Patent ID: 8080344

Claim:
A fuel cell hybrid power generation system for use in a gas transmission or distribution system in which an extra-high pressure gas is transported/distributed and then reduced to a lower pressure for a gas distribution or transmission line and a pre-heater is used to pre-heat the extra-high pressure gas before it is reduced in pressure, said fuel cell hybrid power generation system comprising: an energy recovery generator, responsive to the pre-heated extra-high pressure gas, and reducing the gas pressure of the pre-heated extra-high pressure gas to produce the lower pressure gas for said gas distribution line and generate an electrical output; a fuel cell power plant generating an electrical output; and an electrical assembly responsive to the electrical outputs of the energy recovery generator and the fuel cell power plant to generate a combined electrical output; wherein while generating said electrical output, said fuel cell power plant produces waste heat and makes waste heat available to the pre-heater to heat the extra-high pressure gas, and wherein there is no combustion unit in the system which provides any of the waste heat of the fuel cell power plant to pre-heat the extra high pressure gas.