Evaluation of the cost performance of the SOFC cell in the market

Anticipating the practical use of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), we investigated the manufacturing cost of a single cell. We investigated a total of six different types of cell: four Westinghouse-type tubular cells produced by different methods, a support-type planar cell, and a self-support type planar cell. Our cost estimation was made on the assumption that one million cells with an active area of about 400 cm(2) would be manufactured each year, by means of a fully developed mass production technique. The cost estimation has shown that for five cells, excluding the support-type planar cell, the manufacturing costs generally coincide, within the range of estimation error. Cost-relevant factors were analyzed. The results revealed that cost is affected most strongly by power density and yield, and that if cells with 0.3 W/cm(2) or higher power densities were produced with yields of 90% or more at each stage, it would be possible to manufacture cells at U.S.$700/kW, the current target cost for practical cells.