Press Release

NGK SPARK PLUG and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Establish Joint Venture CECYLLS Co., Ltd. Partners to Manufacture and Sell High-Performance Fuel Cell Stacks

NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.

Nagoya and Yokohama, February 4, 2020 - NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD. (NTK) and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) today announced the establishment of CECYLLS Co., Ltd., a joint venture company on January 29. The two companies had concluded an agreement in July 2019 to establish the joint venture to manufacture and sell cylindrical cell stacks(Note1) as the power generating elements used in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC)(Note2). MHPS' SOFC is the latest in technology to utilize clean hydrogen as a fuel source. The new company will utilize NTK's mass production technologies of ceramics to produce and sell MHPS' cylindrical cell stacks that feature long-life and efficient heat utilization capabilities.

Origin of the Company Name “CECYLLS”

The company name is derived from “Ceramic Cylindrical Cell Stacks,” which is also the company's core product.

Overview of CECYLLS Co., Ltd.

(1) Establishment/Start of Business January 29, 2020
(2) Location 2808 Ooaza-Iwazaki, Komaki-shi , Aichi Prefecture
(3) Representatives President Noboru ISHIDA    (NTK)
Director  Mikihiko KATO     (NTK)
Director  Satoshi NAGASAKIYA (MHPS)
(4) Description of Business Manufacture and sale of cylindrical horizontal-stripe cell stacks
(5) Capitalization 300 million yen
(6) Investment Ratio NTK 70%, MHPS 30%
  • 1Cylindrical fuel stacks are structures of elements (laminate of fuel electrodes, electrolytes, and air electrodes) on the outer surface of a high-strength ceramic substrate tube, which produce a power-generating reaction. The elements are serially connected by a conductive ceramic interconnector (cylindrical horizontal-stripe cell stack), allowing for efficient generation of low current, high voltage electricity.
  • 2Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) generate electricity using oxygen (O2) from the air, along with hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) extracted from reformed town gas or other sources. The cell stacks that are the core component for power generation are composed entirely of ceramic.

CECYLLS Co., Ltd. Logo

CECYLLS Co., Ltd. Logo

The blue color evokes an image of clean hydrogen energy, while the upward diagonal line in the upper right edge expresses an image of paving the way to to the future. The symbol motif is a cross section of a fuel cell stack, designed to suggest energy emerging from inside the cylinder.