Page 13 - Climate Control News Magazine March 2019

World News
International partnership to power hydrogen facility
BAKER HUGHES, A GE company (BHGE) and H2U, Australia’s leading Hydrogen infrastructure developer, last month an- nounced a collaboration to apply NovaLT gas turbine generators capable of operat- ing on 100% hydrogen for the Port Lin- coln Project, a green hydrogen power plant facility.
The unit will be based on BHGE’s highly successful NovaLT range of gas turbines.
H2U also announced BHGE is select- ed as the preferred supplier for hydro- gen-based power generation at its Green H2/NH3 Supply-chain demon- strator in Port Lincoln, South Austral- ia, which will integrate theNovaLT16 unit configured for 100% hydrogen- fired operation.
“One of the reasons for selecting the No- vaLT range is BHGE’s proven capability in gas turbines and understanding of the hy- drogen fuel issues along with the robust- ness and operational flexibility of the No- vaLT product platform,” the CEO of H2U, Dr. Attilio Pigneri, said.
He said the annular combustor design and du- al-shaft configuration will enable the unit to de- liver a best-in-class black-start capability while still operating on 100% hydrogen.
“We are impressed by the operating flexibility of the platform and its ability to operate at a low to no-load capacity, then ramp-up very quickly to full load” Pigneri said.
“This means we can use the units to support critical loads within the Port Lincoln facility, while also contributing generation to the grid during periods of low wind or solar output.
“The hydrogen is also produced by the elec- trolysis plant on site, so we have a truly self-con- tained solution to firming renewable energy sup- ply within the South Australia grid.”
BHGE and H2U will collaborate on the de- velopment of the NovaLT range for its integra- tion in the first green hydrogen power plant of Port Lincoln.
The CTO of turbomachinery process and solutions at BHGE, Luca Maria Rossi, said the collaboration with H2U is aimed at ensuring the NOx emissions of a 100% Hydrogen fired
turbine can be managed within applicable limits.
“Building on our previous experience with hydrogen fuelled generation in the Fusina project, we can de- liver the same world-lead- ing capabilities and the de- sign features of the NovaLT platform while operating on 100% hydrogen,” Rossi said.
“As the cost of renewable energy continues to decrease globally, Hydrogen is the per- fect energy vector to time- shift renewable electricity generation to meet demand.
ABOVE: Port Lincoln, South Australia
LEFT: CTO of turbomachinery process and solutions at BHGE, Luca Maria Rossi.
BELOW: The NovaLT 16 gas turbine.
“South Australia is at the forefront of both re- newable generation and hydrogen infrastructure developments and we are very pleased to be able to work with H2U to showcase our products in this important market.”
Dr Pigneri said the cost of Hydrogen gen- erated from electrolysis using cheap renew- able energy from wind and solar is now com- parable with the cost of natural gas in South Australia.
“The South Australian Renewable Hydrogen and ammonia Supply Chain Demonstrator at Port Lincoln is leading the Australian charge to a 100% Renewable Hydrogen Economy with strong export potential,” he said.
The Port Lincoln project, announced by H2U in February 2018 is one of 21 projects to receive funding from the South Australian Govern- ment’s Renewable Technology Fund.
The project received $4.7 million in grants and $7.5 million in loans. ✺
CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS MARCH 2019
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