Doosan Enerbility Accelerates Localization of Eco-Friendly Hydrogen Turbines

MOU for Hydrogen Turbine Technology Development and Demonstration with 10 Domestic Industry-Academia-Research Institutes

At the business agreement ceremony for the development and demonstration of domestic hydrogen turbine technology held on the 27th at Bundang Doosan Tower in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Lee Seung-woo, President of Korea Southern Power (center front row), Jeong Yeon-in, President of Doosan Enerbility (second from left front row), Cheon Jeong-sik, CEO of E1 (fourth from left front row), and other representatives from 10 domestic industry-academia-research organizations are posing for a commemorative photo. Photo by Doosan Enerbility

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] Doosan Enerbility is accelerating the development of hydrogen turbines using purely domestic technology in collaboration with domestic industry, academia, and research institutes.

Doosan Enerbility announced on the 29th that ten domestic industry, academia, and research institutions gathered at Bundang Doosan Tower in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the development and demonstration of domestically produced hydrogen turbine technology. Attendees at the signing ceremony included Lee Seung-woo, President of Korea Southern Power, Jeong Yeon-in, President of Doosan Enerbility, and Cheon Jeong-sik, CEO of E1, among other officials.

Through this agreement, the ten institutions will comprehensively cooperate on ▲participation in a national project demonstrating 50% hydrogen co-firing in 150MW (F-class) gas turbines ▲development and manufacturing of hydrogen combustors based on domestic technology ▲clean hydrogen production and supply. Southern Power will provide demonstration sites and operation, Doosan Enerbility will develop combustors, and E1 will be responsible for supplying clean hydrogen through commercialization of ammonia cracking technology together with Doosan Enerbility.

By modifying existing gas turbines that use LNG (liquefied natural gas) as fuel and applying hydrogen combustion technology, they can be converted into hydrogen turbines. When hydrogen is mixed at 50% in hydrogen turbines and combusted, carbon emissions can be reduced by up to 23% compared to conventional LNG power generation gas turbines.

Park Hong-wook, Head of Power Service BG at Doosan Enerbility, said, "This agreement, which includes not only the development of eco-friendly hydrogen turbines but also the utilization of clean hydrogen, will be a sincere catalyst for achieving carbon neutrality," adding, "We will strengthen the organic cooperation system going forward to lead the development of 100% Korean technology hydrogen turbines as well as the revitalization of the domestic hydrogen power generation ecosystem."

Doosan Enerbility, which developed the world’s fifth power generation gas turbine in 2019, succeeded last year in testing 30% hydrogen co-firing in hydrogen turbine combustors and is currently developing both 50% hydrogen co-firing and full hydrogen combustors as part of a national project. Aiming to complete the development of a 380MW-class full hydrogen turbine by 2027, they plan to develop the core device, a combustor for the full hydrogen turbine, by 2026.