| Turbine technology
Power-to-hydrogen-to-power: Hyflexpower demo completed
ENGIE Solutions, Siemens Energy, Centrax, Arttic, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and four European universities (NTUA Athens (Greece), Lund (Sweden), Duisburg-Essen (Germany) and UCL (UK)), together forming the Hyflexpower consortium, have announced successful completion of the first stage of the Hyflexpower project. Located at the Smurfit Kappa Saillat paper mill in Saillat-sur-Vienne (France), the aim of the project is to demonstrate that green hydrogen can serve as a flexible means of storing energy, which can then be used to power an industrial turbine. The hydrogen is produced on site with an electrolyser and used in an SGT-400 gas turbine, in a 30 % hydrogen (by vol) blend with natural gas.
The project is described as being “the world’s first industrial-scale power-to-X-to-power demonstration with an advanced turbine with high hydrogen content fuel.”
In summer 2023, it is planned that the trials will continue, with hydrogen content of the fuel increasing to 100%.
While the large-scale availability of green hydrogen is still some way off, the members of the consortium say they are focused on looking beyond 2030 and trialling new technology today.
The Hyflexpower project was inspired by the European Commission’s Hydrogen strategy for a climate-neutral Europe report, which outlines the essential role that hydrogen will play within
the European Green Deal carbon neutrality and energy transition initiative.
Above: Installation of the Hyflexpower SGT-400 gas turbine. Photo credit: ENGIE Solutions, Arnaud Baguet, Focal Studio
The project, first announced in 2020, involves significant funding by the European Commission, with two-thirds of the €15.2 million investment coming from the EU’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation* Commenting on the end of the initial testing phase, Gaël Carayon, project director at ENGIE Solutions, said: “Ambitious projects like this one require taking partnerships to the next level and being united in a joint mission to make decarbonisation a reality. Hydrogen will play a crucial role in the interaction between renewables and electricity storage and generation.” Dr Ertan Yilmaz, Hyflexpower global director at Siemens Energy, said: “With the Hyflexpower project we are showcasing that carbon- neutral and reliable power supply is possible – even for energy-intensive industries. Hydrogen-ready turbines will play a decisive role in climate- neutral energy.”
* Under grant agreement No. 884229.
Aeroderivative mobile power lands in Switzerland
The Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) is renting eight trailer-mounted TM2500 mobile aeroderivative gas turbine units – 34 MW each (winter conditions), total generating capacity 250 MW – from GE to help meet electricity demand during the critical period towards the end of the winter season.
The temporary reserve emergency generating capacity is located at GE’s Birr manufacturing centre, about 30 km west of Zurich, with power expected to be supplied to the grid as from February 2023. As well as installation, GE’s scope includes operation and maintenance until 2026. “Fuel flexibility and fast
installation were crucial elements in the decision to use GE’s aeroderivative gas turbines”, said Clive Nickolay, CEO of GE Gas Power’s Aeroderivative Business. “These units can reach full production capacity in a short time, which enables power providers to quickly meet peak demand and ramp down units and
avoid wasting energy when demand is lower.” “The temporary reserve power plant installed in Birr will have dual fuel capability, and can operate on both gaseous and liquid fuels, and switch between”, added Christian Verhoeven, CTO, GE Gas Power Switzerland. “GE’s TM2500 gas turbines can run on several different fuel sources including hydrogen, biogas or biodiesel
Above: TM2500 gas turbines at Birr
and synthetic fuels produced with renewable energy, the most readily available in the area, and with lower-carbon footprints, such as synthetic fuels/SAF (sustainable air fuels). This is a crucial capability that our technology offers today for tomorrow’s sustainable power generation.” GE’s aeroderivative gas turbine portfolio currently has the capability to burn blends of hydrogen and natural gas, the specific limit depending on the combustion system configuration. The Single Annular Combustor (SAC) configuration allows up to 75% by volume of hydrogen when blended with natural gas. GE says it is working to expand this capability through testing in its combustion laboratory and collaboration with users. GE expanded its operations in Switzerland in 2015 through the acquisition of Alstom’s power generation business. GE Gas Power’s European Headquarters is in Baden, only a few km away from the Birr factory, which was inaugurated in 1960.
www.modernpowersystems.com | March 2023 | 23
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