Barriers and incentives for commercialization of fuel cell technology. Quarterly progress report, 1 October 1980-31 December 1980

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6190858

COSAF (Cogeneration Systems Applications of Fuel Cells working group) has identified two target industries for detailed evaluation: (1) a molten carbonate fuel cell power plant in the chlor-alkali industry and (2) a phosphoric acid fuel cell power plant in the production of ethylene. Target sites have been chosen and detailed configuration for study purposes are being completed by COSAF. In this report we outline the stochastic discounted cash flow model that has been developed to evaluate the relative profitability of fuel cell power plants in these two applications compared to marginally competitive alternatives. Ultimately, the model will be used to evaluate the relative effectiveness of alternative financial and other public policy incentives for accelerating the commercialization of fuel cells in a variety of applications. As an illustration of the cash flow model being developed, in this report we investigate the relative effect of a number of potential investment incentives on several measures of profitability, i.e., a modified rate of return and a modified net present value of savings compared to the cost of purchased electric power (revenues attributable to the fuel cell investment project are taken as the purchased power cost savings). Hence, overall profitability of a fuel cell power plant investment can be measured as the after tax profit stream, found by deducting all relevant operating expenses from the assumed project revenues.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania Univ., Philadelphia (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC01-80ET17076
• OSTI ID: 6190858
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/17076-T6; ON: DE85006386
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ACID ELECTROLYTE FUEL CELLS
ALKENES
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
COMMERCIALIZATION
COST
DATA
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HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
LAWS
LYSIS
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MATHEMATICAL MODELS
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NATIONAL ENERGY ACT
OPERATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POWER PLANTS
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