(Invited) A Practical Approach to Model Development and Validation for High Performance SOFC and SOEC Systems

Abstract

Bloom Energy’s mission is to power our planet with resilient, sustainable, and predictable energy. Bloom’s flexible, future-proof technology generates lower-carbon energy today, while laying the foundation for a net-zero tomorrow. As an early employee of the company, I helped create the framework, organizational structure, hired the teams and set the culture of leading product development and innovation through state-of-the-art modeling and data sciences. This framework has resulted in rapid innovation, Design for Manufacturing, Design for Reliability and Cost Reduction initiatives.The methodology used for rapid innovation and development of high-performance SOFC and SOEC systems is based on a combination of state-of-the-art modeling and data sciences. We use a variety of modeling tools to simulate the performance of our systems and to identify potential areas for improvement. We also use data from our test cells and from customer sites to optimize our designs.We have achieved significant success with this methodology. We have developed SOFC and SOEC systems that are among the most efficient and reliable in the world. We have also reduced the cost of our systems by nearly a factor of five since we started the company.In conclusion, we have developed a successful methodology for rapid innovation and development of high-performance SOFC and SOEC systems. This methodology has resulted in significant improvements in the performance and cost of our systems. We are confident that this methodology will continue to enable us to develop innovative and cost-effective energy solutions in the future.