SOFC

SOFCs, or Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells, are intended mainly for stationary applications with an output of 1 kW and larger (power plants). They work at very high temperatures (some at 1000?C), and their off-gases can be used to fire a secondary gas turbine to improve electrical efficiency. Efficiency could reach as much as 70% in these hybrid systems. In these cells, oxygen ions are transferred through a solid oxide electrolyte material at high temperature to react with hydrogen on the anode side. Due to the high operating temperature of SOFC's, they have no need for expensive catalyst, which is the case of Proton-exchange fuel cells (PEMFC).