Table 1. Flexibility matrix of clean thermal generation options (vertical axis) and the flexibility services they can provide (horizontal axis)
Primary control reserve (FCR)
Combined cycle + CCS
Combined cycle, H2
/e-fuel
Open cycle, H2
/e-fuel Battery integration
Suited to provide the service: Yes, optimal
Yes, conditional (spinning reserve/seasonal storage)
response times and reduce the need for spinning reserves, leading to significant reductions in emissions and fuel consumption. Despite the vital role of flexible thermal turbine-based capacity in guaranteeing the security of electricity supply and resource adequacy, current policies lack detail on the critical role this technology can play in providing the required dispatchable capacity in present and future energy systems. It is nevertheless promising that several European countries, in recent energy and climate plans, identify hydrogen and decarbonised dispatchable turbine technologies as having a role to play.
Carbon-neutral fuel challenge Transitioning to carbon-neutral fuels is the cornerstone of decarbonisation efforts and is already well underway, with turbine manufacturers and asset owners collaborating to demonstrate the
technical feasibility of low-carbon fuel/carbon-neutral fuel and CO2 capture technologies.
Biofuels and synthetic fuels provide a market-ready option today. Several full-scale tests have proven the capability of modern dispatchable turbines to operate with biofuels — eg, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) — and other synthetic fuels derived from green hydrogen. When combined with the use of post-combustion carbon capture, a negative carbon balance could be achieved.
Hydrogen is a particularly promising fuel. Thanks to modern combustion systems, NOx
emissions can be kept low – even if
100 vol % of hydrogen is used, and can be even further reduced to almost zero using post-combustion treatments. Surplus electricity can be converted into hydrogen via water electrolysis, which can subsequently be re-electrified with thermal turbines or converted into synfuels like ammonia, e-methanol, and e-methane.
Despite its potential as a secure, and dispatchable option, the widespread adoption of hydrogen-fired turbines faces significant barriers, including the limited availability and high costs of hydrogen. While full-scale testing of 100% hydrogen turbines has begun, efforts remain constrained by these challenges. To build confidence and attract future investments, it is essential to conduct large-scale operational testing. Achieving this will require a sufficient and reliable supply of hydrogen to be available in the coming years.
Ageing fleet challenge
According to ENTSO-E (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity), flexible generation, currently dominated by dispatchable thermal turbines, will see a net decrease in capacity from 2025, if no remedial actions are taken. This substantial reduction in flexible capacity, mainly triggered by economic decommissioning, will inevitably create a substantial adequacy risk. Appropriate incentives and targeted interventions will be necessary to mitigate these risks.
Extending the lifespan of existing dispatchable thermal turbine plants is technically feasible for many, but it is not commercially viable under current market conditions due to high capital investment requirements, uncertainty about fuel price and availability, and revenue risks, all of which complicate investment decisions.
HEAT EXCHANGERS DRY COOLERS
Secondary reserve (aFFR)
Tertiary reserve (mFFR)
Daily flexibility
Seasonal flexibility
CUSTOM DESIGN TO FIT YOUR NEEDS
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