Southern California Edison (SCE) and General Electric today unveiled the world’s first battery-gas turbine hybrid system in Norwalk, California. This is the first of two units that GE has delivered for SCE only months after announcing initial deployment plans.
Named LM6000 Hybrid Electric Gas Turbine (Hybrid EGT), the technology allows for quick start, fast ramping operation to support SCE's rising capacity of renewable energy sources. The unit integrates a 10MW / 4.3MWh battery energy storage system that can provide power immediately based on GE's LM6000 aeroderivative gas turbine (50MW).
Changing energy needs in California had prompted GE and SCE to develop the Hybrid EGT system. The state government has committed to derive half of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
"The new system will help SCE better utilize the resources on the grid, provide enhanced reliability, reduce environmental impact, and reduce cost for our operations and for our customers," said SCE President Ron Nichols. "This technology also allows us to continue to expand our use of solar, wind and other renewable resources."
Blending battery with turbine output
At the heart of the Hybrid EGT is a control system that blends output between the battery and the gas turbine. The energy storage capacity of the battery has been specifically designed to provide enough time coverage to allow the gas turbine to start and reach its designated power output.
As a result, the system does not need to burn fuel and consume water in stand-by mode, to be able to dispatch power immediately when demand surges.
This combination – along with new emission controls – enhances flexibility in the operation of the peaker while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution by 60%. In addition, water consumption is reduced by approximately 45%, which helps increase the life of the equipment.
"Storage and the ability to quickly push power to the grid also play a key role in emergency situations, dispatching energy immediately to the grid,” commented Reinaldo Garcia, President and CEO of Grid Solutions from GE Energy Connections. "As the electrical grid network continues to evolve, with more intermittent renewables being added every day, products like the Hybrid EGT can help smooth out the delivery of electricity."