Assessment of fuels for power generation by electric utility fuel cells. Final report

Technical Report · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6724653· OSTI ID:6724653

Stickles, R. P.; Interess, E.; Kittrell, J.; Moncrieff, T. I.

This study assesses the technical and economic feasibility of alternate fuel options for dispersed and baseload utility-scale fuel cell power plants. The assessment covers coal-derived and petroleum-derived fuels, and near-term and advanced fuel conversion and fuel cell technologies. A forecast of international crude oil prices over the period of 1980 to 2000 is developed. Three oil-based dispersed fuel cell and six coal-based central fuel cell power plants were characterized in terms of process conditions, energetics, and cost. The projected prices and availability of naphtha for first generation dispersed fuel cells are favorable based on the forecasted incremental demand profile for petroleum products. The optimum sulfur level for refined petroleum products purchased for dispersed fuel cells is order-of-magnitude 200 ppM sulfur. Molten carbonate fuel cells integrated with near term coal gasifiers show promise for economical and efficient baseload power generation. Synthetic liquid fuel derived from coal is not competitive with petroleum-derived fuels in the 1980 to 1990 time frame.

• Research Organization: Little (Arthur D.), Inc., Cambridge, MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6724653
• Report Number(s): EPRI-EM-695(Vol.1)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
015000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects
02 PETROLEUM
020700 -- Petroleum-- Economics
Industrial
& Business Aspects
03 NATURAL GAS
030600 -- Natural Gas-- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
296001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power Generation-- (-1989)
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300500 -- Fuel Cells
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHARGES
COAL
COAL FUEL CELLS
COAL LIQUIDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COST
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUIDS
FORECASTING
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL CELL POWER PLANTS
FUEL CELLS
FUEL GAS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HIGH-TEMPERATURE FUEL CELLS
LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS
LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POWER PLANTS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
SUPPLY AND DEMAND