Due to the increasing interests in solid oxide fuel cell technology and its commercialization in China and in the world, the International Symposium on Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Technology will be held on November 9 - 12, 2011, in Ningbo, an ancient and also a modern port city in the eastern coast of China. The symposium will be hosted by Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Materials Research Society and Ningbo municipal government, and co-organized by Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. On behalf of the Organizing Committee, we cordially invite you to participate in this symposium.

The Symposium will cover SOFC materials, cells, interconnects, stacks, systems and applications of SOFC technologies. SOFC technology has developed as one of the most promising frontiers of new energy conversion technologies. It has now reached the stage of product innovation and commercialization. This in turn requires a deeper understanding of the fundamentals and principles of high-stability low-cost SOFC cells, stacks and systems. The 2011 technical program will feature three sessions: cell and stack materials, stacks, systems and commercialization status, and SOFC performance and modeling.

Ningbo, located in the middle of the coastal line of the Chinese Mainland and in the southeast of the Yangtze River Delta, enjoys the most developed economy in China. The Hangzhou Bay Bridge between Ningbo and Jiaxing, the longese trans-oceanic bridge in the world, makes the highway travel distance between Ningbo and Shanghai as short as 280 km. Ningbo is a city of rich cultural heritages dated back to Hemudu culture in 4800 BC as well as a modern international port city recording the biggest container business in the world integrated with Zhoushang port. With unique advantage of its port, it is achieving a prosperous economy and culture, and it was awarded Gold Medal for the City with its citizens having the strongest sense of happiness in China in 2009.

FCET, Division of Fuel Cell & Energy Technology, Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering (NIMTE),Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is the biggest specialized research group on SOFC technology in China. The group has over 70 full-time staff and the research program covers topics stretching from SOFC material, cell, stack and system development over their commercialization. The FCET is now rolling out products of cells and stacks with competitive performance. The first 20kW SOFC system in China will be developed by FCET and demonstrated at Banshan power plant in Hangzhou at the end of 2011.

We are looking forward to welcoming you in Ningbo.