Chinese CHP Plant Starts Commercial Operation with GE Vernova 9HA.01 Hydrogen-Ready Gas Turbines

The Guangdong Huizhou combined-heat-and-power (CHP) plant entered commercial operation with two GE Vernova hydrogen-ready 9HA.01 combined-cycle units. Within the next two years, both gas turbines are expected to burn up to 10% by volume of hydrogen blended with natural gas.

“GE Vernova believes that the Guangdong Huizhou project could serve as a model to develop hydrogen-blended H-Class natural gas power generation across other provinces,” said Xu Xin, President of GE Vernova China Gas Power Services. “In Guangdong, we focus on helping to address the growing electricity and steam needs while reducing carbon emissions. China's Medium and Long-term Plan for the Development of Hydrogen Energy Industry proposes an accelerated conversion towards efficient hydrogen production from renewable energy.”

Guangdong Huizhou CHP plant; Image Credits: GEG

This project represents the first localized 9HA.01 gas turbine manufactured in China by General Harbin Electric Gas Turbine Co. In 2019, GE and Harbin Electric formed the joint venture as an effort to specialize in heavy-duty gas turbine localization, delivering support for Chinese gas power plants—this includes those operating on blends of natural gas and hydrogen. Harbin Electric supplied steam turbine, generator, and balance-of-plant equipment for the CHP plant.

“Hydrogen energy will play an important role in the future energy system in Guandong Province, an agglomeration of cities aiming to strengthen international cooperation and promote lower-carbon, inclusive, coordinated, and more sustainable development,” said a representative from Guangdong Energy Group. “GE Vernova has long been our company of choice when transitioning our power plants from coal to natural gas, and we trust GE Vernova advanced H-Class gas turbines will help promote the use of hydrogen blending in power generation across other provinces.”

Previously, GEG received two GE Vernova 9F.05 gas turbines for the Xinhui power plant that achieved commercial operation in 2018. GE Vernova is also supporting the Dongguan Ningzhou plant’s transition from coal to gas power. GEG selected three 9HA.02 turbines and Harbin Electric’s steam turbines, generators, and auxiliary equipment for the combined-cycle power plant.

In October 2023, GE Vernova’s Gas Power business and Harbin Electric received an order from the Chinese State Development & Investment Corp. (SDIC) for the delivery of two GE 9HA.02 gas turbines for a new combined-cycle power plant in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, China. The first turbine unit will begin operation by the end of 2025 and is expected to utilize a hydrogen blend for burning in the future—10% by volume of green hydrogen mixed with natural gas.

SDIC’s Zhoushan power plant is slated to generate 1.7 GW of electricity for China’s largest archipelago, comprised of 1,390 largely populated islands. The plant will generate electricity with lower carbon output than coal-fired systems and supports the development of maritime industries in the immediate region.

The 9HA.02 gas turbines will stabilize the Zhoushan grid for reliable energy dispatch. Replacing coal-fired plants with GE Vernova’s gas equivalent can reduce carbon emissions in the area by approximately 60%, while providing the energy capacity that would otherwise be achieved by burning 1.35 million tons of coal per year.