Power Generation - Hydrogen and Fuel Cells: Advances in Transportation and Power - page 185

versity and the University of Florida. Research includes:

• The development of low-loss electrodes for reversible solid oxide

fuel cells.

• The development of high temperature membranes for hydrogen

separation.

• The investigation of fundamental electrochemical processes at inter-

faces.

HiTEC is also investigating the development of high temperature
electrochemical power generation and storage technologies and advanced
fuel feedstocks.
SOFC research is conducted at the University of Utah, Massachu-
setts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, United Technolo-
gies Research Center, and SRI International.
Coal-based power production systems that use SOFC systems could
have higher efficiencies and lower emissions than conventional technol-
ogies. High-temperature electrochemical systems could improve energy
storage in central coal power plants, reducing the peak capacity during
high demand periods and greatly reducing costs.

FUEL CELL INCENTIVES

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 included the first tax incentive for
fuel cell power plants at the Federal level. To qualify, a facility must have
an integrated system with a fuel cell stack assembly with a balance of
plant components that convert a fuel into electricity using electrochemical
means. The facility must have an electricity-only generation efficiency of
greater than 30 percent and generate at least 0.5 megawatts of electricity,
which was placed in service after December 31, 2005, and before January
1, 2009. The owners can claim the 1.5 cents-per-kilowatt-hour (indexed for
inflation) credit for a five-year period starting on the date the facility was
placed in service.
States that have major fuel cell programs include New York (NYSER-
DA), Connecticut (Connecticut Clean Energy Fund), Ohio (Ohio Develop-
ment Department), and California (California Energy Commission).
General Motors is also applying cell technology to stationary pow-
er. Dow and GM are working on a significant fuel cell application at the