YOKOHAMA, Japan -- Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) will support the Carbon-Free Gas Power project for Nuon's Magnum power plant in Groningen in the Netherlands led by Nuon/Vattenfall, Statoil and Gasunie. MHPS, which manufactures the gas-turbine operating at the Nuon/Vattenfall Magnum combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT), has a long history of success developing special fuels, such as synthetic fuels or blast furnace gas, for its gas turbines. MHPS will apply this expertise to investigate the technical feasibility of H2 firing.

The Carbon-Free Gas Power project aims to convert one of the three 440MW CCGT power plants to hydrogen by 2023. Nuon/Vattenfall, Statoil and Gasunie have contracted MHPS to jointly investigate the possibility of using hydrogen for generating electricity by Nuon/Vattenfall's Magnum power plant as the world's first innovative CCGT project. One CCGT can emit up to 1.3 million tons of CO2 per year and burning hydrogen will significantly reduce this emission.

Within this project, Statoil will focus on producing hydrogen by converting Norwegian natural gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide will be stored in underground facilities off the Norwegian coast, allowing carbon neutral production. Gasunie is carrying out research into how the hydrogen can be transported to and stored at the Magnum power station.

"In order to meet the targets set by the Paris Agreement, CO2 emissions from the electricity sector in the Netherlands will have to be 55% to 75% lower in 2030 than in 1990. Using hydrogen instead of natural gas could be an important contribution to achieve this", said Alexander van Ofwegen, the Director at Business Unit Heat Netherlands at Vattenfall and responsible for Nuon/Vattenfall's Magnum power plant. "We are therefore glad that MHPS will be of service in providing their expertise. The company has played an important part in building the Magnum power plant and is therefore a trusted technology provider for us in this next step for Magnum."

Source: MHPS
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