Conceptual design of a 100-MW fuel cell power plant for urban utility applications: Final report

This report summarizes the results of EPRI Research Project RP1777-1, Amendment 13. The objective of this work was to define the performance, cost, and configuration of conceptual 100-megawatt fuel cell stations for in-city generation. The study assumed an IFC-developed scenario for introduction of multi-megawatt phosphoric acid fuel cells for electric utility applications. The technology basis of the designs is the IFC 11-megawatt PC23 fuel cell power plant. The PC23 design was extended to produce a 25-megawatt module from the PC23 frame. Two 100-megawatt stations made up of four 25-megawatt modules each were chosen as examples of urban installations. One is intended for unconstrained sites on open land; the other is suitable for constrained sites such as existing buildings. The study concluded that large fuel cell plants can be derived from current technology and that they would have attractive characteristics. There is the potential for hundreds of megawatts of fuel cell capacity in the New York metropolitan area on Con Edison property. The installed cost is less than $1000 per kilowatt (1987 dollars) at reasonably low production rates. The O and M cost is in the range of 7--8 mills per kilowatt-hour. An advanced PAFC system design was defined which couldmore » evolve from the baseline 100-megawatt plant. Performance and cost characteristics of that system appear even more attractive and provide a strong incentive for continued R and D and investment in PAFC technology. 32 figs., 37 tabs.« less