UTILITY EXPERIENCE WITH A 250-KW MOLTEN-CARBONATE FUEL-CELL COGENERATION POWER-PLANT AT NAS MIRAMAR, SAN-DIEGO

This paper focuses on the strategy and experience of San Diego Gas and Electric with the development and demonstration of a proof of concept 250-kW internally manifolded heat exchanger (IMHEX (R)) carbonate fue l cell power plant. The plant was installed, commissioned, and operate d by San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) in a cogeneration mode at the Naval Air Station (NBS) at Miramar in San Diego. These activities were part of a collaborative effort between SDG&E and M-C Power's Program team (IMHEX (R) Team). The IMHEX (R) Team consists of M-C Power, Becht el Engineering, Stewart and Stevenson, and the Institute of Gas Techno logy (IGT). The technical aspects of the plant's commissioning and ope ration were addressed by my colleague, J. Otahal, in a poster presenta tion. Our activities in carbonate fuel cell development are unique bec ause of the level of involvement by an investor-owned utility in the d evelopment, engineering, installation, operation and maintenance of a fuel cell demonstration plant. The following topics are discussed in t his paper: (i) SDG&E's involvement in the development of molten carbon ate fuel cell (MCFC) technology; (ii) the active role in engineering a nd specification of the IMHEX (R) MCFC demonstration plant; (iii) resp onsibility for installation, commissioning, and operation; (iv) utilit y role in technology development and application of MCFC in a restruct ured and competitive environment: (v) summary. Published by Elsevier S cience S.A.