distributed technologies in isolation.

Fuel cells are ideally suited to enable integrated power networks: they have the ability to change electricity output levels to meet rapid fluctuations in electricity demand. This is extremely helpful when buffering the presence of variable generation resources such as wind power and solar; they are small-scale so they can be situated in the distribution network in locations where they provide the highest level of grid support; and they are clean-burning so they can meet strict emissions standards and be located at or close to the point of use—even in jurisdictions with the most stringent emissions requirements.

A cluster of fuel cells that is already being used in this manner is known as a transmission-integrated grid energy resource (TIGER). The world’s largest fuel cell installation is the 59 MW station at the Gyeonggi Green Energy facility, in Hwaseong City, South Korea, which happens to operate as a TIGER station. In the context of the rise of distributed power, fuel cell TIGER installations in the United States and South Korea are a harbinger of things to come.

Figure 6. Transmission-integrated grid energy resource (TIGER)

A cluster of stationary fuel cells interconnected within electric transmission and distribution systems is known as a transmission-integrated grid energy resource (TIGER). The world’s largest fuel cell TIGER installation is the 59 megawatt TIGER station at the Gyeonggi Green Energy facility, in Hwaseong City, South Korea.

IV. FUEL CELL OUTLOOK

Experts expect stationary fuel cell installations to grow by more than 400 percent through the end of the decade.

The convergence of fuel cell innovation, the age of gas, and the rise of distributed power have brought fuel cells to the cusp of competitiveness. The growth of fuel cell TIGER installations in the context of the movement from isolated to integrated power networks indicates that the next decade will be one of growth for stationary fuel cells. Indeed, fuel cell industry experts expect stationary fuel cell installations to grow by more than 400 percent through the end of the decade.

Of course, fuel cell applications go beyond MW- scale stationary power generation applications. Other areas include kW-scale stationary CHP, transportation, and portable applications. All of these applications are expected to grow over the next decade as well.

For example, consider kW-scale residential CHP fuel cells known as fuel cell micro-CHP systems. These systems have overall efficiencies exceeding 90 percent and can be installed in both new and existing buildings. Japan’s Ene-Farm program, which started in 2009, provides an incentive for residential fuel cell CHP installations. In September 2014, the program celebrated 100,000 cumulative installations along with a 50 percent cost reduction since the inception of the program.x The Japanese government has a national target of 1.4 million cumulative installations by 2020 and 5.3 million by 2030. Germany recently announced a similar program that provides capital grants to micro-CHP projects.

Fuels cells in transportation also represent a promising area. Major auto manufacturers Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai have announced the commercial availability of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) in 2015. Enabled by the buildout of hydrogen fueling stations, consumers in the Japan and California markets will have the opportunity to be among the first to get behind the wheel of tomorrow’s transportation. Buses are also getting into the game. In Europe, to meet greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, countries such as Germany are supporting FCV development. Navigant Research expects one million fuel cell light duty vehicles on the road by 2027.xi

These are just some examples of current commercial fuel cells adoption and future expectations around future fuel cell growth. As each fuel cell application area matures, the benefits will carry over to the other fuel cell industries. Continued support policies, research and development spending, and supply chain development will collectively continue to reduced lifecycle costs for fuel cells and help ensure that the vast potential of fuel cells is realized in the years ahead.

V. FUEL CELL BENEFITS

MODULARITY

Small is Beautiful is the title of a 1973 collection of essays from British economist E.F. Schumacher. He discussed the benefits of small, appropriate technologies, in contrast to increasingly large machines. The phrase is ideally suited to describe the benefits of distributed power technologies like the new FC-CC. Distributed power technologies provide a number of distinct benefits due to their size:

First, due to their scalability, distributed power technologies require less money to buy, build, and operate. In regions where capital is constrained, it is increasingly important to provide critical infrastructure, such as electricity, without having to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in capital to finance infrastructure projects. The capital simply isn’t available in many parts of the developing world to support large projects.
Second, because of their small size, distributed power technologies enable energy providers to match the level of demand with the level of supply, and to increase supplies incrementally as needed. Centralized power stations require large capital investment and are available in sizes that are often not appropriate for the required level of supply. Incremental distributed power development is the appropriate development path in many parts of the world today.
Third, because distributed power technologies are situated at or near demand, they facilitate a local level of control, operation, and maintenance that is not possible with central power stations. This enables system owners and operators to monitor and customize distributed power solutions to meet their specific needs.
Unique to fuel cells and other clean energy-distributed energy resources, permitting is possible in congested areas due to near zero emissions.

Advantages of the FC-CC go beyond just its size alone. From high efficiency, near-zero emissions and net water production, to fuel flexibility and modularity, GE’s FC-CC offers a range of benefits not available in any other generation technology— distributed or otherwise.

HIGH EFFICIENCY

The efficiency with which power plants convert fuel into electricity is the most important determinant of generation cost. High efficiency levels mean that more fuel is converted to electricity and less fuel is wasted. Consider the average conversion efficiency of the US natural gas-fired power plant fleet. The average efficiency of the US natural gas fleet in 2013 was 43 percent (average annual heat rate 7,948 Btu/kWh HHV).xii That means that 43 percent of the energy embedded in the natural gas was convert- ed to electricity, while 57 percent was wasted in the conversion process. At the average natural gas price of $4.38/mmBtu HHV in 2013, the cost of converting natural gas to electricity was $35/MWh (7,948 Btu/ kWh × $4.38/mmBtu HHV).xiii The higher net electrical efficiency of the FC-CC yields a conversion cost of $25/MWh. That’s a $10/MWh cost savings simply as a result of the higher conversion efficiency of the FC-CC.

Regions where gas prices are higher, such as South Korea and Japan, rely on more expensive liquefied natural gas imports. Here, the cost savings as a result of the high efficiency level of the FC-CC are even more pronounced. With the natural gas price at $10/ mmBtu, the cost of converting natural gas to electricity grows to $79/MWh at 43 percent efficiency, and just $58/MWh for the FC-CC. Thus, the impact of conversion efficiency increases at higher fuel prices.

NEAR-ZERO ENVIRONMENTAL EMISSIONS

It’s not just the high efficiency that makes the FC-CC a game-changer, it’s also the improved environmental performance and greater level of resource productivity relative to other generation options. Within the FC-CC system, SOFC is integrated with the gas engine at a capacity ratio of roughly 2:1. For every 2 MW of SOFC, the FC-CC includes another 1 MW of gas engine capacity. We combine an ultraclean gas engine with a near-zero emissions SOFC, resulting in a 67 percent reduction in emissions relative to a stand- alone gas engine. When equipping the FC-CC with selective catalytic reduction technology, emissions drive down even further. GE’s preliminary estimates indicate that the FC-CC greenhouse gas and particulate emissions will place it on par or better than state-of-the-art large central-station gas turbine combined cycles.

NET WATER PRODUCTION

Global water resources are becoming increasingly constrained in the face of growing economies, rising population levels, and the growing impacts of climate change. The World Resources Institute (WRI) has examined local water stress throughout the globe and found extreme stress in select areas across all seven continents.

Figure 7. Checking all of the boxes

From high efficiency, near-zero emissions, and net water production, to fuel flexibility, and modularity, GE’s Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle (FC-CC) offers a range of benefits not available in any other generation technology— distributed or otherwise.

The most stressed regions are Africa, the Middle East, and Australia. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), one billion people live in water-stressed regions today.xiv Furthermore, WRI expects water stress to intensify over the next 15 years across all scenarios.xv Ensuring adequate supplies of water in many parts of the world will be a challenge in the face of rising population and economic output levels.

Table 1. Fuel cost of generation for new and existing power plants

The Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle (FC-CC) is projected to have a combined efficiency of 60 to 65 percent, placing it alongside state-of-the-art large power plants for efficiency. Efficiency levels this high translate into reduced fuel costs and more competitively priced power, particularly in regions where fuel prices are high.

These trends tell us that it will become increasingly important to minimize water use during energy production. This holds not just for traditionally water-scarce regions like the Middle East, but also other areas that are experiencing increasing water stress.

According to Sandia National Laboratories, the electricity industry is the second largest source of freshwater withdrawals in the United States. Coal currently accounts for 52 percent of US electricity generation, and each kWh generated from coal requires withdrawal of 25 gallons of water.xvi This adds up fast. The average thermal power plant in the United States consumes—primarily through evaporation, which must be replaced—approximately a half gallon of water per kWh. When factoring in the evaporation from hydroelectric power plants, the weighted average water consumption per kWh in the United States is two gallons per kWh.xvii

This is where the FC-CC shines, because water is one of the outputs of the fuel cell electrochemical process. The SOFC component of the FC-CC is actually a net water producer, not a consumer of water for cooling like most power plants. According to GE-Fuel Cells' preliminary analysis, the FC-CC will produce water at a rate of one half gallon per megawatthour. Compared to the average US water consumption rate for power generation, each 1.3 MW FC-CC will save enough water to fill eight Olympic swimming pools every year of operation.

DISPATCHABILITY

Dispatchability—or the ability of an electricity generator to vary its level of electricity output in order to respond proactively to different levels of electricity demand—is an increasingly important attribute for electric generators for several reasons. First, in many jurisdictions, generators face increasingly variable demand levels due to the introduction of real-time pricing and other mechanisms that expose generators to more rapid demand changes. Second, many regions of the world are incorporating increasing levels of renewable energy resources to the grid. At high levels of penetration, renewables require increasing flexibility from other generation units within the electrical system in order to accommodate their variability. Thus, the need for—and value of—dispatchability is increasing over time in many power networks around the world.

The FC-CC is designed to be a fully dispatchable system. The addition of a flexible gas engine provides the FC-CC system with a higher level of dispatchability than other fuel cell systems. As a result, the FC-CC is able to maintain high levels of efficiency even at partload. This is a challenge to even the most mature generation technologies available.

Figure 8. Full and partial load efficiencies of power generation technologies

Dispatchability—or power generation flexibility—is increasingly important as intermittent demand and variable generation resources, such as wind and solar power, are integrated into the transmission system. The Fuel Cell-Combined Cycle (FC- CC) system offers a higher level of dispatchability than existing fuel cell technologies because of the introduction of the flexible gas engine into the combined system. Unlike other generation options, the FC-CC is able to maintain a high level of efficiency even at part-load.

RESILIENCY

As the world grows increasingly interconnected, the infrastructure networks that deliver electricity, gas, and water to our cities have never been more important. At the same time, the reliability of infrastructure networks is increasingly challenged by a rising tide of natural disasters. The challenge is visible in the increasing number of blackouts experienced in major economies across the globe. According to Eaton, which produces an annual blackout tracker, the annual number of blackouts in just the United States alone has risen from 2,169 in 2008 to 3,634 in 2014. That’s an increase of 67 percent in six years. These electrical outages and surge spikes are estimated to cost more than $150 billion in annual damages to the US economy.xviii

The increasing number of weather-related events appears to be the source of the growing number of outages. For example, in 2014 alone, the following weather-related events caused major system blackouts:

February 5: An ice storm in Philadelphia left more than 750,000 customers in the dark, some for several days as they waited for power to be restored.
March 7: Heavy rain, wind, and ice in Raleigh, North Carolina, knocked out power for 463,000.
July 9: Some 500,000 customers experienced a blackout after a tornado struck the New York area.
November 26: A powerful nor’easter blacked out 350,000 customers across New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York.
October 2: A nasty weather front left more than 250,000 customers without electricity in Arlington, Texas. The local utility reported that a large number of downed lines and power poles made the restoration process longer than normal.

Making the power system more resilient to natural disasters is critical to protecting customers and significantly reducing the magnitude of outages, human suffering, and economic costs. Distributed or on-site power technologies like the FC-CC enhance the resiliency of the power system by providing customers with power from on-site generators, rather than from distant power plants. In addition, customers can receive electricity from gas-fueled distributed generators as long as natural gas pipe- lines remain intact. Natural gas pipelines are much less vulnerable to above-ground natural disasters than transmission and distribution lines. For example, when hurricanes Irene (2011) and Sandy (2012) hit the northeast United States, the natural gas transmission pipelines reported that they were able to continue to operate during the storms. Meanwhile, 6.69 million customers experienced power outages during Irene, and 8.66 million customers experienced power outages during Sandy.xix

Distributed power technologies are a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to strengthening the power system and improving resiliency. In a world of increasing natural disasters, fuel cell technologies will play an increasing role over time.

VI. CONCLUSION

Technology innovation continues to transform the world in new and unexpected ways. GE’s new FC-CC combines two century-old technologies with the latest innovations in advanced manufacturing to produce a distributed power generation technology that offers a combination of benefits not previously available. In a world that is increasingly characterized by environmental constraints and a rising tide of natural disasters, FC-CC’s benefits—such as reduced environmental emissions and net water production, high efficiency, dispatchability, and reliability—make it an ideal technology in today’s changing energy landscape. Other drivers such as the age of gas and the rise of distributed power further reinforce the positive momentum for natural gas fuel cells.

The age of gas promises to make gas more widely available across the globe. The rise of distributed power promises to usher in an era of integrated power systems, which contain a combination of central and distributed resources interconnected by increasingly intelligent transmission and distribution systems. The FC-CC provides the right blend of characteristics to thrive as TIGERs. Indeed, TIGERs and self-generation fuel cell power plants have started appearing in markets as diverse as the United States and South Korea.

Taken together, these trends tell us that the outlook for fuel cells is positive. Experts believe that annual MW-scale stationary fuel cell installations will increase by 400 percent by the end of the decade. We believe fuel cells have now reached a tipping point. That’s why we created GE-Fuel Cells, a startup company within GE that is currently developing a 1.3 MW FC-CC demonstration system en route to the development of a full-size 10 MW system.

GE proudly announces the addition of the FC-CC to its distributed power portfolio. Now, even more than before, GE’s distributed power solutions give customers of all types the ability to generate reliable, sustainable power whenever and wherever it is needed. At GE, we are humbled by the opportunity to help usher in a new energy era—just as we did in 1882 when Thomas Edison built the world’s first power plant. Together, let’s power the future.

APPENDIX: FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES & APPLICATIONS

TECHNOLOGIES

A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy in natural gas or hydrogen into electricity and water through an electrochemical reaction with oxygen. Fuel cells are similar to batteries, except they rely upon external fuel sources instead of stored chemical reactants. While there are different types of fuel cells, each is made up of three layers: an anode, an electrolyte, and a cathode. Here’s how fuel cells work:

Hydrocarbon fuel such as natural gas is reformed to produce hydrogen, water, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide;
both the reformate and oxygen from ambient air are fed into the fuel cell;
the reformate flows on the anode side, a negatively charged electrode, where it combines with oxygen ions traveling through the electrolyte from the cathode side to electrochemically react and form water; and
the electrons create an electrical current in the external circuit that becomes the useful energy (electricity) desired from the product.

Figure 10. How fuel cells work

All fuel cells operate in the same manner and have the same primary components: an anode, a cathode, a catalyst, and an electrolyte. Differences in the electrolyte, the catalyst, and the operating temperatures distinguish different fuel cell types from each other.

Differences in the electrolyte, the catalyst, and the operating temperatures distinguish different fuel cell types from each other. To generate the desired amount of electricity, fuel cells can be combined in stacks.

Although fuel cells have been under development since the nineteenth century, recent innovations by GE and others are making fuel cells increasingly economically competitive.

There are several types of fuel cells. Each fuel cell type has its own unique properties (e.g., type of catalyst, operating temperature), characteristics (e.g., electrical efficiency, size) and most suitable applications (e.g., power, transportation, portable). The most common fuels cells are the alkaline fuel cell (AFC), the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), the molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), the phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC), the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), and the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Each fuel cell type is described in Table 2.

Table 2. Fuel cell types

There are several types of fuel cells. Each fuel cell type has its own unique properties, characteristics, and most suitable applications.

APPLICATIONS

Fuel cells are already used in a variety of applications around the world. The most common applications are portable, stationary power, and transport.

Portable fuel cells are used to charge non-stationary products. Portable fuel cells are used in recreational settings (campers, boats, lighting), military applications such as skid mounted generators, portable products, and small personal electronics. Portable fuel cells are designed to be moved. They come in sizes ranging from 1 W to 20 kW. The primary fuel cell technology used in portable applications are PEMFC and DMFC. An estimated 22,000 portable fuel cells shipped in 2014.xx
Stationary fuel cells are intended to remain fixed in a single location. Stationary fuel cells typically provide primary or backup power and sometimes heat as part of combined heat and power (CHP) applications. They include large utility, commercial, and industrial-scale power applications as well as smaller micro-CHP applications. Stationary fuel cells come in sizes ranging from kilowatts to megawatts. The primary types of fuel cells used in stationary applications include SOFC, PEMFC, MCFC, AFC, and PAFC.
Transport fuel cells are used to provide propulsive power in transportation vehicles as primary or auxiliary power units. The types of fuel cell vehicles include fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV), trucks, and buses. Transport fuel cells range in size from 1 kW to 100 kW. The most common fuel cell type used in transportation is PEMFC, which was the type of fuel cell used in the first fuel cell vehicle in 1966.

On a MW-basis, stationary fuel cells are estimated to have accounted for 84 percent of fuel cell shipments in 2014. Transport fuel cells accounted for 15 percent, and portable fuel cells accounted for the remaining 1 percent.xxi The most commercially viable fuel cell applications today include portable applications, stationary backup power applications, small auxiliary power units for recreational vehicles, and fork lifts. The economic viability of fuel cell applications will continue to evolve as fuel cell technologies mature over the next decade.

Source: Brandon Owens - GE

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