Context
To achieve the European energy targets for the reduction of polluting gases set for 2030 and 2050 will be required a high penetration of renewable energy into the current electricity grid.
The high penetration, combined with the strong seasonality of renewable sources, such as sun and wind, leads to strong instability within the grids. To get an idea, consider the productivity differences of photovoltaic panels between the various seasons of the year. One solution is the integration of combined-cycle thermoelectric power plants into the grid and exploiting their flexibility to compensate for intermittent renewables.
Project goals
FLEXnCONFU is a project created to demonstrate and develop economically sustainable solutions for power-to-X-to-power (P2X2P) for combined-cycle plants.
Work areas
The project exploits the excesses and peaks of electricity present in our electrical networks, which would otherwise be dispersed in the environment, conserving it in the form of chemical energy: hydrogen and ammonia.
To test and make the process operational, we took care of 4 processes:
- Use of unconventional fuels in gas turbines of combined cycle power plants.
Cardiff University will conduct a series of combustion tests on different hydrogen/ammonia mixtures with methane, analyzing the effects on turbines - Power-to-X integration and demonstration in real power plants:
combined cycle power generation and storage systems, such as Power-to-X, can represent promising solutions to achieve carbon-neutrality goals in a short time. - Develop grid-oriented control strategies to align the production flexibility of combined-cycle plants with the grid balancing needs of the electricity market. FLEXnCONFU wants to promote the use of grid-oriented control systems «guided» by market conditions themselves, continuously adjusting the production of hydrogen and ammonia.
- Promote the use of hydrogen and ammonia-based systems in line with European clean energy plans. FLEXnCONFU aims to contribute to the production and use of «green» hydrogen.
Ici Caldaie’s rule
Grazie alla decennale esperienza in progetti europei e nella produzione e gestione di idrogeno, siamo stati coinvolti dall’ente coordinatore Rina Consulting, sia per la soluzione ad idrogeno, che quella ad ammoniaca.
We have been involved by the coordinating firm Rina Consulting, both for the hydrogen and ammonia solutions, thanks to decades of experience in production and management of hydrogen in European projects. We will deal with the design and construction of storage and fluid management systems. Specifically, for the hydrogen part, we will assemble systems for receiving hydrogen from the electrolyser, its compression, storage in specific tanks and its release in turbines.
For the ammonia system, we will deal with the production of the integrated system which includes the electrolysers for the production of hydrogen, the reactor for the synthesis of ammonia, the storage tanks and the turbine release systems.
Both systems will be designed to be transported and installed in standard containers.