As part of the Intermountain Power Agency’s (IPAs) Utah-based power project – the Intermountain Power Project (IPP) Renewed – Mitsubishi Power Americas has supplied two M501JAC advanced-class gas turbines to the site. Produced at Mitsubishi’s facility in Takasago, Japan, the gas turbines will use 30% hydrogen fuel at start-up in 2025, with a target of using 100% hydrogen by 2045 for carbon-free utility-scale power generation.
By using a combination of natural gas and hydrogen, IPP will be able to reduce carbon emissions created by its operation by over 75%. Once installed, site tested and fully operational, the Mitsubishi turbines will produce 840MW of net generation output. Furthermore, Mitsubishi will service and maintain the turbines through a 20-year agreement. The Industrial Company – a subsidiary of Kiewit – will be responsible for the project’s engineering, procurement and construction.
Back in 2019, Mitsubishi Power partnered with Magnum Development to develop the Advanced Clean Energy Storage project (ACES Delta hub), situated next to IPP. The ACES Delta hub will produce, store and deliver green hydrogen to the Western United States. Additionally, a pipeline from the ACES Delta hub will feed the IPP Renewed project with hydrogen to operate the new turbines.
Renewable energy-powered electrolyzers within the ACES Delta hub will be used to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen will then be stored in two underground salt caverns capable of holding up to 150,000 MWh of clean energy.
“With the delivery of these two highly flexible J-Class gas turbines from Mitsubishi Power Americas, the IPP Renewed project is well on its way to becoming a beacon of innovation, paving the way for a cleaner, dispatchable energy footprint in the region,” said Cameron Cowan, general manager, Intermountain Power Agency.
“As we continue to support our customers with advances in clean energy technology, IPP Renewed is a perfect example of a real, steel-on-the-ground project,” added Bill Newsom, president and CEO, Mitsubishi Power Americas. “The project demonstrates that bringing together the right partners with the right capabilities supports essential renewable energy infrastructures emergence and moves the country further along the path to net-zero emissions.”
To date, Mitsubishi Power gas turbines have achieved more than 3.5 million hours of high-hydrogen operating experience in 29 facilities.