Session: 20-03: Hydrogen and Natural Gas Compression and Infrastructure

Paper Number: 153041

Hydrogen Demonstration at Chevron’s Cymric 31X Cogeneration Site: Solar Centaur 40 SoLoNOxTM Gas Turbine 

Chevron, EPRI, and Solar Turbines Incorporated (Solar) working in partnership demonstrated the long term capability to operate a 3.2 MW Solar Centaur 40 SoLoNOx industrial gas turbine on blends of natural gas and hydrogen (H2) up to 60% H2 by volume.  Testing occurred at Chevron’s Bakersfield, California, production site as part of broader decarbonization efforts by both companies.

The demonstration project involved developing and upgrading a 1980’s era facility and retrofitting the gas turbine package to operate and test up to 60% H2 over a six month period.  Solar installed a Centaur 40 SoLoNOx gas turbine engine with standard production hardware and upgraded package hardware and control logic to allow hydrogen operation. Chevron provided the H2 fuel supply, mixing skid and site upgrades for H2 operation.  Facility work began in 2023 and engine testing started in the spring of 2024.

The demonstration was split into two phases with the first being a full characterization of the gas turbine operation, combustion system performance and emission levels with various H2 blends up to 60% H2. This first phase also included demonstration of load transients and engine starts. The second phase returned the gas turbine package to production operations and evaluated long term operation with H2.

The gas turbine demonstrated stable operation on H2 blended with natural gas fuels up to 60% H2 with NOx emissions maintained at natural gas levels.  The demonstration has accumulated over 1000+ hours of operation on H2 blends.  Multiple inspections of the combustion hardware have shown no concerns.  The paper will also discuss the impact of hydrogen on emission measurements, the logistics aspect of hydrogen delivery on an active site, various operational aspects of hydrogen ranging from the storage and use of hydrogen to the challenges of blending hydrogen and natural gas and accurately measuring the gas quality.  This successful demonstration project has provided important technical and logistical information on the operation of an industrial gas turbine on high levels of H2 enabling the transition to clean low carbon energy. 

Presenting Author: Michael Ramotowski Solar Turbines

Presenting Author Biography: Mr. Ramotowski has been with Solar Turbines for over 14 years and is the Program Manager for hydrogen in the turbomachinery products division which focuses on combustion system development and engine capability and readiness for hydrogen. His expertise includes project management and leading cross functional teams in product design, development and commercialization of low emission gas turbine combustion systems for gas & oil as well as alternative, renewable and carbon free fuels. Mr. Ramotowski has a combustion background and more than 30 years of experience in the industry developing new combustion system technology and product commercialization.

Authors:

Shirley Yuan Solar Turbines Incorporated
Dietmar Sauer Solar Turbines Incorporated
Lauren Lippert Solar Turbines Incorporated
Jonathan Duckers Solar Turbines Incorporated
Michael Ramotowski Solar Turbines
Rob Hiestand Chevron
Troy Haugeberg Chevron
Liz Voze Chevron
James Harper EPRI
David Noble EPRI