Electricity from gas-powered generators

 Through on-going investment in research and development Jenbacher gas engines remain market leaders in the gas engine field. The engines are highly efficient at the conversion of the energy within gas into useful electrical power. In the event that there is a local use for heat, the alternative combined heat and power configuration may be a more  useful engine configuration.

Benefits of high efficiency electrical power

High efficiency means:

• Reduced levels of fuel consumption
• Reduced emissions
• Reduced operational costs for each kilowatt hour generated

Electricity Production

A Jenbacher gas engine is connected to an electrical generator by a drive coupling to produce electricity, typically as a genset. The generator is linked to an electrical circuit breaker to connect it to the site electrical system. This circuit breaker is used to synchronise the generate to the mains if it is to operate in parallel to the grid supply. The engine rotates at a constant 1,500 revolutions per minute regardless of the load. The generator has 4 poles which at 1,500 revolutions per minute operates at 50Hz to match the frequency of the mains, or 1,600rpm / 60Hz (US)

• Types of Electrical Generator
• Electrical generation plants come in two main forms:
• Stable base load (continuous) generation

Electricity peaking

Base-load electricity Base-load generation is useful where there is a stable source of fuel, such as natural, landfill or coal gas to power the generators. Jenbacher gas engines are renowned for their reliability in the field and when challenged with difficult gases. The generation of electricity alone typically takes place where there is no local need for heating and cooling. The power that is produced can either be exported to the local electricity grid, or alternatively be used in island mode operation to power local facilities.

Electrical peaking stations Electricity peaking stations, also called peak-lopping plants, are power plants designed to help balance the fluctuating power requirements of the electricity grid. Peaking stations typically operate in standby mode, then when there is a peak in demand for power from the electricity grid; the gas engines receive a signal to commence operation. Due to their flexibility and robustness they can provide a rapid response to fluctuating demand. They are then turned off as demand reduces. If you would like to find out more about the generation of electricity with gas engines, please contact your local Clarke Energy office.

Back up power or standby diesel engine displacement. Gas engines producing electricity can be used as a cleaner standby power source than diesel engines.

What is Origin’s natural gas used for?

As well as using natural gas to generate power, we also explore and produce it. In fact, we’re one of Australia’s largest gas producers and holders of gas reserve permits. 

Some of the gas we produce is sent to our six gas-fired power stations to make electricity. We also sell our gas to residential and business customers and other energy retailers. 

In the future, we will have some of our gas converted into liquefied natural gas (LNG) for overseas customers. 

Power-to-gas (PtG) is a technology in development in the field of renewable energy (RE) and sustainable energy management. RE such as solar and wind are unreliable sources of energy due to their dependence on nature, which is highly unpredictable. This makes electricity production via the aforementioned sources largely intermittent and fluctuating. Large-scale mechanisms for energy storage to mitigate output fluctuations are complex, as several technical solutions (e.g., hydroelectricity storage and batteries) are often required, with integration, coordination, and planning still in the early stages of study and development. PtG can convert renewable electricity into a flexible fuel, that is, gas, that can be easily stored, transported, and converted to other valuable chemicals, diversifying the end use of RE. PtG integrates renewable electricity sources with a storage system while consuming other pollutants such as CO2 and waste. Methane, the end product in this case, is a highly efficient gaseous fuel and is carbon neutral when generated via PtG.

Power-to-Gas—Concepts, Demonstration, and Prospects

The Power-to-Gas concept (other terms used: power to gas, P2G, PtG) uses renewable or excess electricity to produce hydrogen (Power-to-Hydrogen) via water electrolysis. This hydrogen can be used directly as a final energy carrier or converted to methane, synthesis gas, electricity, liquid fuels, or chemicals, for example. The reasons for using PtG are diverse (Tichler et al., 2014). The main purpose is to store energy long term by converting it to other easily storable energy carries, and at the same time reducing the load of the electricity grid by controlled operation (flexible demand). Furthermore, the production of renewable fuels for transportation, households, or industry, as well as for chemical production, can be a main driver for PtG. Not only are the motivations for PtG diverse, but also the choice of technologies. Fig. 9.1 gives a schematic overview of the necessary PtG pathways and components that have been discussed. In the following sections, the different components needed for gas production are discussed in more detail regarding their special needs for PtG (for example, different electrolysis technologies) their process design (for example, methanation) and the requirements for the transport and distribution of gases in the natural gas grid. The uses of the produced gases that are unrelated to energy, for example, in the production of chemicals, is not in the scope of this chapter.

Hydrogen for Energy Storage

Power-to-gas storage would have a very interesting potential in the future if today's natural gas network were replaced with a hydrogen pipeline. Then, ultrapure hydrogen would be available for a potential fleet of fuel cell cars. Also, the pipeline could function as a long-term energy buffer. As pointed out in Example 8.1, hydrogen has some potential for energy buffering in this manner; however, a very large energy network is needed for this.

Another example of power-to-gas storage that is envisioned for the future is to replace a few forthcoming air compression energy storage reservoirs with hydrogen storage. As indicated in Table 8.1, replacing compressed air energy storage with compressed hydrogen energy storage would increase the capacity by more than one order of magnitude. This is of course very promising; however, such energy storage facilities are uncommon, and even one extra order of magnitude is very little when comparing to a big tank of liquid hydrogen.