Jun. 23 at 7:35 PM
$PLUG
FuelCell Energy (
$FCEL) and Bloom Energy (
$BE) are advancing solid oxide (SOFC) and molten carbonate (MCFC) fuel cells with nuclear, seen in
$FCEL’s partnerships with NuScale Power and Idaho National Lab. These high-temperature systems offer long-term cost advantages, especially with baseload power like nuclear. Bloom’s project with Xcel Energy to produce zero-carbon hydrogen at a nuclear site shows SOFC scalability without needing constant subsidies.
Meanwhile, Plug Power (
$PLUG) and Ballard Power (
$BLDP) still rely on PEM fuel cells, which are better suited for mobile applications due to fast start-up and compact design. But Plug Power using PEM in industrial-scale hydrogen production—where SOFC and MCFC clearly outperform—makes little economic sense unless you plan to subsidize costs indefinitely just to stay competitive.
