Electric services company GE Vernova, in collaboration with Saudi Arabia’s Ash Sharqiyah Operations & Maintenance Company (ASHOMCo), has completed three front-end engineering design (FEED) studies to reduce net carbon emissions at three cogeneration plants in Saudi Arabia.
These plants, equipped with GE Vernova’s 7E and 7F gas turbines, collectively generate up to 920 MW of power and 1,400 tonnes per hour of steam, providing energy for around 920,000 homes.
The FEED studies explored pre-combustion and post-combustion technologies, assessing the feasibility of incorporating hydrogen and carbon capture systems. As part of the hydrogen-readiness evaluation, the studies reviewed the gas turbines’ ability to operate on a fuel blend with up to 32% hydrogen by volume, requiring modifications to the combustor systems.
The analysis also included carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) technologies with potential to capture up to 95% of CO₂ emissions. GE Vernova’s exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system was identified as a cost-saving measure, potentially reducing the total cost of carbon capture by over 7% and cutting operational costs by 6% annually.
Joseph Anis, GE Vernova’s President and CEO for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region, highlighted the significance of these carbon capture assessments, the first of their kind in Saudi Arabia, in enhancing sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of power generation in the Kingdom.