KINGSTON, ON, Feb. 23 /CNW/ - FCT is pleased to announce that it has been issued a license to generate 250 kW of electricity to the year 2024. The license issued by the Ontario Energy Board is an important part of FCT's transition to manufacturing. Part of the test phase of producing its 5 kW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) product involves running the units on-site at FCT. At times the power generated from testing exceeds FCT's requirements. As a consequence, the surplus electrical power can be supplied to the grid. "We went through the exercise of qualifying as a power generator for good economic reasons, as well as to better understand the regulatory climate," said Dr. John Stannard, President of FCT.

On a related matter, FCT continued progress with the successful testing of the second generation 5 kW SOFC at its Kingston facility late in 2003. "This is an exciting step towards a less expensive and more electrically efficient system," said Dr. Stannard. Enhancements to this version are ongoing and shipments are planned for later this year.

FCT is a leading developer of small-scale power systems (1 kW to 50 kW) that provide for the on site generation of electricity. FCT's SOFC power units can operate on any one of several readily available fuels to provide electricity and heat for stationary applications such as homes, small commercial enterprises, industrial applications, and remote sites. FCT's research and production facilities are located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.