MHPS receives order for microturbine, fuel cell hybrid

Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has received an order for its hybrid power generation system, named “MEGAMIE”, integrating solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with a micro gas turbine (MGT), from HAZAMA ANDO CORPORATION. The order is the second received to date for a commercial application, following an earlier order placed by Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. The newly ordered system will be delivered to HAZAMA ANDO's Technical Research Institute (Tsukuba, Ibaraki) in mid-2019. The MEGAMIE hybrid system will be used to support “HAZAMA ANDO Next-Generation Energy Project,” a nationally backed project aimed at easing CO₂ emissions.

The MEGAMIE hybrid system uses city gas as fuel, generating electricity with both ceramic SOFC stacks, that operates at a high temperature of around 900℃, and an MGT. The fuel is not burned, but rather the SOFCs generate electricity from the chemical reaction between oxygen in the air and hydrogen and carbon monoxide extracted from city gas. Meanwhile the MGT generates electricity from the post-process, resulting in efficient fuel usage. When the MEGAMIE functions as a cogeneration system, residual exhaust heat is recovered as steam or hot water, increasing overall efficiency to more than 65% and 73%, respectively. Compared to conventional power generation systems, this hybrid system reduces CO₂ emissions from the user's facility by about 47%, thereby contributing to the realization of a low-carbon society.

HAZAMA ANDO's next-generation energy project provides power to the company's works using in-house power generation, applying distributed power sources that emit minimal amounts of CO₂. In August 2018 the project was adopted by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as the year's “1st Leading Project for Sustainable Buildings”(Note).

The first MEGAMIE system ordered for commercial use serves as a new in-house power generation system in Mitsubishi Estate's Marunouchi Building. This energy-saving, highly eco-friendly distributed cogeneration system began operation in February and contributes to a low-carbon society in the downtown near Tokyo Station. The newly ordered system will ease environmental loads across the corporate works network.