Page "Fuel cell" Paragraph 46

MCFCs hold several advantages over other fuel cell technologies, including their resistance to impurities.

They are not prone to “ carbon coking ”, which refers to carbon build-up on the anode that results in reduced performance by slowing down the internal fuel reforming process.

Therefore, carbon-rich fuels like gases made from coal are compatible with the system.

The Department of Energy claims that coal, itself, might even be a fuel option in the future, assuming the system can be made resistant to impurities such as sulfur and particulates that result from converting coal into hydrogen.

MCFCs also have relatively high efficiencies.

They can reach a fuel-to-electricity efficiency of 50 %, considerably higher than the 37-42 % efficiency of a phosphoric acid fuel cell plant.

Efficiencies can be as high as 65 % when the fuel cell is paired with a turbine, and 85 % if heat is captured and used in a Combined Heat and Power ( CHP ) system.