US power plant to burn hydrogen made from water electrolysis

Al Greenwood

13-Oct-2020

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Long Ridge Energy Terminal plans to build a 485 megawatt (MW) combined-cycle plant that will run on hydrogen produced through water electrolysis, the company said on Tuesday.

The plant is being built in Hannibal, Ohio.

It will use a GE 7HA.02 combustion turbine, Long Ridge said. When operations start in November 2021, the turbine can initially burn natural gas blended with 15-20% hydrogen by volume. Over the next 10 years, it can transition to burn 100% hydrogen.

Long Ridge said the plant will be the first one in the world that will blend hydrogen in a GE H-class gas turbine. It will also be the first purpose-built power plant in the US that can burn hydrogen.

The company is working with Black & Veatch to develop plans for the plant integration for hydrogen blending.

Long Ridge also is working with a new division of New Fortress Energy, called Zero, which invests in and deploys new hydrogen technologies.

Long Ridge and the other parties are finalising the terms of its commercial arrangements.

For initial tests, the power plant will use hydrogen gas produced as a byproduct from nearby industrial plants. Once it starts producing hydrogen by electrolysis, the plant will have access to water from the Ohio River. Over time, it could store the hydrogen in salt formations below the ground.

“Long Ridge has many advantages in the pursuit of green hydrogen and zero-carbon power and this partnership allows us to get first-hand knowledge and experience blending hydrogen and natural gas in GE turbines,” said Wes Edens, CEO of New Fortress Energy. “Our singular focus has been to identify and support clean technologies that can eventually produce hydrogen at commercially attractive prices. As we continue to make progress in our efforts and advance proof of concept projects, this experience will bring tremendous value.”

Long Ridge is among a growing list of companies that are interested in developing hydrogen as a fuel.

Many are producing hydrogen through electrolysis, under which water molecules are split into hydrogen and oxygen. If solar panels and other renewable energy sources power the electrolysis reaction, then the resulting hydrogen is called green because it generates little – if any – CO2.

If electrolysis becomes more common, it could increase demand for the membranes and other polymers and chemicals used in water filtration and purification.

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