Diagnosing operations of Indonesia's power plants through artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analysis is meant to enhance efficiency. To that end, MHPS and the ITB seek to establish a joint research and development base in Indonesia.
“Through this joint research, not only will we develop new technologies for clean energy, but also we will improve the performance of existing power plants in Indonesia through big data analysis and Artificial Intelligence (AI),” said MHPS President and CEO Ken Kawai.
ITB, one of Indonesia's leading national universities, as a total of 12 faculties and schools in fields including industrial technology, mining and petroleum engineering, mathematics, as well as art and design. Situated in Bandung, the capital city of West Java province, it has a student body of roughly 22,000.
MHPS has provided thermal power systems and generating equipment to Indonesia for more than 50 years. Looking ahead, the Japanese company seeks to help enhance Indonesia’s energy efficiency and available energy supply. Through the new initiative, the company will also promote the conversion to low-carbon energy sources.
On Java, MHPS some sixteen month ago commissioned the 300 MW unit-2 of the Tanjung Priok combined-cycle power plant ahead of schedule. Unit 1 of the Jawa-2 project initially went into operation as a simple gas turbine system this June with output nearing 300 MW, and Unit 2 doubled that capacity to 600 MW. In Indonesia, MHPS claims to hold the top market share for large gas turbines, with a total power gen equipment supplied reaching 12 GW.
Focus on CCGT/ICGT conversions to hydrogen co-firing
In 2020, MHPS pledged to focus on decarbonization by promoting fuel conversions to biomass, hydrogen and ammonia. CEO Kawai anticipates “further growth” for combined-cycle gas turbine orders to help convert CCGT and ICGT units to hydrogen co-firing.
In the area of steam power, MHPS will strive to improve the performance of existing boilers, push for fuel conversion including biomass and ammonia co-firing. By promoting plant upgrades, notably the replacement of CCGTs and IGCC (integrated coal gasification combined cycle) systems with hydrogen-co-firing, the Japanese turbine manufacturer wants to help utilities reduce carbon emissions to meet more stringent environmental regulations.
Aiming for 100% hydrogen-fuelled power
MHPS has already successfully tested a large-scale turbine that runs on a 30% hydrogen fuel mix, combined with natural gas. That turbine reduces CO2 emissions by 10%, compared to a standard natural gas-fired plant. As a pilot project, MHPS is now working to convert a combined-cycle gas turbine at Vattenfall’s 440 MW Magnum power plant in the Netherlands to run solely on hydrogen by 2025.
Optimizing solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) for distributed power systems is another technology focus, whereby MEGAMIE, one of MHPS’s hybrid generating systems, combines SOFC and micro gas turbines. The technology has been in commercial operation at the Marunouchi building of Mitsubishi Estate since March 2019, supplying electric power and heat.