Modeling a large-scale utility-interconnected solid oxide fuel cell power plant

As the strain on electrical generation continues to rise and concerns about environmental emissions grow, fuel cell technology is seen as a viable component for addressing these challenges. Recent developments in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology have increased interest in their application towards centralized electricity production in addition to their well-discussed applications in distributed generation. This paper presents the modeling and control of a large scale, grid-connected 1.0 MW SOFC power plant capable of supplying electricity to a utility power system. The modeling discussion of the major system components and control of real and reactive power to the grid are presented. A simulation model for the SOFC power plant has been developed using MATLAB/Simulink^reg. Short-duration transient simulations are performed to evaluate system performance. The simulation results indicate the suitability of SOFC technology for large power generation applications.