NETL researchers took a major step forward in studying how well a new solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) product can work in a micro-grid setting when they installed a cutting-edge SOFC system to help meet power needs at NETL’s Morgantown, West Virginia site.

According to a U.S. Department of Energy report to Congress, “In a SOFC, electricity is generated through an electrochemical reaction and not through a combustion process. The operating principles of fuel cells are similar to those of batteries, given they produce electricity without combustion or emissions. Unlike batteries, SOFCs do not run down or need to recharge; they only require a constant source of fuel and oxygen.”

The recent NETL project enabled NETL researchers Harry Abernathy, Jian Liu and Richard Pineault to collaborate with engineers from SolydEra and Aris Renewable Energy to install and commission a cutting-edge BlueGen 15 2.0 SOFC system.

SolydEra S.p.A. is an integrated group of international teams and subsidiaries based in Italy that works in the field of solid oxide cell technologies and manufacturing. BlueGen is a brand of the SolydEra group. Aris Energy Solutions, LLC is their U.S. distributor based in Mount Vernon, New York.

The objective of the NETL work is to “stress test” BlueGen’s ability to reliably disconnect from the grid into “island mode” and then reliably “load follow” critical loads. Island mode refers to a system that operates independently from the utility grid, often referred to as “off-grid” generation. In general, load-following relates to a power source’s ability to adjust its power output as electricity demand fluctuates throughout the day.

The BlueGen equipment is currently operating on natural gas and converts it into electricity and heat using fuel cell technology. It can run on a variety of fuels, including natural gas, hydrogen, bio-methane and synthetic methane.

With an overall efficiency up to 89%, a single BlueGen SOFC unit outputs almost 1.5 kW while operating and can produce up to 13,000 kWh of electricity and 7,400 kWh of heat per year.

The BlueGen SOFC can reduce the carbon footprint by up to 50% in natural gas operation and up to 100% in hydrogen operation. No nitrogen or sulphur oxides are produced, and no harmful particulates are released into the atmosphere. During operation, the unit produces very little noise, in contrast to a comparably sized diesel generator.

Liu reported that the new model BlueGen-15 2.0 will be able to load follow to a greater degree than the previous generation BlueGen-15. He said the work now underway will use the newest BlueGen design with a new external power output control system for a dynamic load following demonstration.

The work builds on efforts that used a previous BlueGen SOFC. Researchers removed the original SOFC and installed the BlueGen-15 2.0 in its place.

“That allowed the reuse of the piping and electrical wiring that was in place from the Phase I work,” Abernathy said. “That included natural gas lines, city water supply, drain lines, exhaust vents, inverter, batteries and other panels and wiring.”

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that drives innovation and delivers solutions for a clean and secure energy future. By leveraging its highly skilled innovators and state-of-the-art research facilities, NETL is advancing carbon management and resource sustainability technologies to enable environmental sustainability for all Americans.