FLEXIS lead research into the world’s first ammonia/hydrogen gas turbine

FLEXIS has enabled fundamental and practical research to secure £1.9m to look at developing a new generation of gas turbine that could raise efficiency whilst reducing CO2 emissions.

The project is exploring the use of ammonia as a hydrogen vector to support further green power generation developments in the Welsh region of Neath Port Talbot.

Building on award winning research into the use of ammonia to store and release zero-carbon energy, FLEXIS’ Dr Agustin Valera Medina is leading the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded project over the next four years.

Dr Agustin Valera Medina, tell us more:

“The hydrogen economy can be supported by the use of ammonia. However, ammonia presents several challenges for large power generation such as high emissions and considerable inefficiencies. Therefore, this project seeks to develop a new generation of gas turbine cycles, capable of raising efficiency whilst mitigating emissions, producing only water and nitrogen at the exhaust. That nitrogen will be captured, stored and later used to cool components, to produce further energy and for district heating.

This will be the first system worldwide, capable of combining the use of a novel electrofuel through combinations of ammonia/hydrogen with advanced thermodynamic principles for profitable and clean power generation.”

After carrying out initial research at the Gas Turbine Research Centre in our Neath Port Talbot demonstration area, we plan to install a new ammonia/hydrogen gas turbine to transform research into practise by using green ammonia to provide zero carbon energy to the research centre.

The research is being carried out by FLEXIS researchers.

We continue to grow the energy systems research capability in Wales and support government in achieving its Net Zero targets.