GE, Uniper seek hydrogen road map

GE is doing a hydrogen readiness assessment of Uniper’s Grain power station in Kent, England, as part of a long-term decarbonization plan for Uniper’s gas-fired power plants and natural gas storage facilities.

The project will define the plant equipment modifications necessary for the existing GT26 gas turbines at the facility to accommodate hydrogen fuel blends of significant volumes.

GE’s plant assessment at Grain, the newest combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station in Uniper’s UK portfolio, will seek to develop detailed solutions to enable the 1365 MW CCGT plant to use blends of hydrogen up to 40% by volume, which could lower its carbon emissions and help achieve Uniper’s decarbonization target.

“Investigating lower carbon options for gas turbines could help the power generation industry reduce its carbon emissions over the next decade and blending hydrogen with natural gas to lower carbon emissions is one of the options we’re exploring,” said Ian Rogers, Uniper head of Asset Improvement and Making Net Zero Possible project. “Uniper set the strategic goal of carbon-neutrality in its European generation by 2035, and this project marks a tangible step toward the decarbonization of our gas assets. The assessment will provide us with the scope of the upgrade needed to support operation of up to 40% hydrogen by volume, while maintaining both plant economics and reliability.”

• GE’s hydrogen plant readiness assessment represents a significant step in Uniper’s Grain gas-fired power plant’s decarbonisation roadmap, the companies said. (Image: GE)

GE is continuing to advance its gas power technologies towards near zero-carbon power generation and part of this evolution involves the modernization of existing combined-cycle power plants through the increasing use of emissions-friendly hydrogen in GE gas turbines, said Martin O’Neill, VP Strategy, GE Gas Power.

“Our collaboration with Uniper in support of their efforts in achieving carbon neutrality across their European generation will also bring us closer to the UK’s net-zero target and help us support the energy transition,” O’Neill said.