GE Combines Natural Gas, Wind, and Solar

ENERGY

GE Combines Natural Gas, Wind, and Solar

The hybrid plant could be the cheapest and easiest way to add renewable energy to the grid.

GE has unveiled a groundbreaking power plant, the first to seamlessly integrate wind and solar power with natural gas. This 530-megawatt plant, set to commence operations in Turkey in 2015, is made possible by a flexible, high-efficiency natural gas system introduced by the company just two weeks ago. The solar thermal power system, a creation of eSolar, a GE-backed startup based in Burbank, California, further enhances the plant's practicality.

GE envisions a future where hybrid plants like this could become the norm in certain parts of the world. This innovative technology is particularly beneficial for countries operating on 50-hertz electricity, such as China and the European Union, as it could significantly aid them in achieving their renewable energy goals.

Adding solar power to natural gas plants is a familiar idea, but it hasn't been economical without government subsidies. GE says that because of its new turbines and related equipment, these hybrid plants can be competitive even without government support for utilities with the right combination of sunlight and natural gas prices. 

While combining solar thermal power and natural-gas turbines is not new, adding wind power to such a system is, GE says. Pairing wind with the natural gas plant helps reduce the cost of wind power—the wind farm can share some of the natural gas plant's control systems and its connection to the grid. The natural gas plant also smooths out variations from the wind turbines.

Solar thermal power involves concentrating sunlight and using the resulting heat to produce steam. That steam can be fed into the steam turbine at a natural gas combined cycle plant to boost its power output.

The solar concentrator array from eSolar helps lower costs in two ways. Its modular concentrator system is easy to install and modify for specific plant needs. It also produces higher-temperature steam than some previous solar thermal systems, increasing power output. GE has also developed a natural gas power plant that is highly efficient and whose power output can easily be adjusted to make up for variations in power output from solar power.

One of the most compelling aspects of this hybrid power plant technology is its cost-effectiveness. Connecting a solar thermal system to a natural gas power plant eliminates the need for a separate steam turbine and related equipment, resulting in a potential 50 per cent reduction in the cost of a solar thermal system. Jon Van Scoter, CEO and president of eSolar, confirms this. In contrast, Paul Browning, vice president of thermal products at GE, hails it as 'the most cost-effective form of solar energy available today.'