Green fuels for power and heat generation
The technology is proven and ready to goA quest for flexibility and independency
With climate targets set and the energy transition well underway, fossil fuels are going to be used in lower quantities. For heat and power production, flexibility and independence in fuels are becoming more and more important.
A variety of green fuels, both hydrogen and e-fuels (fuels from electricity) as well as sustainable biofuels all have an important role for decarbonization of power and heat.
Green fuel capabilities of our medium-sized gas turbines
Bridging the gap
Biofuels like biogas, biodiesel, bio-methanol and bioethanol are beside hydrogen important decarbonized fuels and part of our gas turbine R&D roadmap at Siemens Energy. Shift to operation of new greener fuels can be done in new and already existing gas turbines without any major adaptations.
- Biogas is suitable where existing gas infrastructure is in place and can be blended with natural gas in a transitional phase. Flexible mixing of hydrogen with biogas also strengthens the gas turbine competitiveness as it allows the installed gas turbines to operate also when hydrogen is expensive.
- Liquid biofuels are suitable for back up or peaking applications, especially where no gas infrastructure is in place, like in remote applications and island grids. Liquid biofuels can also be a backup fuel to natural gas, hydrogen or biogas. That way, the storage capacity for the gas can be dimensioned for the normal operational profile, while liquid biofuel can be available for more unusual events and provide an alternative in cases of interruption of gas supply.
Flexible Combined Heat and Power plants with gas turbines operated on hydrogen or biofuels can both provide efficiencies over 90% and the needed flexibility to the electricity sector.
Another advantage with gas turbine plants is that they can be situated in proximity to larger cities and provide district heating or back up also in times when transmission of renewable electricity to the cities is insufficient or not working properly.
Biofuels – many forms and many origins
Biofuels can be produced from a variety of organic sources, including biodegradable waste, or residues from agriculture and forestry. They come in many forms, like solid biomass, liquid biodiesel, and biogas.
A dual-fuel gas turbine can switch between liquid or gaseous biofuels is as needed. The technology is already proven and ready to go - on biofuels alone or mixed with hydrogen, or other fossil free fuels - as they become available.
Making it reality
Learn more about two projects that lay the foundation for our biofuels development
Gothenburg: Long-term cooperation for fossil-free cogeneration
Successful operation verified in 2022 on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) at the Rya Combined Heat and Power Plant containing 3 x SGT-800 gas turbines in combined cycle with a steam turbine for electricity and district heating (total efficiency 92,5%).
- Long-term cooperation for fossil-free cogeneration
- Capability to operate on liquid green fuel improves fuel flexibility and enable fossil-free power and heat generation
- Increased fuel flexibility by development of next generation dual-fuel green burners
- Testing of additively manufactured parts to speed up research & development process
- Demonstrates the potential for gas turbines to provide carbon neutral back up and grid balancing power in a future energy system containing a higher percentage of intermittent renewable energy sources such as solar and wind
Stockholm: fast starting dispatchable power - security of supply
A new simple cycle back-up power plant based on the SGT-800 gas turbine will provide balancing power to the city of Stockholm (start up in 10 minutes to 50 MW). The plant will operate on liquid green bio-diesel, enabling Stockholm Exergy to reach their target of becoming climate positive by 2025.
- First gas turbine on 100% renewable fuel
- Capability to operate on liquid green fuel enabling fossil free power generation
- Reliable and secure solution with fast start capability
- High electrical efficiency
- Contribution to the capital of Sweden’s goal to become a fossil-free city
