Solid Oxide Fuel Cells in America Dr Jason

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells in America Dr. Jason D. Nicholas Chemical Engineering & Materials Science Dept. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI https: //www. egr. msu. edu/nicholasgroup/ jdn@msu. edu October 22, 2019

the “arsenal of democracy” Could Become the “SOFC Capital of the World” 2

TALK Outline 1. SOFC Market Pitch and Status 2. The DOE Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Program (SECA) 3. Conclusions/Recommendations 3

SOFCs Have Some of the Highest Power Densities of any Electricity Generation Technology Gravimetric Power Density (W/kg) 10000 Hydrocarbon Powered SOFCs Gas turbines IC engines High Performance Photovoltaic Cells Direct 100 methanol fuel cells PEM fuel cells 1000 Electro magnetic generators 10 Note, unlike gas turbines SOFC efficienciesare size independent. Therefore, they can be used in distributed generation applications (where they are less vulnerable to terrorist attack or weather related outages) or centralized generation applications (where they benefit from $/k. W cost reductions). Traditional Photovoltaic cells Thermoelectric generators 0. 01 0. 1 1 Volumetric Power Density (W/cm ) 3 10 Modified from E. D. Wachsman and K. T. Lee, Science, 334, 935 (2011) 4

Considering competition in the marketpalce, SOFCs make sense from 1 -100 k. W • • • 1 -100 W personal device power packs 100 W – 10 k. W uninterruptible power supplies, 2 -5 k. W tractor trailer hotel load and/or refrigerated trailer auxiliary power units, 1 -10 k. W unmanned aerial, ground, and underwater vehicles, 1 -15 k. W natural gas pipeline metering stations, radar stations, cellphone tower power units, and infrastructure support, 15 -100 k. W residential backup units 100 W-100 k. W distributed solar energy and smart grid energy storage, 20 -40 k. W automotive hybrid units, 60 -90 k. W automotive power plants, 1 k. W- 10 MW residential, commercial, and industrial applications, 100 -500 MW central power stations. Nicholas, J. D. A Summary of the 2013 Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Promise, Progress, and Priorities (SOFC-PPP) Workshop. ECS Interface 22, 49 -54, https: //www. electrochem. org/dl/interface/wtr 13/wtr 13_p 049_054. pdf (2013). 5

SOFCs Are also competitive with batteries and Supercapacitors For Automotive Applications PEM Modified from E. D. Wachsman and K. T. Lee, Science, 334, 935 (2011) 6

Nissan is Looking to Deploy SOFC Range Extenders & Power Plants in its Vehicles 7

SOFCs Are the Most Environmentally Friendly Way to convert Hydrocarbons to Electricity Technology Reciprocating Combustion Engine Combined Cycle Gas Turbines PEM Fuel Cells Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Demonstrated NOx Emissions Comments Electrical Efficiency per k. We (Natural Gas, LHV) when operated on Natural Gas (ppm) 35 -45% 80 Widespread but dirty and inefficient 40 -50% 15 Cheap and efficient only above 100 k. W 40 -47% 2 Clean and efficient. Rapid Startup, but reformer needed for hydrocarbon operation Clean and efficient, especially for CHP applications, from 0 to >MW 50 -60% electrical 79 -90% combined heat and power (CHP) generation 2 www. nfcrc. uci. edu/Energy. Tutorial/energyconversion. html 8

Despite What the EU Says, Hydrocarbons Are Projected to Remain the Dominant Energy Source Quadrillion Btu Past and Projected World Energy Use • • • The U. S. became the world’s largest oil producer in 2017 The U. S. is projected to be the world’s largest natural gas exporter by 2020 Natural gas is projected to be gas the most-used domestic fuel by 2030 U. S. Energy Information Administration. Few Transportation Fuels Surpass the Energy Densities of Gasoline and Diesel. (2013). International Energy Association, World Energy Outlook 2012, OECD Publishing, Paris, France (2012) Energy Information Administration, http: //www. eia. gov/forecasts/ieo/pdf/0484(2013). pdf (2013). International Energy Association, World Energy Outlook 2012, OECD Publishing, Paris, France (2012). 9

Distributed Generation via SOFCs Reduce Long Distance Energy Transport Losses Typical U. S. Electrical Transmission Grid Losses: 6% Typical U. S. Natural Gas Grid Transmission Grid Losses: 1% Side Benefit: Removal of those ugly power lines strung all around your neighborhood! (Underground Gas Lines). Additional Major Benefit: Savings on Copper Wire 2013 American Gas Association Policy Handbook 10

The Allowed SOFC System Cost is Directly Related to SOFC Durability 1. Typical U. S. Electricity Generation Cost: $0. 10/k. We hr • Worst case for SOFC estimate: Assume that is all fuel cost 2. SOFCs get 2 x the efficiency of conventional technologies • Allowing $0. 05/k. We hr to be used for fuel costs • Allowing $0. 05/k. We hr to be used for installed system costs 3. Allowable Installed SOFC System Costs = $0. 05/k. We hr * Lifetime Most Commonly Cited Required SOFC Lifetime Minimum Required SOFC Lifetime 5, 000 hrs 10, 000 hrs 20, 000 hrs 40, 000 hrs Allowable Installed SOFC System Costs $ 250/k. We $500/k. We $1000/k. We $2000/k. We 11

Simply Traveling Down the YSZ Cost-Trajectory Curve Isn’t going to cut it For widescale Sofc deployment (where only electricity is valued): (DMFC) (SOFC) (PEM) (SOFC) On-Shore wind Is $1. 2/We & Solar Is $0. 9/We (PAFC) (SOFC/ MCFC) W. G. Colella and S. P. Pilli, ASME Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology (2013). B. D. James, A. B. Spisak and W. G. Colella, http: //www. sainc. com/service/SA%202012%20 Manufacturing%20 Cost%20 Analysis%20 of%20 Stationary%20 Fuel%20 Cell%20 Systems. pdf (2012). 12

SOFCs Get Cheaper on a per watt basis the larger they are Note, these are uninstalled costs W. G. Colella and S. P. Pilli, ASME Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology (2013). B. D. James, A. B. Spisak and W. G. Colella, http: //www. sainc. com/service/SA%202012%20 Manufacturing%20 Cost%20 Analysis%20 of%20 Stationary%20 Fuel%20 Cell%20 Systems. pdf (2012). 13

Applications where SOFCs Can Yield Additional Value (beyond the Value of Electrons) Are the only way to commercialize the technology • Applications Making Use of SOFC/SOEC Byproducts/Unique Characteristics • SOFCs as Down-Bore Oil Field Heaters that produce “free” electricity • SOEC water splitting to produce hydrogen fuel and concentrated oxygen for industrial processes (welding, iron smelting, ethylene glycol production, water treatment, etc. ) • Etc. • Increased Electrical Reliability • SOFCs for datacenters/plants that loose $$$$$$/hr not being in operation 14

SOFCs Operating In Reverse As Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOECs) to Store Energy have the Highest Efficiency of any Electrical to Chemical Energy Conversion Technology * Note, the flatter the IV curve the better (i. e. more current for a particular deviation from the open circuit voltage) As shown above, SOFCs offer superior reversible energy storage and use performance in a single device Hauch et al. Journal of Materials Chemistry v 18 p 2331 (2008) Carmo et al. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy v 38 p 4901 (2013) 15

SOFCs Offer Increased Grid Reliability and/or Continuous Distributed Generation The U. S. Natural Gas Grid SOFCs allow natural gas to be transformed into electricity and vice-versa. Therefore they allow the possibility of having the natural gas grid stabilize the electrical transmission grid, and vice-versa. The U. S. Electrical Transmission Grid SOFCs operated continuously through Hurricane Sandy, Snowmageddon, and other weather disasters! SOFCs are providing continuous datacenter power for Verizon, Apple, Microsoft, etc. (but at a loss to the SOFC manufacturers) http: //www. eia. gov/pub/oil_gas/natural_gas/analysis_publications/ngpipeline_maps. html http: //scor. lbl. gov/CS/html/exascale 4 energy/e 4 e 16. jpg 16

Simply Traveling Down the YSZ Cost-Trajectory Curve Isn’t going to cut it For widescale Sofc deployment (where only electricity is valued): (DMFC) (SOFC) (PEM) (SOFC) On-Shore wind Is $1. 2/We & Solar Is $0. 9/We (PAFC) (SOFC/ MCFC) W. G. Colella and S. P. Pilli, ASME Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology (2013). B. D. James, A. B. Spisak and W. G. Colella, http: //www. sainc. com/service/SA%202012%20 Manufacturing%20 Cost%20 Analysis%20 of%20 Stationary%20 Fuel%20 Cell%20 Systems. pdf (2012). 17

The U. S. Could be the First SOFC Market Lemmon, J. Integrating Distributed Generation & Storage into the Grid, http: //arpa-e. energy. gov/sites/default/files/Generation%20 for%20 the%20 Next%20 Generation_FINAL. pdf (2013). 18

SOFCs For Data. Centers Solid. Power SOFCs at a Microsoft Datacenter in Seattle, WA Application-Specific SOFC Benefits • Increased Reliability • Downtime Costs $$$/min • Savings on Copper Costs • Fire Prevention via Cathode Exhaust Gas Oxygen Depletion • SOFC Cooling for Datacenters • Steam Jet Cooling • Adsorption Refrigeration • Etc. 19

SOFCs For a Co 2 -Neutral Economy SOFC Powered Application • Bio-hydrocarbon powered SOFCs would be CO 2 Net Neutral • Bio-hydrocarbon powered SOFCs can utilize the existing fuel distribution and production networks • On a broad context, the higher energy densities, the improved NOx, SOx etc. emission efficiencies, and other sidebenefits (such as grid reliability etc. ) an are the driving forces for SOFC implementation 20

TALK Outline 1. SOFC Market Pitch and Status 2. The DOE Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Program (SECA) 3. Conclusions/Recommendations 21

The Total U. S. Fuel Cell Budget Has Lagged Behind That of Other Countries Total Fuel Cell Funding from 1995‐ 2012 2011 U. S. Per Capita SOFC Spending: $0. 15 2011 German Per Capita SOFC Spending: $1. 50 E. D. Wachsman and K. T. Lee, Science, 334, 935 (2011) N. H. Behling, “Fuel Cell Technology and Hydrogen Commercialization: A Global Overview, ” http: //norikobehling. com/presentationsarticles/ , 21 st FCDIC Fuel Cell 22

Japan and Europe Are the major Markets for Residential SOFCs 23

THE U. S. SOFC Budget Has Lagged Behind the U. S. PEM Fuel Cell Budget 300 DOE EERE PEM Budget Million U. . S. Dollars 250 ARPA‐E REBELS DOE SECA SOFC Budget 200 150 100 50 0 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Less than 5% of the DOE SECA Budget has gone toward basic science research http: //energy. gov/eere/budget/past-and-present-eerebudget http: //energy. gov/fe/about-us/our-budget 24

DOE Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Program Accomplishments • Increased SOFC power densities from ~0. 5 to >2 W/cm 2 • Extended 1% degradation times from ~100’s to 1, 000’s of hours • Helped develop infiltrated electrodes • All program participants have tested infiltrated electrodes • Helped develop metal supported SOFCs • Reduced SOFC Operating Temperatures from ~1000 to 550 o. C Ultimate Sweet Spot 25

The DOE SOFC Program Funding Model 1. Fund Large Corporations with the Political Clout and Organization to Ensure Congressional Funding for the DOE SECA Program 2. Provide DOE with a mechanism for it to self-fund itself at NETL 3. Pursue Other Activities that further these first two goals LG Chem, Fuel Cell Energy ~65% ~10% ~5% ~20% 26

Bad Outcomes Resulting from this structure • For political reasons, it took years to replace coal with natural gas in the DOE SOFC Program Mandate • DOE has a conflict of interest when selecting between universities and national labs • The U. S. has missed potential opportunities in SOECs, H 2 to Fuels, bias directed chemical reactions, etc. • The DOE SOFC program has not sought to co-fund programs with DOE-BES or NSF to discover new materials sets to get on new cost-trajectory curves • The program’s focus is on systems that are too big (i. e. >1 M) 27

Reasons for Breakdown of the existing Funding Model • Ceased operations by multiple SECA Industry participants • GE, LG, Delphi, etc. • Senior DOE Officials are no longer happy with the payout from this arrangement. • They are unconvinced by large industrial firms telling the U. S. Govt. it should fund them, via the DOE, and view the program as corporate welfare • Some in DOE would like to shut down NETL • Many in the Government question the program’s return on investment • Many DOD personnel are happy to let our allies develop this technology 28

Proposed Changes in The US SOFC Program Funding Model SOFC Manufacturers No ARPA‐E { { { Microsoft, Nissan Natural Gas Companies, Cummins New DOE Natural Gas Utilization Program Applied Research Basic Research 29

TALK Outline 1. SOFC Market Pitch and Status 2. The DOE Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Program (SECA) 3. Conclusions/Recommendations 30

Conclusions/Recomendations 1. Given the marketplace conditions, large, centralized >>100 k. W SOFCs for power production are not competitive. 2. Without new materials to get us on new cost-trajectories, SOFCs will always remain a niche technology. 3. Preferably Congress, but alternatively DOE and NSF, should establish separate funds for distinct Electrochemical Materials programs in NSF and BES, in order to find new materials/capabilities that will get SOFCs on new cost trajectories 4. In the meantime, niche opportunities for SOFC deployment (data centers, range extenders, oil field services, etc. ) must be exploited. 5. If the US fails to become a world leader in niche SOFC applications, it will have no hope of dominating widespread SOFC deployment 6. SOFC marketplace users (Microsoft, Cummins, Nissan, etc. ) should take the lead in advocating for SOFCs to Congress/DOE - SOFC manufacturers and academics should take a support role 7. Establish a DOE Natural Gas Utilization Program for 1 -100 k. W/1 MW DG systems 31

Backup Slides 32