Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: Top 10 Projects and Companies for Combined Heat and Power Application

The Unseen Powerhouse: How SOFC-CHP is Quietly Revolutionizing Energy Efficiency

Imagine a power plant that doesn’t just deliver electricity to your home but also uses its “waste” heat to warm your water or office building. This isn’t a futuristic dream; it’s the reality of Combined Heat and Power (CHP), a technology that drastically improves energy efficiency. Now, imagine making that process even cleaner, quieter, and more versatile using a fuel source like natural gas or even pure hydrogen. You’re now thinking about Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) based CHP systems—a cutting-edge technology moving from research labs to full-scale industrial and utility deployment. This technology tackles two of our biggest energy challenges at once: generating reliable power while minimizing wasted energy, all with a significantly lower carbon footprint. The projects emerging globally are not just tests; they are powerful signals of a major shift in how we think about, and generate, our power and heat.

Recent SOFC-CHP Installations and Projects

The momentum behind SOFC-based CHP is evident in a series of significant projects, partnerships, and research initiatives. These developments span the spectrum from massive utility-scale deployments to the commercialization of next-generation systems, showcasing the technology’s growing role in the global energy transition.

1. Bloom Energy to Power Korea’s First Utility-Scale Combined Heat and Power Project

Company: Bloom Energy
Installation Capacity: 4.2 MW
Applications: Utility-scale combined heat and power (CHP) generation
Source: Bloom Energy to Power Korea’s First Utility-Scale Combined Heat …

2. FuelCell Energy and Gyeonggi Green Energy Announce Agreement

Company: FuelCell Energy, Gyeonggi Green Energy (GGE)
Installation Capacity: 58.8 MW (existing)
Applications: Power generation and combined heat and power (CHP)
Source: FuelCell Energy and Gyeonggi Green Energy Announce Agreement …

3. LEMENE– fuel cell system to be commercialised in Finland

Company: Elcogen, Convion
Installation Capacity: Not specified (C60 fuel cell system)
Applications: Combined heat and power (CHP) systems
Source: LEMENE– fuel cell system to be commercialised in Finland – Elcogen

4. Bloom Energy Launches Advanced CHP Solution for Net Zero Heating and Cooling

Company: Bloom Energy
Installation Capacity: Not specified
Applications: High-temperature CHP for net-zero heating and cooling.
Source: Bloom Energy Launches Advanced CHP Solution for Net Zero …

5. Elcogen and Magnex signed LOI of SOFC commercialization

Company: Elcogen, Magnex CO., LTD.
Installation Capacity: Not specified
Applications: Commercialization of SOFC technology
Source: Elcogen and Magnex signed LOI of SOFC commercialization

6. SO-FREE project

Company: Elcogen
Installation Capacity: Not specified
Applications: Development of a future-ready solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system for combined heat and power (CHP) generation
Source: Publicly funded R&D projects – Affordable Green Hydrogen – Elcogen

7. SolydEra and HnPower: Celebrating five years of successful cooperation

Company: SolydEra, HnPower
Installation Capacity: 3kW mCHP, developing 10kW SOFC systems
Applications: micro-CHP
Source: SolydEra and HnPower: Celebrating five years of successful …

8. Bloom Energy fuel cells to power 4.2-MW CHP micro plant in South Korea

Company: Bloom Energy
Installation Capacity: 4.2 MW
Applications: Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
Source: Bloom Energy fuel cells to power 4.2-MW CHP micro plant in South …

9. Improvements of Micro-CHP SOFC System Operation by Efficient…

Company: Not specified.
Installation Capacity: Not specified.
Applications: stationary decentralized generation of electricity and heat in combined heat and power
Source: LAPSE-2023.5498-1v1.pdf

10.Techno-economic analysis of solid oxide fuel cell-based energy …

Company: Not specified.
Installation Capacity: Not specified.
Applications: hydrogen as a clean energy source for residential consumers in the UK through a low-carbon energy hub
Source: Techno-economic analysis of solid oxide fuel cell-based energy …

Table: SOFC-CHP Projects and Initiatives

From Megawatts to Microgrids: SOFC-CHP’s Diverse Playbook

The striking diversity of applications signals a technology breaking free from a single-use case and becoming a flexible tool for decarbonization. We are witnessing SOFC-CHP deployments at opposite ends of the spectrum, which implies a broadening market acceptance. On one hand, utility-scale projects like FuelCell Energy’s massive 58.8 MW platform in Gyeonggi and Bloom Energy’s 4.2 MW plant demonstrate that SOFCs can reliably provide grid-scale power and heat, competing with traditional generation methods. On the other hand, the collaboration between SolydEra and HnPower on 3kW micro-CHP (mCHP) systems, with 10kW systems in development, shows a strong push into the decentralized residential and small commercial market. This scalability—from powering a city district to a single building—is a critical advantage. Furthermore, the application is evolving beyond simple heat capture. Bloom Energy’s launch of an advanced solution for “net-zero heating and cooling” shows a strategic shift towards providing integrated, high-value energy services rather than just a piece of hardware.

Asia’s Power Play: Leading the SOFC-CHP Charge

Geographically, South Korea has firmly established itself as the global leader in large-scale SOFC-CHP deployment. The presence of the world’s largest fuel cell park (Gyeonggi Green Energy, 58.8 MW) and multiple utility-scale CHP projects from Bloom Energy underscores a concerted national strategy. This aggressive adoption is likely driven by a combination of high population density, strong government incentives for clean energy, and a strategic goal to enhance energy security. While Asia leads in deployment, Europe appears to be the hub of core technology development and commercialization partnerships. Companies like Elcogen (Finland) and SolydEra are central to multiple projects (LEMENE, SO-FREE, and partnerships with Magnex and HnPower) focused on creating and commercializing the underlying SOFC systems. This suggests a symbiotic relationship where European R&D and manufacturing are fueling deployments in energy-hungry Asian markets, a pattern indicative of a maturing global supply chain.

From Lab to Megawatt: Charting SOFC’s Commercial Ascent

These projects collectively paint a picture of a technology at a crucial inflection point, with robust activity across all stages of maturity. The era of SOFC-CHP being a purely experimental technology is over.

• Commercially Scaled: The 58.8 MW Gyeonggi and 4.2 MW Bloom Energy installations are not demonstration projects; they are commercial operations delivering power and heat at a significant scale. This confirms the technology’s bankability and operational reliability.
• Active Commercialization: The partnerships between Elcogen and Convion (LEMENE project) and Elcogen and Magnex are explicitly aimed at commercializing new systems. This is the vital middle ground where proven technology is packaged into market-ready products.
• Next-Generation Development: At the R&D level, projects like SO-FREE are focused on creating “future-ready” systems, while academic work on system improvements and techno-economic analyses for hydrogen hubs (as seen in the UK-focused paper) are laying the groundwork for the next wave of innovation. This multi-layered progress shows a healthy and dynamic technology ecosystem, where scaled deployment, active commercialization, and forward-looking research are all happening in parallel.

The Dual-Benefit Future: High Efficiency Meets Fuel Flexibility

The trajectory for SOFC-based CHP is clear: it is evolving into a cornerstone of versatile, high-efficiency energy systems. These installations signal a future that moves beyond incremental improvements. One of the most significant emerging insights is the technology’s alignment with the burgeoning hydrogen economy. The techno-economic analysis for a UK residential hydrogen hub highlights SOFC-CHP as a key enabler for converting green hydrogen back into electricity and heat at the point of use, a critical function in a future low-carbon grid. The market is also shifting from selling components to delivering integrated solutions, as evidenced by Bloom’s “net-zero heating and cooling” platform. This signals that customers are looking for holistic answers to their energy and climate goals. Ultimately, SOFC-CHP’s unique ability to deliver two products (heat and power) from a single, clean, and quiet source positions it perfectly for a world demanding greater efficiency, energy resilience, and deep decarbonization.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is SOFC-CHP and what makes it so efficient?
SOFC-CHP stands for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell based Combined Heat and Power. It’s a system that generates electricity through a clean electrochemical process using a fuel like natural gas or hydrogen. Its high efficiency comes from capturing the ‘waste’ heat produced during electricity generation and using it for practical purposes like heating water or buildings. This ‘dual-benefit’ approach of producing both electricity and useful heat from a single fuel source drastically reduces wasted energy compared to traditional power plants.

Are SOFC-CHP systems only for large, industrial power plants?
No, one of the key advantages of SOFC-CHP technology is its scalability. While there are massive utility-scale installations, such as FuelCell Energy’s 58.8 MW plant in South Korea, the technology is also being developed for much smaller applications. For example, companies like SolydEra and HnPower are working on 3kW to 10kW micro-CHP (mCHP) systems designed for individual buildings or residential use.

Which region is leading the adoption of large-scale SOFC-CHP projects?
South Korea has established itself as the global leader in deploying large-scale SOFC-CHP systems. The article highlights this with examples like the world’s largest fuel cell park in Gyeonggi (58.8 MW) and multiple utility-scale projects by Bloom Energy. This leadership is driven by factors like high population density, strong government incentives for clean energy, and a focus on energy security.

What does the article suggest about the future of this technology, especially concerning fuel sources?
The future trajectory for SOFC-CHP is closely tied to the growing hydrogen economy. The technology is seen as a key enabler for converting green hydrogen back into electricity and heat right where it’s needed, such as in residential energy hubs. This fuel flexibility, moving from natural gas to pure hydrogen, positions SOFC-CHP as a critical tool for deep decarbonization and creating a more versatile, low-carbon energy grid.

Is SOFC-CHP technology still in the research phase or is it being used commercially?
The technology has moved beyond the purely experimental phase and is active across all stages of maturity. There are commercially scaled, operational projects delivering significant power and heat, such as the multi-megawatt plants by Bloom Energy and FuelCell Energy. Simultaneously, there are active commercialization efforts to package the technology into market-ready products and ongoing R&D projects to develop the next generation of ‘future-ready’ systems.