Bloom Energy’s solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are one of the most efficient clean power solutions in the world. SOFCs created by Bloom convert fuel and air into electricity, without using combustion. These fuel cells are flexible and can run on natural gas, biogas, pure hydrogen, or hydrogen blends. Best of all, they produce low or no carbon dioxide emissions, and near-zero levels of other pollutants that create smog and harm the lungs.

Bloom’s SOFC-powered energy solutions can operate at about 60% electrical efficiency when using 100% hydrogen as the fuel source, a record number for the industry. They also take up an incredibly small amount of space: A space as big as a standard shipping container can be used to generate as much power as 5.5 acres of solar panels.

The Building Blocks of Bloom Energy’s Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

SOFCs are made up of three parts: an electrolyte, an anode electrode, and a cathode electrode. If you’ve ever replaced the batteries in your remote control, you already know the basic structure of a fuel cell. While SOFCs are not batteries, they do need a positive and a negative side to create power.

The three elements of an SOFC include:

  • Anode Electrode: The negatively charged side of a fuel cell is the anode electrode. In an SOFC, fuel and steam flow over this side of the cell.
  • Cathode Electrode: The cathode electrode is the positively charged side of an SOFC. This side of the fuel cell has warm air flowing over it.
  • Electrolyte: An electrolyte is the material that facilitates the transfer of charged particles, known as ions, from one side to another.

In Bloom Energy’s SOFCs, the electrolyte is made of a solid ceramic material that’s coated in a special proprietary ink. Uniquely, these inks are made without the rare, difficult-to-mine precious metals, molten materials, or dangerous corrosive acids.

How Warm Air and Fuel Can Create Reliable Electricity

Inside the SOFC, the process begins when warm air enters on the cathode side. Steam mixed with fuel enters on the anode side, creating reformed fuel. In the electrolyte, the oxygen ions react with the fuel cells, producing electricity, water, and a small amount of carbon dioxide, or none, if hydrogen is used as a fuel.

The results of this whole process feed back into the system to keep it going. The water is recycled back into the system to provide the steam used to reform the fuel. The heat created by the process helps keep warm air flowing back into the system. Fuel and air are all this system needs to provide energy continuously and efficiently, 24/7.

Bloom’s Energy Servers, called Bloom Boxes, contain stacks of SOFCs. These Bloom Boxes can be deployed in different configurations, much like building blocks, to create an on-site power solution on a small footprint. Depending on the number, a cluster of Bloom Boxes can produce anywhere from hundreds of kilowatts to tens of megawatts of clean energy, and they can be up and running in three months. Companies that need reliable power can turn to Bloom Boxes for an energy solution that delivers consistently, even if the grid goes down.

The Future of Clean Energy: Using Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

This incredible efficiency, reliability, and flexibility make Bloom Energy’s solid oxide fuel cells a competitive solution for the future of electricity. The world needs more reliable, clean energy sources for its ever-growing power grid. In our modern world, something as trivial as asking an AI bot what movie to watch creates a power demand. SOFCs form the core of Bloom Energy’s solutions for powering this increasingly energy-hungry world.