Biofuels as opportunity for MCFC niche market application

The aim of the study is to compare three different cogeneration systems, internal combustion engine, gas turbine and molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), combined with an anaerobic digester plant implementing a technical–economical analysis and a multicriteria analysis.Through the analysis it is possible to show the validity of integrating a MCFC in combined heat and power configuration with anaerobic digester gas, a renewable source of energy, by-product of the treatment of wastewater, animal manure and organic solid waste.Even if fuel cell systems diffusion is still limited by high manufacturing costs, about 4500 €/kW, and is in need of reliable technology, the possibility of integrating renewable fuels, like biogas, with MCFCs can be a good niche market for fuel cell power plants and could promote their large-scale commercialisation.Through the analysis it is possible to show that with a cost of 3000 €/kW the MCFC is already competitive with other cogeneration systems.