ERAfrica: Development of an advanced power-generation with min. carbon emission from hybrid fuel supplies

The AdPowGen project with partners from Norway, Belgium, Turkey, Egypt and South Africa, targeted to develop and demonstrate an advanced gas turbine based power generation system using various sources of renewable energy (RE) and alternative fuel to replace fossil fuel based ones. The high energy content of the exhaust gas of the gas turbine was to be recovered for further improvement of the electrical efficiency and / or its use for heating cooling or desalination to consider the different local boundary conditions of the partner countries. Different plant layouts were developed, evaluated and optimized via numerical simulation different local requirements for either highest electrical efficiency, desalination, heating of cooling requirement. The impact of differences in the availability of renewable energy sources was considered and its impact on the available types of fuel evaluated. Fuel flexibility of the gas turbine can be achieved via the developed multi fuel burner which was tested and proven during component tests. The can-combustor was tested for operation with methane / upgraded biogas, (bio) diesel and hydrogen to cover a wide range of renewable based fuels. In addition there was a fuel mixing unit tested which was aiming at providing a close to constant Wobbe-index when mixing various types of fuel. But this approach was not proven to result in the required quality for a given variation of fuels mixtures and therefore not further followed. To improve energy efficiency of the plant was a dual vane compressor developed and a prototype was tested. It can be, within the different plant layouts used for power augmentation of the gas turbine or fuel gas compression. Operation at variable speed improves its operational range and flexibility. At the same time were areas for further development and optimisation of this new compressor identified for follow up activities. The concept of the dual vane compressor technology is protected via patents. Another new component is the high-speed generator, its power electronics and control which avoids the use of a gear box. The project developed two different concepts which were manufactured and tested up to a rotational speed of 10'000 rpm. The generators are also of the variable speed type which connected to a gas turbine widens it operating range, flexibility and part-load efficiency, which is quite important especially when being integrated into systems with a high share of fluctuating renewable energy sources (e.g. solar and wind). In addition, a gas turbine test rig was prepared that can serve as a demonstrator bench for coupling all components into one system in a laboratory environment. Together with the (within the project performed) evaluation of boundary conditions and requirements for the acceptance of this new technology form the results of the project a good base for identifying a reference location and layout, develop and test a prototype and afterwards apply it at the selected location. A typical location could be for example a rural area one of the partner countries and different local renewable energy sources. It is currently evaluated to prepare a proposal for a follow up project within the frame of H2020. Further cooperation of partners beyond the duration of the project via bilateral programs and cooperation is also in progress and/or partially already ongoing.

To ensure sustainable development in Europe and Africa (ErAfrica), adequate energy services should be made available to satisfy the demand of electricity production. A main focus is on decentralized power production using various and renewable sources of input energy as a cheap and easy to apply technology. The objective of the project is to pave the road for various sources of renewable energy (RE) and alternative fuel to be utilized in both bulk and distributed micro-generation (DMG) forms. The system will consist of two major subsystems, an advanced gas turbine (GT) power cycle and a high speed generator driven by the turbine for electricity generation. The project developing the flexible GT for power generation from various thermal and sustainable energy sources can be considered as a base for a family of different / larger size Advanced High Efficiency gas Turbine (AHET) generators that can be made a commercially available product for the distributed generation market. The expected specific fuel consumption of AHET will be lower than the specific fuel consumption for the combined cycle by allowing to add different sources or renewable energy. Solar thermal energy will be utilized to heat the air delivered by the compressor before entering the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber will be provided with dual fuel burner. Various sources of thermal energy would be utilized to operate AHET including biogas (BG), natural gas (NG), bio-diesel (BD) besides solar thermal energy. Substantial reduction of emissions will be achieved using BG or BD together with solar energy. For max system efficiency can the exhaust gas be used to preheat inlet air or water desalination. Excess electricity can be used for electrolysis to be fed into the combustor or stored for later use.