Manufacturing and Market-Oriented Development of SOFC Generators at SOFCpower SpA

Abstract

SOFCpower-HTceramix' mission is to offer new energy solutions to the distributed electricity market based upon its efficient and competitive Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology. The company develops and manufactures SOFC power modules in close collaboration with European heat appliance OEMs and utilities for domestic cogeneration and distributed power generation. Furthermore, the company is actively involved in strategic research initiatives to demonstrate the use of planar SOFC stack technology for high temperature electrolysis (SOEC) and leads for this purpose the European FCH project ADEL (ADvanced ELectrolysers) with 13 partners. Thanks to more than 2 years operational experience in running its pilot plant in Italy (Mezzolombardo, TN), SOFCpower has sufficiently consolidated its manufacturing knowhow and capabilities to confirm the competitiveness of its products, which are capable to match target market requirements and being produced at less than 1000 €/kWe. This result has been possible also thanks to specific investments made on testing and qualification facilities in order to ensure quality and reproducibility of stack production. The current focus of the company is to certify its products and to bring together the whole value chain for distributed power generation, including component suppliers, integrators, installers and utilities, in order to be able to start field tests campaign in late 2011.