Hanwha General Chemical Officially Begins Commercialization of Hydrogen Co-Firing Power Generation

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] Hanwha Total Petrochemical and Korea Western Power are embarking on the country's first hydrogen co-firing power generation project. Once completed, this project will enable the mixing of over 50% hydrogen with LNG, significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

On the 3rd, the two companies signed the 'Hydrogen Co-firing Power Generation Demonstration Project Agreement' at the Korea Western Power headquarters located in Taean, Chungnam, to officially commence the commercialization of hydrogen co-firing power generation.

Previously, Hanwha Total Petrochemical secured core technology to convert LNG gas turbines into hydrogen gas turbines through the acquisition of PSM in the United States, a global leader in hydrogen gas turbines, and 'Thomassen Energy' in the Netherlands.

Hanwha Total Petrochemical plans to relocate one 80MW-class aged gas turbine owned by Korea Western Power to the Daesan plant, apply the newly secured hydrogen combustor technology, and modify it by the first half of 2023 to enable hydrogen co-firing power generation with over 50% hydrogen for the first time in Korea, carrying out the hydrogen co-firing power generation demonstration project.

Hanwha Total Petrochemical possesses technology that not only converts aged gas turbines to hydrogen co-firing but also extends the lifespan of aged gas turbines by more than 15 years and improves turbine efficiency and operational performance.

In the future, Hanwha Total Petrochemical plans to utilize by-product hydrogen generated from petrochemical processes to modify the demonstration facility to enable 100% hydrogen combustion, transforming it into an eco-friendly facility that produces no carbon dioxide emissions. The goal is to expand the application to large-capacity gas turbines of 200MW or more and commercialize the technology.

Hanwha Total Petrochemical and Korea Western Power also plan to convert the fuel of all gas turbines (8 units) at Korea Western Power's Seo Incheon Combined Cycle Power Plant from LNG to hydrogen by utilizing optimal operational data of the hydrogen and LNG mixed fuel supply system and gas turbine control system obtained through this demonstration project.