GE Vernova Hydrogen Equipment Powers Chinese CHP Plant

GE Vernova and Harbin Electric Corporation’s two hydrogen-ready 9HA.01 combined-cycle units are expected to deliver up to 1.34 GW to the grid and steam for the industrial process of the chemical complex present in Huizhou, China.

GE Vernova announced the successful commercial operation of the Guangdong Huizhou Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant powered by two GE Vernova hydrogen- ready 9HA.01 combined-cycle power generation gas turbines. The Chinese state-owned power utility Guangdong Energy Group Co., Ltd.’s (GEG) CHP plant is expected to inject up to 1.34 GW of electricity into the grid and steam for the industrial process of the chemical complex present in Huizhou, a city in southeast Guangdong Province, China, north of Hong Kong. Within the next two years, GE Vernova’s gas turbines are expected to burn natural gas blended with up to 10% hydrogen by volume.

“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, as aligned to China’s Medium and Long-term Plan for the Development of Hydrogen Energy Industry [2021–2035] objectives.”

Although hydrogen supply in Guangdong Province is still highly dependent on the gray hydrogen production method that is mainly based on the production of hydrogen from industrial byproducts and coal power, the national and provincial energy plans encourage the development of renewable energy for hydrogen production.

“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 toward efficient hydrogen production from renewable energy, and we are proud that the Huizhou plant is expected to become the first hydrogen-blended natural gas facility to use GE Vernova’s gas turbines in China.”

GE Vernova has more than 120 units worldwide that have run fully or partially on hydrogen and accumulated more than 8.5 million operating hours.

Guangdong Huizhou project marks the first localized 9HA.01 manufactured by General Harbin Electric Gas Turbine (Qinhuangdao) Co. Ltd. in China. This 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 more efficient and reliable support for China gas power plants, including those that operate on blends of natural gas and hydrogen. Harbin Electric also provided steam turbine, generator, and balance-of-plant equipment for the power plant.

GE and Harbin Electric have been suppliers for GEG for many years. GEG selected two GE Vernova 9F.05 gas turbines for Xinhui Power Plant, which achieved successful commercial operation in 2018. Additionally, GE Vernova is currently supporting the plant operator’s transition from coal-to-gas at its Dongguan Ningzhou power plant. GEG selected three GE Vernova 9HA.02 gas turbines and Harbin Electric’s steam turbines, generators, and other auxiliary equipment for the Dongguan Ningzhou combined cycle power plant in Guangdong province, also in the Greater Bay Area.

Operating in China for more than 40 years, GE Vernova serves around 110 customers and more than 240 gas turbines in China, with an installed power capacity of 50 GW.