• GE continues to collaborate with Uniper to lower the carbon footprint of its power generation operations in Europe
• GE’s hydrogen plant readiness assessment represents a significant step in Uniper’s Grain gas-fired power plant’s decarbonization roadmap
• Project will explore solutions to enable operations using blends of natural gas and hydrogen, with hydrogen accounting for up to 40% by volume, targeting the decarbonization of Grain’s 1,365 megawatts gas-fired power plant with GE technology in the next decade

GE announced that it has commenced its hydrogen plant readiness assessment of Grain power station in Kent, England, which is the newest combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station in Uniper’s UK portfolio.

Since the signing of their cooperation agreement, Uniper and GE have been collaborating closely on the long-term decarbonisation of Uniper's gas-fired power plants and natural gas storage facilities.  This could also play a part in helping the UK reach its target of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To support this effort, GE’s plant assessment at Grain will seek to develop detailed solutions to enable the 1,365 megawatts (MW) CCGT plant to use blends of hydrogen up to 40% by volume, which could lower its carbon emissions and help achieve Uniper’s decarbonization target.

“Investigating lower carbon options for gas turbines could help the power generation industry reduce its carbon emissions over the next decade and blending hydrogen with natural gas to lower carbon emissions is one of the options we’re exploring. Uniper set the strategic goal of carbon-neutrality in its European generation by 2035, and this project marks a tangible step toward the decarbonization of our gas assets,” said Ian Rogers, Uniper Head of Asset Improvement and Making Net Zero Possible project. “The assessment will provide us with the scope of the upgrade needed to support operation of up to 40% hydrogen by volume, while maintaining both plant economics and reliability.”

This project will define the plant equipment modifications necessary for the existing GT26 gas turbines to accommodate hydrogen fuel blends of significant volumes. Multiple engineering and consulting teams located across GE’s sites worldwide will support the assessment in a cross-functional effort. Hydrogen use forms part of the hybrid decarbonization strategy being developed for the site.

“GE is continuing to advance our gas power technologies towards near zero-carbon power generation and part of this evolution involves the modernization of existing combined-cycle power plants through the increasing use of emissions-friendly hydrogen in GE gas turbines,” said Martin O’Neill, VP Strategy, GE Gas Power. “Our collaboration with Uniper in support of their efforts in achieving carbon neutrality across their European generation will also bring us closer to the UK’s net-zero target and help us support the energy transition.”

GE’s gas turbine technology builds on decades of experience and leadership in the use of hydrogen as a gas turbine fuel. More than 100 GE gas turbines have already accumulated greater than 8 million operating hours burning hydrogen and have produced ~530 terawatt-hours of electricity.