Advanced SOFC technologies for low carbon, energy efficient and affordable power

Solid oxide fuel cells have the potential to greatly reduce carbon emissions in electricity generation because of their high conversion efficiency and suitability for distributed generation. Overall, this project will target the critical fuel cell issues of system cost and lifetime, including cell and stack cost, power density and affordability. The research will focus on the design, development and validation of novel components, sub-systems and integrated systems for RRFCS's initial system, a 1MW SOFC stationary power generation unit. Imperial College will contribute by developing new low-cost materials and geometries that are fundamental to the realisation of competitive fuel cells and stacks. This will involve using theoretical modelling at the atomistic level to identify promising new materials with the appropriate electronic properties. These will be synthesised and characterised in detail and finally the most promising ones will be evaluated in the RRFCS fuel cell structure.