Taiwan – Taipower aims to blend 20% hydrogen into natural gas at Kaohsiung power plant

Taiwan – Taipower aims to blend 20% hydrogen into natural gas at Kaohsiung power plant

 

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipower said that its research institute has started testing 5 MW of natural gas-hydrogen blended power generation at its thermal power plant in Kaohsiung, aiming to achieve a 20% hydrogen blend by 2028.

 

At a press conference on Tuesday, Taipower said that it has opened the “Taipower D/S One” exhibition hall near Banqiao Station to showcase the company’s efforts in power resilience, digitalization, and carbon reduction. The hall features 60 of its research achievements and will be open to the public until Jan. 28, per CNA.

 

Taipower noted that since September 2023, it has begun generating electricity using a turbine that blends hydrogen with natural gas at the plant. The facility’s hydrogen mix has reached 15% and will continue to increase, aiming to cut about 90 kg of carbon emissions per hour.

 

The company has also developed Taiwan’s first microgrid platform, which can switch power in disaster-hit areas to local generation units during typhoons. In addition, to support the integration of renewable energy, Taipower has established a monitoring system to analyze optimal power dispatch patterns.

 

Taipower has deployed drones equipped with AI-powered image recognition and 5G connectivity to enhance inspections at its power plants. Using big data models, the system can accurately detect potential risks such as cracks and corrosion in boiler tubes and high-voltage transmission towers. 

 

Taipower has also developed a hydrogen energy storage system that uses electrolysis to produce hydrogen. The system can integrate solar power and serve as a testing ground for green energy technologies. The company plans to test the system at a solar power plant in the south in 2027.

 

Taipower Chair Tseng Wen-sheng (曾文生) said that next year marks the company’s 80th anniversary, a milestone that comes amid challenges of transformation and carbon reduction. He added that AI data centers consume significant amounts of electricity, and as demand continues to grow, the company will focus on ensuring power stability and expanding energy sources. 

 

Source:   Hydrogencentral