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Global Energy Transformation Target
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The Market
By using new materials like nano composites GETT has managed to lower the temperature of the cell. Thus less expensive materials can be used within the full fuel cell system. Besides price competitiveness due to low cost materials and production, GETTs cell can be run on a number of different fuels. For example: petrol and diesel, methanol, ethanol, bio-gas, natural gas. This means that the fuel cells are independent of the problems connected to risky production and storage of hydrogen gas.
The “Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance” (SECA) was initiated in 1999 bringing together government, industry, and the scientific community to promote the development of environmentally friendly solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) for a variety of applications. SECAs target is to within the application area 3-10 kW come down to a price of 400 USD/kW. The current price per kW is estimated to 800 USD/kW with a production of 50000 units. US Department of Energy has set a similar cost target for ”Proton Membrane fuel cells” PEMFC to 125 USD/kW.
GETTs target is 100 USD/kW. The price setting is done due to less complex materials, which exists in large volumes as raw materials in China. The lower temperature of GETTs cell also gives opportunity to use conventional materials in other parts of the fuel cell than the membranes. GETTs preparatory methods and production are simple which also reduce the costs. This is why GETT wants and dares to challenge considerable larger companies with its solution.
Market for the Intermediates
Several surveys have forecasted a great future for fuel cells considering their environmental friendly supply of energy. Up till now no fuel cell technology has been proven economically although it´s technology has proven to function. One example is the fuel cell busses that were tested in several European cities. The problem has been mainly economical – the cost of one fuel cell bus equals 10 bio gas buses!
By its good performance the intermediate cell is very well suited to serve mobile applications for small scale energy supply, for instance electricity and heating/cooling of small houses, trailers and boats. Within military as well as catastrophe operations the cell has a great potential because of the need for an energy source that consumes little fuel and is silent. A usage as propulsion for vessels is also foreseen.
Since Intermediate technically differs from other fuel cells by
- generating heat water as a waste product
- being a simple construction
- being multi-fuelled
Stationary applications, stand alone power supply units and APUs (Auxillary Power Units) are considered.
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