OVERALL OBJECTIVE
HyCoFlex is developing a retrofittable decarbonisation solution package for combined heat and power plants by enabling gas turbines to operate on up to 100% hydrogen. This cutting-edge technology will be seamlessly integrated into an industrial cogeneration system at the Saillat-sur-Vienne site in France, where it will be demonstrated and validated.
Expanding on the achievements of the HYFLEXPOWER project, HyCoFlex will further enhance an industrial-scale power-to-hydrogen-to-power facility, refining its infrastructure to improve efficiency and adaptability. The project will develop operational strategies and flexible protocols tailored to the dynamic requirements of industrial cogeneration plants. By establishing viable pathways for scaling and replicating this solution, HyCoFlex will play a key role in accelerating the transition towards a low-carbon industrial and energy landscape.
Objective 1
Advancing the HYFLEXPOWER plant concept
The HyCoFlex project will upgrade the Saillat-sur-Vienne cogeneration plant to enable its gas turbine to run on up to 100% hydrogen, building on its role as a demonstration site for HYFLEXPOWER. The upgrades will focus on enhancing safety and plant integration, meeting French regulatory requirements, and improving monitoring accuracy with advanced fuel composition and exhaust analysis systems. Additional modifications will allow precise fuel blending through new gas lines and control system updates. The project will also contribute to the development of hydrogen power generation standards in collaboration with the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance.
Objective 2
Design, develop, and validate a H2 gas turbine combustion system
A Siemens Energy SGT-400 gas turbine will be upgraded with an advanced dry low-emission (DLE) H2 combustion system to operate with different natural gas / H2 fuel mixtures. HyCoFlex will tackle the challenges related to H2 combustion by further optimising the DLE combustion technology through a combination of design optimisation, analytical research and validation in relevant environments as well as under full gas turbine operating conditions – delivering low emissions, high efficiency, and operational flexibility with performance comparable to current natural gas systems.
Objective 3
Demonstrating the retrofitted cogeneration plant
A demonstration core engine will be developed and equipped with combustion systems designed to operate on 100% hydrogen. Two large-scale demonstration campaigns at TRL7 are planned, testing the engine’s performance under different loads and fuel mixtures. These tests will validate the advanced cogeneration plant with an H2 gas turbine, ensuring its capability to run efficiently with up to 100% hydrogen
Objective 4
Pathways for decarbonized power generation
HyCoFlex will develop a flexible dynamic simulation and optimization tool to analyze the operational performance of the Saillat-sur-Vienne cogeneration unit under transient conditions. This tool will also be applied to upscaled cogeneration units to assess the scalability and replicability of hydrogen-based retrofitting solutions. The project will evaluate circularity and sustainability aspects, focusing on efficiency improvements, economic viability, and environmental impact. Additionally, digital twins will simulate real-world operations, and an information mapping tool will identify optimal sites across Europe for implementing HyCoFlex’s decarbonization solutions