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Resumen del autor: The Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is developing fuel cells for various applications in partnership with the private sector. Fuel cell technologies - solid oxide fuel cells, molten carbonate fuel cells, and polymer electrolyte fuel cells - are being developed for the distributed generation market shortly after 2003. Some of the evolving fuel cell systems are incorporating gas turbines in hybrid configurations. The combination of the gas turbine with the fuel cell promises to lower system costs and increase efficiency to enhance market penetration. Hybrid efforts are underway at Honeywell, Fuel Cell Energy and Siemens Westinghouse. In the long-term, solid state fuel cell technology with stack costs under $400/kilowatt (kW) promises deeper and wider market penetration in a range of applications including a residential, auxiliary power, and the mature distributed generation markets. In the United States, the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) with its vision for fuel cells in 2010 was formed to commercialize solid state fuel cells and realize the full potential of the fuel cell technology. Likewise, in Latin America efforts are underway to synergize the fundamental research and development efforts by scientists as well as the marketing and commercialization undertakings that have been evolving in the last 5 years. These endeavors are particularly solid in Brazil and Argentina and, to a lesser extent, in Mexico. Recently, organizations representing the scientific, business and government sectors from these three countries, and with the encouragement and participation of U.S. homologous entities, decided to form the Latin America Fuel Cell Council. The mission, goals, and scope of this council are still being constituted. In principle, the council will serve as the pivot point to bridge the efforts among all participants, leverage resources, avoid duplication of effort, search for funding sources, and to serve as the nucleus of information and support for fuel cell development and deployment in Latin America. Fuel cells are an excellent option for distributed generation where access to natural gas (or other hydrocarbon-based gas such as biomass gas) is available. Fuel cells environmental qualities, high efficiency, modularity, fuel flexibility, siting ability, low maintenance requirements, etc. make them a player in Latin America and the Caribbean energy mix.