Retrofitting Gas Turbines for a Green Future: Converting to Hydrogen in Lampoldshausen
Key Ideas
- A team in Lampoldshausen successfully converted a micro gas turbine to run on pure hydrogen, showcasing the potential for existing plants to contribute to the energy transition.
- Retrofitting gas turbines to run on hydrogen can be a more cost-effective and quicker solution compared to building new power plants, providing a significant advantage in accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources.
- Challenges such as finding hydrogen-compatible parts and achieving low emissions in hybrid operations are being addressed through innovative solutions and collaborations between research institutes and service providers.
- The project in Lampoldshausen demonstrates the progress in gas turbine technology, enabling the use of hydrogen and other non-fossil fuels to stabilize power grids and meet the growing demand for sustainable energy solutions.
The DLR Institute of Combustion Technology, in collaboration with Power Service Consulting GmbH, has successfully converted a micro gas turbine to run on pure hydrogen in Lampoldshausen, Germany. The project, funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for the Environment, aims to demonstrate the feasibility of converting existing gas turbines to operate on hydrogen or a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen. The team faced challenges such as sourcing hydrogen-compatible parts and ensuring low emissions in hybrid operations but successfully overcame these obstacles.
The converted gas turbine, with an output of 100 kilowatts, is a significant step towards utilizing existing infrastructure for sustainable energy generation. By retrofitting gas turbines, the project highlights a more cost-effective and quicker alternative to building new power plants, contributing to the acceleration of the energy transition. The project's success showcases the potential for existing gas turbines, especially micro gas turbines often used in various industries, to play a vital role in stabilizing power grids and meeting energy demands with minimal environmental impact. The testing conducted at the H2-Container Technical Center in Lampoldshausen, utilizing green hydrogen from a nearby wind farm, emphasizes the importance of collaboration and innovation in achieving energy sustainability.
Topics
Power
Green Hydrogen
Renewable Power
Sustainability
Energy Transition
Energy Efficiency
Testing
Research Development
Combustion Technology
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