China Brings 2.4-GW Gas-Fired Power Plant Online
China state-owned utility Guangdong Energy Group has started commercial operation of the Dongguan Ningzhou combined-cycle facility in Guangdong Province, China. GE Vernova, which supplied three 9HA.02 gas turbines for the project, on Oct. 24 announced the startup of the power station.
The plant is among the largest gas-fired facilities in China. Officials said Dongguan Ningzhou is part of the move to replace coal-fired power with natural gas in the region. The new facility joins the 1.34-GW Huizhou power plant in Guangdong Province, which came online this past summer. Huizhou is a combined heat and power facility powered by two hydrogen-ready GE Vernova 9HA.01 gas turbines.
“GE Vernova has long been our company of choice when transitioning our power plants from coal to natural gas and we trust that in the future GE Vernova technology will help transition to nearly net-zero carbon emissions,” said a representative from Guangdong Energy Group in a news release.
The Chinese government has said the country has a target to achieve a carbon emissions peak by 2030, and reach carbon neutrality by 2060, although energy industry analysts have said those are likely ambitious due to China’s continued reliance on coal-fired generation. Officials in China have said they want to reduce coal’s share of the energy mix—the country is the world leader in the buildout of renewable energy resources—and has been replacing coal plants with gas-fired power stations.
“Dongguan Ningzhou plant plays a significant role in supporting a lower-carbon and more sustainable power generation in the Guangdong province, north of Hong Kong in the Greater Bay Area,” said Xu Xin, Gas Power Services China ITR Leader for GE Vernova. “We celebrated today the start of the operation of one of the largest gas plants in China. This plant will help boost the megapolis’ transition from coal to gas power generation to lower emissions. This milestone was achieved on time and safely, with the highest standards of quality, also thanks to the superb collaboration with our local partner, Harbin Electric who provided steam turbine, generator and balance-of-plant equipment.”
GE Vernova has said its H-Class gas turbine technology produces up to 60% fewer carbon emissions compared to plants of the same size powered by coal. The group said the H-Class also is capable of burning up to 50% by volume of hydrogen blended with natural gas. The company is working on technology to burn 100% hydrogen.
GE Vernova, recognized as the first international manufacturer and supplier of gas turbine technology in China, on Thursday said it is involved with more than 110 gas-fired power plants in the country.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).