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 to strengthen international cooperation and promote lower-carbon, inclusive, coordinated, and sustainable development.
China is committed to the coal-to-gas transition and implementing its policy to reduce coal’s share to under 58% of the energy mix. Hydrogen-blended, natural gas-fired generators have the lowest carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of all fossil power generation fuels — a 10% hydrogen-blended, natural gas-fired combined cycle plant has roughly 40% of the CO2 emissions of a similarly sized coal plant, and lower emissions levels for other pollutants such as mercury, NOx, SOx, and particulate matter, according to GE.
The project marks the first localized 9HA.01 manufactured by the GE/Harbin Electric Corp. joint venture, General Harbin Electric Gas Turbine (Qinhuangdao) Co. Ltd. in mainland China. The joint venture was formed in 2019 between GE and Harbin Electric as an effort to focus on heavy duty gas turbine localization, aiming to deliver 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.
According to GE, its H-Class gas turbine portfolio currently has the capability to burn up to 50% by volume of hydrogen when blended with natural gas. This capability is enabled by the DLN2.6e combustion system that is standard on current 9HA.01/9HA.02/7HA.03 gas turbines offerings. The technology in this combustion system was developed as part of the US Department of Energy’s High Hydrogen Turbine program, and enabled combustion of high hydrogen without diluent. This technology has enabled the DLN 2.6e combustion system to operate on blends of natural gas and hydrogen, and GE has a technology roadmap to achieve 100% hydrogen in this platform.
