Solar Turbines tests Titan 130 with blended hydrogen

Mittel-Europäische Gasleitungsgesellschaft (MEGAL) is a joint venture company established by OGE and GRTgaz Deutschland. MEGAL consists of a double pipeline from the Czech to the French border and a southern branch. Both pipeline systems meet via a connecting pipeline in Rothenstadt. (Map: OGE.)

GRTgaz Deutschland, Open Grid Europe (OGE) and Solar Turbines have successfully tested a low emissions Titan 130 SoLoNOx Solar gas turbine with a blend of hydrogen and natural gas driving a natural gas compressor in Germany.

The companies tested the Titan 130 SoLoNOx with blends of up to 25% hydrogen at a compressor station on the MEGAL gas pipeline system in Waidhaus, Bavaria. These gas turbines are usually powered by natural gas taken from the pipeline system.

OGE owns 51% of the MEGAL pipeline system. The balance is held by GRTgaz Deutschland. The system transports natural gas from the Czech/German border to the German-French border.

“This test is a good example of working collaboratively across national borders to tackle and solve important issues in the energy industry,” said Nicolas Delaporte, managing director of GRTgaz Deutschland. “In the spirit of international partnership, I am convinced that we will continue to write MEGAL’s success story.”

Preparations for the project started two years ago when a mobile blending plant the size of a 40-foot ISO shipping container and a temporary hydrogen supply, were set up for the tests. The entire configuration was acceptance tested by an independent expert in accordance with the rules and regulations applicable to public energy supply and approved for operation.

Using only green hydrogen, the gas turbine was extensively tested with various H2 blending rates under different loads. Emissions and turbine performance were measured, demonstrating the turbine’s ability to operate with the same available power while meeting the required emission levels.

The demonstration, which lasted for more than six weeks, operated on the H2 blend for more than 200 hours. The ability of the gas turbine to safely start on the fuel blend was also demonstrated.

Thomas Hüwener, a member of OGE’s board of management, put the results into context, “The project shows the desire and ability to expand and realize the hydrogen economy. But to do this, we now need the right legal and regulatory framework to accelerate Germany’s hydrogen economy supported by a strong financing model.”

GRTgaz Deutschland operates a network of about 1,200 kilometers of pipeline that transports gas through southern Germany. OGE is a major European gas transmission network, with about 12,000 kilometres of gas transmission pipelines throughout Germany.