Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) has completed a hydrogen-blending test at its 805MW CPV Towantic Energy Center, a combined-cycle power plant in Oxford, Connecticut.
The one-hour demonstration used fuel containing 5% hydrogen by volume. A GE Vernova 7HA.01 combustion turbine operated at base load during the test.
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CPV said the result showed that the plant’s existing equipment could operate on the hydrogen-natural gas blend.
The project forms part of CPV’s efforts to evaluate technologies that could reduce carbon emissions while retaining operational flexibility across its generation portfolio.
CPV CEO Sherman Knight said the trial followed several years of planning and collaboration with industry partners and Connecticut authorities.
Knight said: “We now have key information to better understand the technical and operational considerations involved in potential large-scale applications.”
Before conducting the test, CPV assessed the plant’s design and suitability for hydrogen blending. It worked with Connecticut’s Siting Council and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to secure a modification to the plant’s existing air permit, allowing it to burn hydrogen at up to 5% by volume.
GE Vernova provided technical support throughout the process and on site during the demonstration.
Certarus supplied the hydrogen, while Burns & McDonnell led engineering oversight of the design and studies carried out ahead of the trial. NAES, CPV Towantic Energy Center’s operations and maintenance provider, managed plant operations during the test and supported the implementation of safety protocols.
GE Vernova Americas gas power business CEO Dave Ross said: “The successful operation of the 7HA.01 gas turbine on a hydrogen-natural gas blend demonstrates how existing power generation technologies can adapt to support evolving energy needs.”
The CPV Towantic Energy Center has operated since May 2018. The facility uses a 2×1 combined-cycle configuration featuring GE 7HA.01 gas turbines and DLN2.6+ AFS combustion systems.
Located in Oxford’s Woodruff Hill Industrial Park, it represents a $1bn investment, according to CPV. The plant is designed to generate enough electricity to power 800,000 homes and businesses.
