GE 9HA gas turbines ordered for hydrogen-blended natural gas power plant in China

GE and Harbin Electric Corporation today announced that Chinese state-owned power utility Guangdong Energy Group Co., Ltd. has ordered two GE 9HA.01 gas turbines for its Guangdong Huizhou combined cycle power plant in Guangdong province. Expected to burn up to 10% by volume of hydrogen blended with natural gas upon start of operation, the gas turbines will be the first to burn hydrogen blended with natural gas in mainland China. The project is expected to be operational in 2023 providing 1.34 GW of power to the Guangdong province. Harbin Electric Corporation will also provide steam for the industrial process of the chemical complex present in Huizhou.

“GE has long been our preferred partner when transitioning our power plants from coal to natural gas, exceeding our expectations in projects such as our Dongguan Ningzhou power plant” a representative of Guandong Energy Group said. “In Guangdong, we focus on meeting the growing electricity and steam needs while reducing carbon emissions, and we are proud our plant will be GE’s first hydrogen-blended natural gas fueled facility in mainland China. This project will be foundational in promoting the use of hydrogen blending in power generation across other provinces”.

The project marks the first localized 9HA.01 manufactured by General Harbin Electric Gas Turbine (Qinhuangdao) Co., Ltd. in mainland China. The Joint Venture was formed in 2019 between GE and Harbin Electric as a joint effort to focus on heavy duty gas turbine localization, aiming to deliver efficient and reliable support for China natural and hydrogen-blended gas power plants. In addition, Harbin Electric will provide steam turbine, generator and balance-of-plant equipment for the Guangdong Huizhou power plant.