FuelCell Energy has received an $8 million funding award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support the design and manufacture a hydrogen-producing platform for use in the nuclear energy industry.
With the grant ”“ made by the DOE”™s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, in collaboration with the Office of Nuclear Energy ”“ the project will become the first multistack electrolysis system produced with the Danbury company”™s solid oxide technology.
The system will be equipped with an option to receive thermal energy, thus increasing the electrolysis electrical efficiency to over 90%.
Following the design, manufacture and testing of the system at FuelCell”™s Danbury facility, the electrolysis system will be delivered to Idaho National Laboratories, where it will undergo rigorous testing to confirm the electric efficiency, as well as the ability to utilize nuclear power plant waste heat to obtain higher efficiencies of up to 100%.
The DOE award was one of three given to advanced nuclear technology development companies ”“ totaling $26.9 million ”“ meant to show the federal government’s “commitment to accelerating U.S. advanced nuclear technology via private-public partnerships,” according to a DOE press release.
