NTPC signed MoU with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited and its subsidiary

The National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Limited, Japan and its subsidiary Mitsubishi Power India Private Limited to demonstrate the feasibility of Hydrogen co-firing blended with natural gas. The project will be done at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 701 D series gas turbines installed at the NTPC Auraiya Gas Power Plant in Uttar Pradesh.

The total installed capacity of the Auraiya Gas Power Plant is 663 Megawatt with four gas turbines operating in combined cycle mode.

The MoU was signed by both companies in the presence of Ujjwal Kanti Bhattacharya, Director (Projects) of NTPC Ltd., Tatsuto Nagayasu, CMD of Mitsubishi Power India, and Hiroyuki Shinohara, Vice President of Mitsubishi Power India.

Achieving de-carbonizing targets requires a concerted and wide-ranging roadmap across all energy-intensive sectors. As a part of this road map, hydrogen co-firing in gas turbines can play a key role in reducing Carbon dioxide emissions.

NTPC Ltd., being the largest power generator in India, intends to play a major role in energy transition and achieving the Conference of the Parties (COP) 26 commitments.

As a part of this initiative, NTPC is exploring various new hydrogen generation technologies along with hydrogen usage to ensure future readiness, develop the required capabilities, and technical expertise, and align with the national decarbonizing and hydrogen mission targets.

Under this MoU, both companies will collaborate to carry out the study and identify key actions for introducing hydrogen co-firing at NTPC Auraiya Gas-based combined cycle power plant. The study will identify key actions for co-firing for various percentages of hydrogen e.g. 5 per cent, 15 per cent, 30 percent, 50 percent and 100 percent and the hydrogen required for the project will be supplied by NTPC.

The Executive Director of NTPC Limited Manish Kumar Srivastava said that NTPC is committed to playing a key role in India’s energy transition journey as the country marches ahead to achieve the net-zero target and climate goals.

NTPC is pioneering various hydrogen-related initiatives and is carrying out Research and Development work in this field to bring in a technology which can provide green, affordable, reliable and sustainable power for all.

He said that this MoU is one of the few steps taken by NTPC to meet these targets. They believe that partnering with MHI Limited which has global expertise in this technology will help us meet our objectives under the National Hydrogen Mission.

The Chief Managing Director of Mitsubishi Power India, Tatsuto Nagayasu, said that the momentous event of the signing of the MOU signifies the focus of NTPC and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries towards achieving the goal of decarbonization of the power generation sector and their commitment to addressing the pressing issue of climate change.

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