Hydrogen program launched by Egco to cut CO2 emissions in the US

A significant advancement in the pursuit of cleaner energy took place recently, as Electricity Generating Plc (Egco), a subsidiary of the state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, launched a hydrogen program. This new initiative is set in the Linden Cogen thermal cogeneration plant’s 172-megawatt Unit 6, located in the US. The hydrogen fuel blending programme is part of a wider endeavour to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

This groundbreaking hydrogen program involves the combustion of natural gas and ‘off-gas,’ which includes hydrogen, to produce electricity. Notably, off-gas is a compound of various gases that emerge during the refining of crude oil.

Unit 6 of Linden Cogen will use off-gas, rich in hydrogen, procured from Phillips 66 Bayway Refinery, an oil refinery nearby. This will be amalgamated with natural gas for powering the gas turbine of the power plant to generate electricity.

Thepparat Theppitak, Egco’s President, articulated that this inventive hydrogen program approach will potentially result in a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. This is accomplished by decreasing the volume of natural gas needed for generating electricity and steam.

This hydrogen program initiative enhances the operations of both the refinery and Linden Cogen. Annual carbon dioxide emissions from Linden Cogen Unit 6 are foreseen to be cut by close to 10% because of this project, reported Bangkok Post.

The hydrogen program move falls within the stringent nitrogen dioxide emission guidelines for the gas turbine, emphasising Egco’s dedication to compliance with regulations and sustainability.

In Thepparat’s words, they are “committed to promoting the adoption of cleaner fuels and the pursuit of excellence in new cutting-edge power generation technologies.”

It’s worth noting that the Linden Cogen complex is a thermal cogeneration plant that operates on gas, with a generation capacity of 972MW. It comprises the Linden Units 1 to 5, with a generation capacity of 800MW, and Linden Unit 6.

The ownership structure of Linden Cogen includes Jera Americas with a 50% stake, Egco with 28%, DBJ with 12%, and GS-Platform Partners owning the remaining 10% stake. This inventive hydrogen program development marks a significant milestone in Egco’s path to greener, more sustainable energy production.