Published on 23rd March 2021
On 1st March, Siemens Energy announced that it has joined forces with Intermountain Power Agency to perform a conceptual design study on integrating a hydrogen energy storage system into an advanced class combined cycle power plant. The project has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, one of four funding awards received by Siemens Energy in late 2020 to advance hydrogen applications in the U.S. power generation sector.
Siemens says the goal of this study “is to analyze the overall efficiency and reliability of CO2-free power supply involving large-scale production and storage of hydrogen.” Tim Holt, the executive board member at Siemens Energy, said, “The study will be designed around Siemens Energy’s Silyzer technology, which uses electrolysis to generate hydrogen. The scope of our research will include hydrogen compression, storage, and intelligent plant controls”. The study is set to commence this month itself at Intermountains’s 840-MW generating Station in Delta, Utah.
The Intermountain plant plans to integrate 30% hydrogen fuel at startup in 2025, when the conversion to natural gas is expected to be complete, and then use 100% hydrogen by 2045. The project is expected to provide electricity to customers in Utah and Southern California, areas currently served by the plant.
“By switching from coal to a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen, we can reduce carbon emissions by more than 75%,” said Dan Eldredge, general manager of Intermountain Power Agency. “We are committed to being a leader in the transition to a clean energy future while taking advantage of the significant energy infrastructure already in place at the Intermountain Power Project. This study will help pave the way for the successful transition to net-zero carbon power generation.”
