FuelCell Energy will demonstrate advanced biogas desulfurization technology under two subcontract awards totaling $1.7 million. The sorbents were developed by prime contractor TDA Research, and will be demonstrated at a wastewater treatment facility and a family-owned dairy farm in California. The demonstrations are expected to run for 18 months.

The Direct FuelCell^® power plants from FuelCell Energy can utilize renewable biogas as a fuel to efficiently generate ultraclean electricity. Biogas is a waste product generated by industrial processes such as food processing, agriculture and wastewater treatment, and contains a high level of sulfur that must be removed prior to being used in the fuel cells.

FuelCell Energy has also won a contract to evaluate the effectiveness of its Direct FuelCell to efficiently separate CO₂ from the emissions of industrial operations such as refineries, cement kilns, and pulp and paper mills.

The EPA award will fund initial testing of the ability for these fuel cells to consume flue gas instead of ambient air for the power generation process, and their capability to cost-effectively separate the CO₂ within the flue gas.

The research under this initial $100 000, Phase I award is expected to take up to six months. Successful results may lead to a fuel cell demonstration project at an industrial site, using a DFC fuel cell power plant to provide ultraclean electricity and usable heat to the industrial operation, while separating CO₂ from the flue gas for sequestration.