Austrian energy company Verbund is testing the potential for the partial substitution of natural gas with hydrogen at its 838MW Mellach plant.
The three-year Hotflex pilot scheme, which also includes Graz University of Technology and the German cleantech specialist Sunfire, will convert excess wind and solar power into hydrogen by high-temperature electrolysis.
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The ‘green’ hydrogen will be mixed with natural gas to drive the two gas turbines at Mellach, Verbund said.
It added that the pilot will also be able to operate in reverse as a fuel cell to produce electricity and heat from natural gas.
Verbund said it will test this fuel cell mode primarily for self or emergency power supply at the power plant.