GE Vernova has reported award of an order for three GE Vernova 7HA.03 gas turbines to be installed at Kansai Electric Power Company’s Nanko power station in Osaka, Japan. GE Vernova’s advanced 7HA.03 power generation equipment will replace the existing aging conventional LNG power generation assets (consisting of three boilers and three steam turbines) and is expected to increase power plant efficiency, while reducing its carbon dioxide emissions.
Japan has set ambitious targets to achieve net zero by 2050 as per the latest Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) plans. As recently described in GE Vernova’s 2024 Japan energy outlook white paper Japan’s energy system is in transition, and the country has targeted achieving this decarbonisation goal through setting up investments in lower carbon generation sources and the support of “economic efficiency”, one of the three “S+3E” pillars within the revised national 6th Strategic Energy Plan (including also “Safety plus Energy Security”, and “Environmental Sustainability”).
“The plant is expected to deliver up to 1.8 gigawatts of electricity to the grid in total and to be the among the most efficient in the country,” said Ramesh Singaram, President and CEO, Asia of GE Vernova’s Gas Power. “In addition, 7HA.03 gas turbine technology currently has the capability to burn up to 50% by volume of hydrogen when blended with natural gas, with a technology pathway to 100% over the next decade. We look forward to bringing this advanced technology to Kansai Electric, with whom we have a longstanding relationship built on years of mutual respect and trust, to help revitalise the Japanese power industry with more efficient and more sustainable technology, in alignment with the country’s energy goals.”
In addition, GE Vernova is also expected to provide field services.
GE Vernova sees itself as a key player in Japan’s energy transition, having provided power generation equipment for Japan for more than 130 years. To date, the company says it has delivered more than 50% of Japan’s heavy duty gas power generation capacity and supports the country’s growing renewable and nuclear energy needs.
This article first appeared in Modern Power Systems Magazine
