EPRI, TVA complete world's largest renewable diesel-powered combustion turbine demonstration
November 27, 2024
BY EPRI
On Nov. 20, EPRI and the Tennessee Valley Authority announced the successful demonstration of renewable diesel as a combustion turbine fuel for power generation. The demonstration---the first U.S. test and the largest conducted in the world---was performed on a 76-megawatt dual-fuel natural gas/diesel unit at TVA's Johnsonville site in Tennessee.
EPRI collaborated with TVA's Innovation & Research and Johnsonville Operations teams to evaluate the gas turbine across a full range of operating conditions, including at full load with no turbine or control system modifications. The test demonstrated how renewable diesel could support near-term decarbonization of dispatchable thermal power generation assets, providing on-demand power with up to 75 percent fewer lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional diesel.
Advertisement
Renewable diesel is a drop-in replacement fuel made from renewable raw materials such as vegetable oils, plant residues, and organic wastes, and meets ASTM D975 quality specifications. Renewable diesel can also reduce air pollutants. Unlike its predecessor biodiesel, which was tested previously by the gas turbine community, renewable diesel is a chemically equivalent replacement for petroleum diesel.
"As growing electricity demand underscores the continued need for dispatchable power generation, low-carbon fuels present a potential pathway for existing units to contribute to net-zero goals," said Neva Espinoza, EPRI senior vice president of Energy Supply and Low-Carbon Resources and chief generation officer. "Collaboratively demonstrating emerging technologies and approaches at scale is key to accelerating a reliable and affordable energy transition."
"TVA is a clean energy leader, and we believe innovation will play a critical role in our region and nation's drive toward a clean energy future," said Joe Hoagland, TVA vice president of Innovation & Research. "This test demonstrates our commitment to develop clean energy technologies to provide sustainable and reliable power to our region's growing economy."
Advertisement
Additionally, this demonstration could have further industry implications for peaking units. These are smaller power plants that typically operate less frequently but can ramp up or down quickly to ensure system reliability. These generators provide greater flexibility for grid operators seeking to balance intermittent resources such as wind and solar.
EPRI plans to soon publish a report outlining the demonstration's results as part of the Low-Carbon Resources Initiative (LCRI) to both share details and learnings with industry and other stakeholders.
Upcoming Events
