Challenges and Opportunities for Fuel Cells in Stationary Power Generation

ABSTRACT Fuel cell power systems are considered attractive for a wide range of stationary power generation applications including residential, commercial, and industrial distributed generation, as well as large utility power plants. The current interest in fuel cell systems stems from their potential for high efficiency (lower heating value (LHV) efficiencies of 35–70 percent, depending on technology and system capacity). In addition, fuel-cell technology has demonstrated very low (truly negligible) emission levels and has noise characteristics similar to air-conditioning systems (i.e., mostly air-moving equipment). Routine maintenance of fuel cells has the potential for being minimal even in low-capacity systems because there are no heavily loaded mechanical subsystems required (unless compressors are required for pressurized operation). Four primary fuel cell technologies are being developed for stationary applications. Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC); Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC); Mo...