GE and IHI to develop 100% ammonia-powered gas turbines
By on January 30, 2023
Back in June 2021, GE and IHI agreed to develop an ammonia fuels roadmap for Asia, with a specific focus on how ammonia fuel could be utilised across Asia’s existing gas turbine fleet. In a new announcement this week, the pair have taken a further step.
A technology roadmap to convert existing GE gas turbine models to run on up to 100% ammonia by 2030 will be defined, with implementation & testing of prototype turbines to follow. A “retrofittable” ammonia combustion system will be developed for three utility-scale GE models: the 6F.03 (88 MW), 7F (201 – 239 MW) and 9F (288 MW) gas turbines, with additional models to be explored should the trials be successful. Top priority for the pair is the development of turbines that can combust ammonia in a “safe and commercially competitive manner”.
We hope that this collaboration will pave the way for power plant operators to pursue the adoption of carbon-free fuels such as ammonia for power generation in their GE gas turbines and significantly contribute towards lowering carbon emissions in the power sector globally.
GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik in his organisation’s official press release, 18 Jan 2023
Through this collaboration with GE, we will focus our efforts on satisfying domestic and overseas demand for large-scale ammonia gas turbines, stimulating further demand for fuel ammonia and expanding the fuel ammonia value chain to rapidly realize a carbon-neutral society.
IHI Corporation President Hiroshi Ide in GE’s official press release, 18 Jan 2023
The press release also notes that GE turbines represent around half of Japan’s existing gas turbine fleet for power generation. GE Gas Power reports that its turbines generate 30% of Thailand’s total electricity, 27% of Vietnam’s total electricity, around 10% of South Korea’s total electricity, and represent about 65% of installed gas-powered capacity in Malaysia (as well as its presence in other Asian countries). Should the ammonia retrofits to existing models be successful, there is clear scope to expand the use of ammonia-powered gas turbines across Asia.