FLORENCE, ITALY — At its recent 20th Annual Meeting in Florence, Italy, Baker Hughes, a GE company (NYSE: BHGE), announced its commitment to reduce its CO2 equivalent (eq.) emissions 50 percent by 2030,* achieving net-zero CO2 eq. emissions by 2050. The company also said it will invest in its portfolio of advanced technologies to assist customers with reducing their carbon footprint.
As part of this commitment BHGE announced the signing of an agreement with H2U, Australia’s leading Hydrogen infrastructure developer. The aggreement call for the use of BHGE’s NovaLT gas turbine generator technology to operate 100 percent on hydrogen for the Port Lincoln Project, a green hydrogen power plant facility in South Australia.
L-R: Luca Maria Rossi, Rod Christie, Attilio Pigneri, Tristram Travers Photo: Baker Hughes
H2U CEO Dr Attilio Pigneri said, “NovaLT generators were chosen for the green hydrogen power plant facility because they could operate on 100 per cent hydrogen at all times”. “The annular combustor design and dual-shaft configuration will enable the unit to deliver a best-in-class black-start capability while still operating on 100 per cent hydrogen,” Dr Pigneri said.
“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.
“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 electrolysis plant on site, so we have a truly self-contained solution to firming renewable energy supply within the South Australia grid.”
Luca Maria Rossi, Chief Technology Officer of Turbomachinery Process & Solutions at BHGE 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 deliver the same world-leading capabilities and the design features of the NovaLTTM platform while operating on 100% hydrogen.”
“As the cost of renewable energy continues to decrease globally, hydrogen is the perfect energy vector to time-shift renewable electricity generation to meet demand.”
“South Australia is at the forefront of both renewable 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.”
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