The value of flexible fuel mixing in hydrogen-fueled gas turbines – A techno-economic study
Journal article, 2022

In electricity systems mainly supplied with variable renewable electricity (VRE), the variable generation must be balanced. Hydrogen as an energy carrier, combined with storage, has the ability to shift electricity generation in time and thereby support the electricity system. The aim of this work is to analyze the competitiveness of hydrogen-fueled gas turbines, including both open and combined cycles, with flexible fuel mixing of hydrogen and biomethane in zero-carbon emissions electricity systems. The work applies a techno-economic optimization model to future European electricity systems with high shares of VRE. The results show that the most competitive gas turbine option is a combined cycle configuration that is capable of handling up to 100% hydrogen, fed with various mixtures of hydrogen and biomethane. The results also indicate that the endogenously calculated hydrogen cost rarely exceeds 5 €/kgH2 when used in gas turbines, and that a hydrogen cost of 3–4 €/kgH2 is, for most of the scenarios investigated, competitive. Furthermore, the results show that hydrogen gas turbines are more competitive in wind-based energy systems, as compared to solar-based systems, in that the fluctuations of the electricity generation in the former are fewer, more irregular and of longer duration. Thus, it is the characteristics of an energy system, and not necessarily the cost of hydrogen, that determine the competitiveness of hydrogen gas turbines.

Variable renewable electricity

Flexibility

Techno-economic

Hydrogen

Gas turbines

Supply

Author

Simon Öberg

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Energy Technology

Mikael Odenberger

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Energy Technology

Filip Johnsson

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Energy Technology

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

0360-3199 (ISSN)

Vol. 47 74 31684-31702

Subject Categories

Energy Engineering

Other Environmental Engineering

Energy Systems

DOI

10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.07.075

More information

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3/7/2024 9