The ability of planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) with lanthanum strontium vanadate (LSV, La0.7Sr0.3VO3)/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and LSV/gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) anodes to use a simulated coal syngas fuel stream containing H2S was investigated at 800 and 900 degrees C. The results were compared to SOFC performance in H-2 and simulated coal syngas environments at similar temperatures. The results corroborate previous claims relating to the sulfur tolerance of LSV, as little to no decrease in performance was indicated by the voltage-current density scans or electrical impedance spectroscopy upon the injection of H2S into the SOFC fuel stream. The LSV/GDC-based SOFCs exhibit improved performance over LSV/YSZ-based SOFCs for all test conditions. Though it was determined that the tested LSV-based SOFCs do not reach the performance appropriate for sulfur polishing applications, LSV possesses considerable sulfur tolerance in coal syngas streams containing H2S; this finding indicates that LSV may have promise as an additive to Ni-based SOFC anodes to improve stability in commercial coal syngas streams. (c) 2010 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3489380] All rights reserved.