The European Commission under the Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and innovation is funding the €15.2m ($16.8m) project
Siemens Energy will upgrade an existing SGT-400 industrial gas turbine, as part of a consortium. (Credit: Siemens.)
A consortium of European companies and bodies are implementing a project, named HYFLEXPOWER, an industrial-scale power-to-X-to-power demonstrator with an advanced hydrogen turbine.
The consortium includes Engie Solutions, Siemens Gas and Power, Centrax, Arttic, German Aerospace Center (DLR) as well as four European universities.
The green hydrogen project helps to decarbonise a paper factory by modernising an existing combined heat and power plant located in France.
The European Commission under the Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and innovation is funding the €15.2m ($16.8m) project, which is claimed to be the world’s first industrial-scale power-to-X-to-power demonstrator.
The new project will be launched at Smurfit Kappa’s factory located in Saillat-sur-Vienne, France.
It aims to prove that hydrogen can be produced and stored from renewable electricity and then added to the natural gas that is currently used with combined heat and power plants.
To implement the project, an existing Siemens SGT-400 industrial gas turbine will be upgraded to convert stored hydrogen into electricity and thermal energy.
The installation of the hydrogen production, storage and supply facility at the French site is scheduled in 2021, while the installation of the gas turbine for natural gas/hydrogen mixtures and initial demonstration of advanced pilot plant concept will occur in 2022.
Role of each stakeholder in the project
French electric utility company, Engie Solutions will be responsible for the construction of the hydrogen production and storage facility, including the natural gas/hydrogen mixing station prior to the turbine.
Siemens Gas and Power will provide the electrolyser for hydrogen production and develop the hydrogen gas turbine, while Centrax will be responsible for the upgrade of the package for hydrogen operation and install the new turbine.
The operational project management and the project’s communication activities will be supported by Arttic.
The economic, environmental and social assessments of the concept will be conducted by National Technical University of Athens.
The hydrogen turbine technology development will be supported by German Aerospace Center (DLR) together with the University College London, University of Duisburg-Essen and Lund University.