HyCoFlex marks successful start of hydrogen testing in demonstration campaign

by Marijn | Sep 21, 2026

We are excited to announce the successful completion of the first hydrogen (H₂) test as part of the 2026 demonstration campaign of the HyCoFlex project at the ENGIE Energie Services cogeneration plant in Saillat-sur-Vienne, France.

As the demonstration campaign progresses, the project team will validate hydrogen operation in a Siemens Energy SGT-400 gas turbine-based cogeneration system, assessing performance, operational flexibility, and low-NOx emissions under real industrial conditions. The objective is to demonstrate a practical pathway for retrofitting existing cogeneration assets to operate with increasing levels of hydrogen, ultimately up to 100% H₂ while maintaining performance and reliability.

These first H₂ tests are the culmination of years of innovation, engineering excellence, and strong collaboration among the HyCoFlex project partners. The knowledge, operational experience, and performance data, gained throughout the campaign will help validate hydrogen as a viable fuel for industrial cogeneration and advance practical pathways toward the decarbonization of industrial energy systems.

HyCoFlex reaches major testing milestones: First fire and full-load operation

by Marijn | Aug 17, 2026

The HyCoFlex testing campaign has officially begun with the successful completion of the First Fire of the gas turbine at the ENGIE test site in Saillat-sur-Vienne, France.

Shortly thereafter, the turbine successfully achieved full-load operation on natural gas, marking another important step in the commissioning and testing programme.

Together, these achievements confirm the successful integration of the HyCoFlex retrofit package and demonstrate the readiness of the system for the next phases of testing.

Over the coming weeks, the consortium will carry out an extensive test campaign to validate system performance and progressively prepare the turbine for hydrogen operation.

The results will provide valuable insights into the integration of hydrogen technologies within industrial cogeneration systems, helping accelerate the transition toward more flexible, resilient, and lower-carbon energy solutions.

This achievement is the result of the dedication, expertise, and close collaboration of the entire HyCoFlex consortium. A heartfelt thank you to all partners, site teams, and experts whose commitment and hard work have made this milestone possible.

We look forward to sharing further updates as the testing campaign progresses and we move another step closer to demonstrating hydrogen-enabled industrial energy systems.

HyCoFlex at ECOS 2026!

by Marijn | Jul 1, 2026

This week, Nikos Skordoulias and Sotirios Karellas represented the HyCoFlex project at ECOS 2026 – the 39th International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimization, Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems, where they delivered an oral presentation entitled:

“Optimised sizing and operational dispatch of grid connected PEM electrolysers for hydrogen-fired gas turbines using a multi-objective framework: A HyCoFlex case study.”

The presentation showcased a novel multi-objective optimisation framework that simultaneously determines the optimal sizing and operational dispatch of grid-connected PEM electrolysers supplying hydrogen to an advanced hydrogen-fired gas turbine.

Using the HyCoFlex pilot-scale facility as a case study, the research demonstrated how integrated system design and operation can identify cost-effective pathways for renewable hydrogen production. The results highlighted optimal electrolyser capacities for different hydrogen demand scenarios while achieving competitive Levelised Costs of Hydrogen (LCOH) and complying with RFNBO carbon-intensity criteria.

Thank you to the organisers of ECOS 2026 for bringing together researchers and industry experts to exchange ideas on the future of sustainable energy systems. We also thank everyone who attended the presentation and contributed to the engaging discussions.

Learn more about the conference: https://ecos2026.insae.ro/

HyCoFlex Showcases Industrial Hydrogen Cogeneration at Clean Hydrogen JU Event

by Marijn | Nov 26, 2025

HyCoFlex was proud to participate in the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (Clean Hydrogen JU) event, Hydrogen for Clean Heat & Power: From Concepts to Real Industrial Use, held in Brussels on 24–25 November 2025. The event brought together leading European projects demonstrating how hydrogen technologies are transitioning from research and development to real industrial applications.

During the dedicated session on hydrogen for clean heat and power, Ertan Yilmaz presented the latest progress of the HyCoFlex project. His presentation highlighted HyCoFlex’s work on developing hydrogen-ready cogeneration solutions for multi-megawatt gas turbines, with the project progressing towards a full 100% hydrogen demonstration at a Smurfit Westrock paper production site. This demonstration represents an important step towards decarbonising energy-intensive industries through flexible and reliable hydrogen-based combined heat and power (CHP) systems.

The session, moderated by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership Project Officer, showcased four flagship projects funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, each addressing different industrial applications for hydrogen technologies. Together, the presentations demonstrated the growing maturity of hydrogen solutions across sectors including industrial manufacturing, aluminium production, data centres, ports, airports, and cogeneration.

HyCoFlex was presented alongside the CLEANER, H2AL, and E2P2 projects, illustrating the breadth of innovation supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and the increasing deployment of hydrogen technologies in operational industrial environments.

The discussions reinforced a clear message: hydrogen for clean heat and power is no longer a future concept but is becoming a practical solution for Europe’s industrial decarbonisation. HyCoFlex is proud to contribute to this transition by advancing flexible, large-scale hydrogen cogeneration technologies that will help accelerate the adoption of renewable hydrogen across European industry.

We thank the Clean Hydrogen Partnership for organising this successful event and all speakers and participants for the valuable exchange of knowledge and experiences.

HyCoFlex Presented at EU–Japan Workshop on Hydrogen Combustion Technologies

by Marijn | Mar 29, 2025

HyCoFlex was represented at the 2nd Information Exchange Workshop between the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), held in Kobe, Japan. The workshop brought together around 50 experts from industry, academia and government across Europe and Japan to exchange knowledge on hydrogen and ammonia combustion technologies and strengthen international collaboration.

Representing the HyCoFlex consortium, Ertan Yilmaz (Siemens Energy) presented the HyCoFlex and HYFLEXPOWER projects during the session on large gas turbines, showcasing recent progress in developing hydrogen-capable gas turbine technologies for decarbonising power generation and industrial combined heat and power (CHP) applications.

The workshop highlighted the importance of continued international cooperation to accelerate the commercial deployment of hydrogen combustion technologies. Discussions confirmed a shared ambition to enable gas turbines, boilers and burners capable of operating with up to 100% clean hydrogen, supporting the global transition towards carbon-neutral energy systems.