FuelCell Energy (FCE) is a world leader in the development and manufacture of fuel cell power plants for clean, efficient and reliable distributed power generation. FCE is commercializing the Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) power plants based on the Company’s proprietary internal reforming carbonate fuel cell technology. The DFC power plant produces electricity directly from readily available hydrocarbon fuels, such as natural gas and wastewater treatment gas. The current standardized products, the DFC300A, the DFC1500 and the DFC3000, are rated in capacity at 250kW, 1MW, and 2MW, respectively. These products are designed to meet the base load power requirements of a wide range of commercial and industrial customers. In addition to clean, high efficiency electricity, these products also produce high-value waste heat for cogeneration applications such as district heating, domestic hot water, process steam and absorption chilling for air conditioning. FCE has also established production facilities with equipment in place to produce 50 MW of DFC products annually.

FCE is currently commercializing its core DFC power plant and, in parallel, developing next generation products, such as the ultra-high efficiency hybrid combined cycle Direct FuelCell/Turbine® (DFC/T®) power plant that uses the heat byproduct to operate an unfired gas turbine for additional electric generation; the diesel-fueled marine Ship Service Fuel Cell (SSFC); and solid oxide fuel cells for applications up to 100 kW. This paper will focus on FCE’s core carbonate products - its DFC power plants and the field experience of these units operating at customer sites.