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Vice President of Global Power Industry Research for Industrial Info Resources (IIR), which is headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, and has six offices in North America and 12 international offices.

Presidential elections are typically important for the power industry, but few in recent memory stack up to the potential consequences of the 2024 election.

U.S. Power Industry Outlook 2025

CAN ANYTHING REVERSE THE RUSH TO RENEWABLES?

U.S. POWER INDUSTRY OUTLOOK 2023

The Biden Administration stresses new-build renewables, but rising gas prices gave new life to coal-fired generators. 

US Power Industry outlook 2022

During our visit to PowerGen 2025 in downtown Dallas, 

Jeffrey Benoit, Vice President of Clean Energy Solutions at PSM - a Hanwha company

, and Bobby Noble, Senior Program Manager, Gas Turbine R&D at EPRI, about gas turbine-equipped power plants, hydrogen- and ammonia-fueled 

, and other updates and advancements in the industry.

TURBO: With increasing renewable energy penetration, how will existing gas turbine-equipped power plants be modified to support an intermittent grid?

 With the increased penetration of renewables, one thing we have to continue to focus on is the resiliency and reliability of the grid. Anytime you put an asset onto the grid that is not dispatchable and to the controls outside of your home, there are challenges. So, one of the things for gas turbines is filling that dispatchable need and being flexible and able to respond.

 For me, my company is responsible for retrofits, conversions, and upgrades for the installed fleet of gas turbines. So, one of the things that we're doing, and being asked for by our customers, is how to improve operational flexibility, how to improve efficiency, how to provide peaking power while maintaining emission compliance. All these technologies that we have can be manifested in products that can be easily dropped into these gas turbines, and you need that resiliency and the ability to modify the operational profile to balance renewables.

TURBO: What role will hydrogen- and ammonia-fired gas turbines play in a decarbonized future? What are the latest developments in these fields?

 Hydrogen and ammonia add to our optionality, which is going to be key as we look at the needs for decarbonization. These fuels act not only as fuel and a potential fuel replacement for gas turbines but also as an energy-storage mechanism. Coupled with energy storage and the energy released at dispatchable opportunities, these will continue to be an avenue to help us have that resilient and reliable future.

 Fuel flexibility with hydrogen, refinery off-gas, or ammonia is just a natural extension of the flexibility inherent in the gas turbines. We are focused on combustion retrofits that allow hydrogen consumption up to 100%. So, think about this: meeting emissions requirements, with the ability to operate on 100% natural gas all the way with a variable blend up to 100% hydrogen—these are products that we've spent years and years developing in our test facility in Germany to make sure that we're not going to cause any issues with the operation of the power plant. Of course, the other side of the equation is where is the hydrogen or ammonia going to come from?

Jeff Benoit and Bobby Noble discuss the reliability and flexibility of gas turbines and how they satisfy many needs within power generation. 

Gas Turbines are Centerstage in the Energy Future 

Conference Coverage

POWERGEN’s Opening Keynote Discusses AI, Data Centers, Gas Turbines

At POWERGEN 2025, Boualem Hadjerioua, the Director of Hydro Operations at Mesa Associates, discussed hydropower generation's future and technical details.

According to Hadjerioua, the industry is focused on integrating modularity with hydro turbines, particularly for high-head operations. The Department of Energy is funding much of this hydropower work, including the latest control and head-adaptability innovations from Mesa Associates. However, he said hydropower needs more support.

He identifies two main challenges regarding widespread hydropower buildout: environmental impact and cost of implementation: “Environmental impact includes fish passage, fish population, water quality, and water quantity. The cost of implementation, or construction cost, must have a good return on investment. We look at the cost of energy compared to construction costs over time.”

At POWERGEN 2025, Boualem Hadjerioua of Mesa Associates covers the roadblocks of hydropower buildout, latest tech innovations, modularity, and more.

Hydropower Expansion, Modularity, and Innovation

Hydropower: Expansion, Modularity, and Innovation

Wednesday morning’s keynote at POWERGEN 2025, 

The Role of Gas Turbines in the Clean Energy Transition,

 highlighted the rapid development of low-carbon fuel retrofits for gas turbines as representatives from the top gas turbine OEMs discussed the latest technological advancements, positioning gas turbines as key players in the clean energy transition.

Some key themes from this morning's keynote include:

 Advancements in hydrogen combustion technology for gas turbines.

 Gas turbines are positioned as a crucial technology for the energy transition, providing reliability and flexibility while cleaner energy solutions are scaled up.

 Significant R&D efforts are focused on developing advanced combustors, carbon-capture technologies, and alternative fuel capabilities.

 All presenters emphasized strategies and technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of gas turbine power generation.

 MHI has successfully developed 100% ammonia firing technology, and a partnership is working on an ammonia-based gas turbine.

Bobby Noble, Senior Program Manager, Gas Turbine R&D at EPRI, moderated the panel and introduced the panelists:

Jason Jermark, Vice President of Global Services Operations - Siemens Energy

Fabien Codron, Director, Carbon Solutions - GE Vernova

Aad den Elzen, Vice President of Power Generation and Strategic Growth - Solar Turbines

Benjamin Thomas, Director, Hydrogen Production - Mitsubishi Power Americas

Jeffrey Benoit, Vice President of Clean Energy Solutions - PSM - a Hanwha company

Despite some negative perceptions, Jermark said gas turbines can achieve decarbonization and are clean energy. And while hydrogen supply lags behind demand, gas turbines can bridge the gap until supply increases. Beyond hydrogen, there are several other alternative fuels, including syngas, ammonia, and biofuels, that can help decarbonize gas turbines.

Jermark listed several gas turbine benefits, including:

Coal-to-natural gas shift (reducing emissions)

Grid stabilization (essential for renewable integration)

Siemens Energy has several projects in the pipeline:

HyFlex Power Project uses electrolyzers to produce green hydrogen in France

Killabee: Achieved a world record for hydrogen co-firing and blending, up to 38%

Jermark announced some exciting news at the keynote. The company is accelerating 100% hydrogen firing for Siemens' largest gas turbine. More to come! Siemens Energy is also developing a Sco2 oxy-combustion engine, a potentially game-changing technology for near-zero emissions.

100% hydrogen-fueled dry low NOx combustor

 based on micromixer technology for full-scale combustion, which we reported on earlier this year. He also discussed NZT Power, the world's first 

carbon-capture and combined-cycle plant equipped with exhaust gas recirculation

den Elzen said that Solar Turbines is pursuing decarbonization through several strategies:

Improvements in digital and operational efficiency.

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies

“New energy challenges must be addressed with rapid deployment of power solutions,” den Elzen said. “They must also be addressed via modular gas turbine solutions for data centers and utilities, providing 500+ MW of power.”

He emphasized a focus on fuel flexibility, continuous operation, and reliability for mission-critical applications.

“MHI's overall strategy focuses on long-term validation and the development of products for the future,” Thomas said.

MHI conducts combustion testing at the Takasago Hydrogen Park, a facility that includes a gas turbine and a rig. Due to Japan's high hydrogen cost, MHI generates hydrogen onsite at Takasago Park using electrolyzers and solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOEC). MHI plans to initiate operation with a 30% hydrogen blend on a JAC turbine within the next year and intends to test a 50% hydrogen blend soon after.

The Nagasaki Carbon Neutral Park serves as MHI's primary research and development hub where 100% clean ammonia firing technology was developed. This is where MHI also conducts testing on CCS technology, biomass utilization, and ammonia use in thermal power plants.

Benoit provided a brief history of gas turbine technology development and discussed advancements in fuel-flexible combustion systems. He emphasized that existing turbines can easily be modernized and future-proofed with advanced technology retrofits and upgrades to accommodate evolving energy demands and operator market conditions.

“PSM's FlameSheet combustor was originally designed and implemented for F-Class gas turbines based on requirements by Calpine, our owner at the time,” Benoit said. “The FlameSheet combustor system, developed and validated over the past decade at DLR (German Aerospace Research Center) test facility in Cologne, Germany, is today applied across dozens of OEM B-, E-, and F-class gas turbines.” It can operate on up to 100% hydrogen.

 entered into a joint development and collaboration agreement to develop carbon-free e-propulsion systems for Hanwha’s maritime business utilizing ammonia gas turbines. This collaborative effort will result in an ammonia-turbine power plant capable of utilizing 100% natural gas to 100% ammonia fuel while meeting the IMO Tier III NOx emissions standards without a selective catalytic reduction system.

Keynote panelists discuss the latest innovations in gas turbine combustion systems, carbon capture, hydrogen, ammonia, and more. 

OEMs Share Gas Turbine, Clean Energy Innovations at POWERGEN 

’s final edition of the year is here: November/December 2024. This issue focuses on decarbonized turbomachinery and the future of hydrogen in power generation.

In our cover story, Peter Kutne of the German Aerospace Center and Giuseppe Tilocca of ETN Global identify four key pre-conditions for hydrogen power plants:

Extensive hydrogen transportation infrastructure

They highlight hydrogen combustion and integration into power plants, including advancements and challenges, and give an inside look at global blue and green hydrogen projects and new machinery in the pipeline by country, OEM, and launch date.

 dives into three new technologies being developed by Siemens Energy: an advanced rotor hydrogen compressor, a Turbo Heater, and a rotating olefins cracker (ROC). Its advanced rotor hydrogen compressor addresses the challenges of using low-mole-weight gases like hydrogen and enables significant compressor stage count reduction. Its Turbo Heater employs high-speed gas dynamics to directly heat gas through a shock wave train and is driven by an electric motor. The ROC produces olefins without the combustion of fossil fuels, and, like the Turbo Heater, it can be driven by an electric motor or a hydrogen-fired gas turbine.

 research project in which the company is developing a four-stroke, medium-speed, dual-fuel test engine that uses ammonia for large-scale ship applications.

“An advantage for AmmoniaMot 2 is to have the two-stroke engine development in parallel to the project,” said Christian Kunkel, Head of Combustion Development and Four-Stroke R&D. “As far as ammonia is concerned, we can copy and adapt some of the technical concepts and ideas from two-stroke engine development, mainly in the fields of safety concepts, compatibility of materials, and lube oil.”

Pavini Shah of Ingersoll Rand gives a top-level overview of how advanced compressor technologies can lower energy usage, carbon emissions, and cost. In addition to traditional systems like variable-speed drives and heat recovery, Shah said cooling technologies can lower operating temperatures and minimize the energy required for compression. She also stressed the three Cs: commitment to sustainabil­ity, continuous innovation, and collaboration.

Tangential to decarbonization, Amin Almasi’s Turbo Tips column discusses how to simplify, re-configure, and eliminate components to improve turbomachinery operation. He targets simplifications in spacing and configuration, assembly, and mechanisms, and explains how sensors, predictive maintenance, and proper alignment reinforce machine reliability. The concluding case study showcases the benefits of removing unnecessary components, specifically a safety clutch that caused operational failures in a turbomachinery package.

Finally, the Myth Busters Klaus Brun and Rainer Kurz address a hotly debated topic in alternative fuels: hydrogen transport and storage. Due to hydrogen’s challenging elemental properties, it cannot be handled without care and requires extensive modifications within global transportation and pipeline networks. In summation, “Hydrogen transport and storage are not trivial! They are technically challenging and present significant operational and safety issues that need to be addressed before large-scale hydrogen transport, storage, and distribution can become commercially viable.”

Click here to view November/December 2024

The November/December 2024 issue highlights emerging decarbonization efforts that integrate hydrogen, ammonia, and new technologies into increasingly intermittent grids.

Featured

Turbomachinery International: November/December 2024

Concepts NREC and Torquemeters recently launched the VAROC Air Dynamometer V85—an updated version of the variable-geometry radial outflow compressor typically used by the U.S. Military for testing turboshaft engines. The new testing tool offers a speed range up to 26,500 RPM, a power range up to 5,500 HP, and can traverse from low PP to maximum HP rating in 1 second or less.

With Concepts NREC’s in-house engineering, design, and manufacturing capabilities, the updated portable air brake now includes angle testing, a compact footprint, and lower cost. The new VAROC Air Dynamometer V85 is applicable for testing GE Aerospace’s T700 and T901 engines.

The U.S. Military, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, have used the VAROC to test overhauled gas turbine engines for over 40 years, assessing safety and reliability on-base and in the field across all climates. This model is customizable for government, private, and commercial organizations that require the same portable quality and performance standards listed by the U.S. Military and the Swedish Navy.

In early July 2024, AFWERX, a technology program of the U.S. Air Force, 

granted Concepts NREC a Direct-to-Phase II contract

 valued at $1,244,301. The company will develop an integrated cooling and secondary flow design system to address challenges within the Department of the Air Force.

To support U.S. National Security goals, Concepts NREC will introduce methods for the design, layout, and analysis of turbomachinery secondary flows under the guidance of aero-engine OEMs. Critical secondary flow systems will be designed and optimized to a maturity level similar to available primary flow paths. Concepts NREC will use its CAE turbomachinery design software as the basis for development and full integration. The end-product will be applicable to all turbomachinery classes and industries—both defense and non-defense.

AFWERX and the Air Force Research Laboratory are streamlining the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer by establishing faster proposal-to-award timelines. This expands the pool of potential applicants to include small businesses and removes bureaucratic overhead through continuous process improvements in contract execution.

Concepts NREC and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

 collaborated to implement turbomachinery design, engineering, and analysis software tools into a new course titled “Advanced Manufacturing for Aerospace Engineers”, scheduled to debut fall 2024. The course is designed and will be taught by Dr. Zachary Cordero and Dr. Zoltán Spakovsky—it is a project-based subject that requires students to design, build, and test an electric turbopump for a notional rocket engine.

The Agile Engineering Design System and Advanced Rotating Machine Dynamics software tools will be used by instructors and students to design and develop components of a single-spool dual-impeller turbopump for assembly into a fully functional device. Through the labs’ iterative approach, students will apply concepts, principles, and processes with Concepts NREC’s software modeling tools, developing a complex, high-quality design with increased performance and precise modeling.

The tool has been re-engineered to have a smaller footprint, a better price-point, and testing on angle.

Britt Burt

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