Michigan To Test Hydrogen Blended Fuel

A project which will test hydrogen blended fuel to reduce carbon dioxide emissions of power plant operations in Michigan, US, has been announced. Hydrogen Industry Leaders investigates how this project will help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Wärtsilä, WEC Energy Group, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and Burns & McDonnell, have been contracted to carry out the hydrogen fuel testing at the A.J. Mihm power plant.

Supporting WEC’s ambitions of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 80 per cent by 2030, there are plans to see the 55MW plant run on a fuel blend of 25 vol.% hydrogen and natural gas, using Wärtsilä’s 50SG engine.

Hinting that further hydrogen blending could be on the horizon, Wärtsilä has also supplied WEC with seven of its 50SG gas engines for F.D Kuester power plant in Michigan.

Director Engine Power at Wärtsilä North America, Jon Rodriquez, said: “These hydrogen tests reinforce the viability of the internal combustion engine as a future-proof technology that plays a key role in decarbonising the power industry.

“We have long had a focus on creating solutions that enable zero-carbon power generation and are excited to begin this hydrogen testing project in the USA as a natural next step in developing our products to meet customer needs for a decarbonised future.”

Currently, Wärtsilä already has an engine generating sets operating on a hydrogen and natural gas blend at an offshore floating testbed in Singapore.