FuelCell receives naval boost

FuelCell Energy, Inc. has been awarded an additional $2.5 million by the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) to complete a land-based demonstration of its ship service fuel cell (SSFC) power plant and begin design work on a next generation ship-based prototype.

The goal of this project is to improve the power generation efficiency on board ships by using high-efficiency fuel cell technology. To meet the Navy’s ship board power requirements, FuelCell Energy is adapting its Direct FuelCell (DFC(R)) power plants to run on diesel and jet fuel. These fuels, while convenient for storage on board ships, need to be de-sulphurized before being used as fuel in the DFC plant. As a result, FuelCell Energy has developed a fuel processing system that seamlessly removes the sulphur and converts the liquids into methane gas, which can be used as a fuel in the power plant, providing secure 24/7 firm reliable power.

The project is part of an ongoing ONR vision for developing and deploying a megawatt size ship service fuel cell power plant. The unit is scheduled to complete testing in Danbury and be delivered to Naval Sea Systems Command’s Philadelphia Detachment for further on-site testing and validation.