Feasibility of solid oxide fuel cell stationary applications in China’s building sector and relevant progress

Abstract With the continuous development of distributed energy technologies, combined heating and power (CHP) plays a key role in microgrids. Among all the available CHP technologies, those based on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are considered among the most promising prime movers with high efficiency and low emissions. This chapter aims to evaluate the feasibility of a SOFC-based CHP system for stationary applications from different perspectives. The technical, economic and environmental benefits of implementing SOFC-based CHP systems in China’s public and residential building sector, remote applications, as well as the reverse operation of SOFC for energy storage are investigated. The corresponding market penetration strategies and investment risk are discussed as well.