Doosan Enerbility to develop hydrogen gas turbine

Doosan Enerbility is picking up the pace together with the local industry, academia and research sectors in South Korea to develop hydrogen gas turbines using homegrown technology.

Doosan Enerbility signed a memorandum of understanding at the Bundang Doosan Tower in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province with ten parties from the local industry, academia and research sectors on the technology development and demonstration of the locally manufactured hydrogen gas turbine.

The academia and research sectors  include: Korea Southern Power(KOSPO), Doosan Enerbility, E1 Corporation, Gangneung-Wonju National University(GWNU), Seoul National University(SNU), Incheon National University(INU), Inha University, Hongik University, Hanul Aerospace & Machinery, Samwon Engineering.

With the signing of this MoU, the ten parties will be cooperating widely on the following initiatives.

• Participation in a state-led project for demonstration of a 150MW (F-class) 50% hydrogen dual-fuel gas turbine,
• Development and fabrication of hydrogen gas turbine combustor using homegrown technology
• Production and supply of clean hydrogen. KOSPO will be responsible for providing and operating the site of the demonstration, while Doosan Enerbility will be handling the development of the combustor, and E1 Corporation will be working with Doosan Enerbility on the supply of clean hydrogen through commercialization of ammonia cracking technology.

Hydrogen combustion technology can be applied to existing LNG-fueled gas turbines to convert them into hydrogen gas turbines.  By using a fuel mix of which 50 percent is hydrogen, carbon emissions can be reduced by up to 23% compared to existing LGN-fueled gas turbines.

“Given that this MoU encompasses not only the development of eco-friendly hydrogen gas turbines, but also the utilization of clean hydrogen, we expect that the MoU will act as a true catalyst for prompting the achievement of carbon neutrality,” said Hongook Park, CEO of Doosan Enerbility’s Power Services Business Group. “By reinforcing the systematic cooperation framework, we aim to lead the efforts for not only the development of hydrogen gas turbines based purely on Korean technology, but also seek to promote Korea’s hydrogen power ecosystem.”

Doosan Enerbility, which became the fifth company in the world to successfully develop an industrial gas turbine for power generation in 2019, had accomplished another feat last year by successfully conducting a 30% hydrogen co-firing test on the hydrogen gas turbine combustor. At the same time, Doosan is also engaged in a state-led project aimed at developing 50% hydrogen dual-fuel and 100% hydrogen-fueled gas turbine combustors. With the target set to complete development of a 380MW 100% hydrogen-fueled gas turbine by 2027, Doosan plans to complete development of the key component, the combustor for the 100% hydrogen-fueled gas turbine, by 2026.