A European consortium has successfully tested the first gas turbine fully powered by hydrogen, paving the way for significant reductions in CO2 emissions in energy-intensive industries such as cement production.
The consortium includes French energy company Engie, the German Aerospace Center, German energy company Siemens Energy, British company Centrax, and several universities across Europe.
Hydrogen is considered a potential alternative to fossil fuels. (Illustrative image).
The project, named Hyflexpower, is funded by the European Union (EU) and was tested at the Smurfit Kappa Paper Packaging Plant near Limoges, France.
According to Engie’s Vice President, Frank Lacroix, the experiment utilized the Siemens Energy SGT-400 gas turbine with a combustion system optimized for hydrogen fuel. The sponsors stated that the experiment demonstrated hydrogen’s potential for rapid decarbonization in energy-intensive industrial sectors, particularly in cement and steel production, oil refining, and any field with complex decarbonization processes.
Gael Carayon, the head of the Hyflexpower project at Engie, mentioned that this is the world’s first project to operate a turbine using 100% hydrogen fuel for electricity generation, providing long-term benefits as it allows for the conversion of existing turbines to run on clean energy.
However, Lacroix noted that hydrogen has properties that produce heat “faster” and “hotter”, requiring manufacturers to pay close attention to safety standards. He indicated that the next steps will not only focus on electricity production but will also advance to thermal energy production, which could benefit the aviation and maritime transport sectors.
Hydrogen is considered a potential alternative to fossil fuels, which are the primary cause of greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global warming. Hydrogen is produced through the process of water electrolysis and is only considered “green” hydrogen if generated from renewable energy sources. The development of this fuel source faces numerous challenges, including technical issues, high costs, and a lack of infrastructure. Experts also debate hydrogen’s ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as this depends on the production method used.
