OEMs Share Gas Turbine, Clean Energy Innovations at POWERGEN

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:

• Hydrogen as a Key Fuel: Advancements in hydrogen combustion technology for gas turbines.
• Bridging the Gap: Gas turbines are positioned as a crucial technology for the energy transition, providing reliability and flexibility while cleaner energy solutions are scaled up.
• Technological Innovation: Significant R&D efforts are focused on developing advanced combustors, carbon-capture technologies, and alternative fuel capabilities.
• Decarbonization Focus: All presenters emphasized strategies and technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of gas turbine power generation.
• Ammonia's Potential: MHI has successfully developed 100% ammonia firing technology, and a partnership is working on an ammonia-based gas turbine.

Panelist at POWERGEN keynote on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025; credit: Turbomachinery International

Introduction

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

Siemens Energy

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)
• Operational flexibility

Siemens Energy has several projects in the pipeline:

• HyFlex Power Project uses electrolyzers to produce green hydrogen in France
• Hillabee: 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.

GE Vernova

Codron said GE Vernova validated a 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.

Solar Turbines

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

• Improvements in digital and operational efficiency.
• Methane abatement
• Hydrogen and fuel flexibility
• 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.

Mitsubishi Power

“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.

PSM

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.

Benoit noted that Baker Hughes and Hanwha 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.