Toyota Motor Corporation has begun trial operations of the pressurized combined power generation system which has been installed at Motomachi Plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. The hybrid power generation system combines the use of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) and micro gas turbines. The trial operations will utilize the system as an internal power generation facility, with the aim of testing and evaluating the system's energy efficiency, performance, and durability.
The hybrid power generation system uses hydrogen and carbon monoxide which have been extracted by reforming natural gas, and employs fuel cell technology and micro gas turbine in its two-stage power generation mechanism, with a rated output of 250 kW. In addition, it has a cogeneration system (combined heat and power) that uses the waste heat produced in power generation.
This hybrid system achieves high generating efficiency (55%3) with its two-stage power generation system, and also increases overall efficiency (65%) by using the cogeneration system. For this reason, Toyota has positioned it as an effective technology that would help to realize the goal of achieving a low-carbon society. The electricity and waste heat generated is used within Motomachi Plant.
The newly introduced hybrid power generation system is being implemented as part of the "Technological Demonstration for targeting Mass-production of Pressurized Hybrid Power Generation System Consisting of Cylindrical Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and a Micro Gas Turbine (MGT)"4 of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). This system was jointly developed by Toyota, Toyota's subsidiary, Toyota Turbine and Systems Inc., as well as Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Ltd.