GE Renewable Energy and ENMAX to implement Canada’s first hybrid electric gas turbine

• 5 years ago (2019-11-08)
• David Flin

Gas 393 North America 1021

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GE Renewable Energy and ENMAX have agreed to upgrade an existing LM6000 gas turbine at ENMAX’s Crossfield Energy Center in Alberta, Canada with GE’s Hybrid Electric Gas Turbine technology.

The turbine will be equipped with GE’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and hybrid controls to provide operating reserves without burning fuel. GE will provide the turnkey project which includes an Electric Gas Turbine (EGT) modification kit to hybridise the gas turbine. The project is funded by ENMAX and Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) through its Industrial Efficiency Challenge, a competitive selection process supporting projects that have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project is expected to reach commercial operation by Q3 2020.

The Hybrid EGT enables an instant-response gas turbine without burning fossil fuels. In periods of high-power demand, the Hybrid EGT LM6000 reacts immediately and can reach full power in ten minutes. Combining the gas turbine with a 10MW, 4.3MWh lithium ion battery will allow the turbine to be off until it is needed. The battery system, always synchronised to the grid, will discharge stored energy while the gas turbine starts and reaches full power. This results in lower greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding constant operation of the gas turbine.