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FuelCell Energy Provides Update on Successful Development and Launch of Seven Year Extended Life Stack Modules
Production shifted from 5-year to 7-year life stack design in 2018, and subsequent fleet performance is meeting expectations for the new designEarly prototype
About this update from Fuelcell Energy, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Production shifted from 5-year to 7-year life stack design in 2018, and subsequent fleet performance is meeting expectations for the new designEarly prototype stacks with two-years of operation and production stacks with more than one year of operation are trending according to seven-year life expectations40% increase in kWh output expected from each stack before module refurbishment40% decrease in effective cost expected per kWh output from longer-lived stacks, significantly reducing operating costsLeading the industry in stack life among high temperature fuel cell suppliers DANBURY, Conn., Jan. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: FCEL), a global leader in delivering clean, innovative and affordable fuel cell solutions, is providing an update on the development and successful launch of production stack modules with extended life. As previously reported, the company transitioned production from its five-year stack design to its seven-year stack design in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018. This transition followed an innovation effort focusing on improving the stability of the core cell components as well as improving overall stack and stack module designs. The seven year carbonate fuel cell stack life improvement was achieved with less than 5% increase in the cost of the stack module.\n The life extension effort was a key focus of the company’s Internal R&D efforts delivering on the transition. The effort was also partially supported by the US Department of Energy through the Smart Matrix program (Contract Number: DE-EE0006606) funded by the office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The program included extensive design verification with accelerated testing of cell components, cells, and stacks in the company’s Danbury, CT laboratory facilities. One year prior to the production transition, a prototype 4-stack module was manufactured and placed in operation at a customer site as part of the design verification program. The stable performance of the stacks in that module – along with the successful completion of various cell and stack test milestones – verified that transitioning to the new seven year design was a go for the company. As of this update, that first prototype module has been operating for two years, and the first modules built after the production transition to the seven-year desi...