The global energy transition faces a complex paradox: while renewable sources like solar and wind power are expanding rapidly, their intermittency creates critical vulnerabilities in the stability of electricity grids. The question that keeps energy managers awake at night is not whether there will be sun at midday, but how to guarantee supply when the sun sets and the wind stops. It is in this context that hydrogen turbines emerge as a key element in enabling a truly decarbonized energy matrix.
From promise to commercial reality.
For decades, hydrogen remained confined to specific industrial applications, with a marginal share in electricity generation. This reality began to change drastically from 2023 onwards, when Siemens Energy successfully demonstrated the operation of an SGT-400 industrial turbine running on 100% green hydrogen in the HYFLEXPOWER project in France. This achievement represented overcoming historical technical obstacles that limited the use of H₂ in large-scale turbines.
The main technical challenges were related to the unique characteristics of hydrogen combustion: higher flame speed, higher operating temperature, and risk of flashback in the burners. Manufacturers responded with innovations in combustor design, employing multi-nozzle premix systems and special flame geometries that ensure operational stability and strict control of NOx emissions.
GE Vernova followed a similar path, developing its HA turbine line to operate with mixtures of up to 50% hydrogen, with a goal of reaching 100% by 2030. In November 2024, the company unveiled the first 100% hydrogen aeroderivative turbine based on the LM6000 model, intended for a 200 MW power plant in Australia.
The transformative potential of retrofitting.
Thousands of natural gas turbines in operation around the world represent a unique opportunity for accelerated decarbonization. The U.S. Department of Energy has invested $6.6 million in studies to adapt GE's F-class turbines to burn 100% H₂, which could unlock hundreds of GW of carbon-free capacity.
Technically, the retrofit focuses on replacing the combustion system. As Michael Hughes, high-hydrogen combustion technology leader at GE Gas Power, explains, the combustor is completely removable, allowing for the installation of a new generation compatible with H₂ in a matter of days.
However, a complete conversion requires modifications beyond just the fuel engine:
- Fuel system: new blending skids, piping, valves, and nitrogen purge systems.
- Controls and safety: updating the logic for flame detection protection and adapting sensors for explosive atmospheres
- Auxiliary infrastructure: upgrades to fire suppression and ventilation systems, considering the increased flammability and diffusivity of H₂.
In 2022, the New York Power Authority and GE conducted a pioneering test converting a 45 MW LM6000 turbine to operate on a hydrogen blend of up to 44% – the highest proportion used in a commercial plant in the US at the time. The project validated stable operation but highlighted practical challenges in adequate hydrogen supply and compliance with safety codes.
Stabilization of electrical grids with high renewable energy penetration.
The strategic value of hydrogen turbines goes beyond simply replacing fuel. It's about enabling the concept of power-to-hydrogen-to-power: using surplus renewable energy generation to produce H₂ via electrolysis, storing chemical energy that can be reconverted into electricity when needed.
This model offers significant advantages over conventional batteries:
- Long-term storage (days or months versus hours)
- Scalability to hundreds of MW
- Fast response time for ancillary services
In Australia, the Whyalla complex integrates a 250 MW electrolyzer with four LM6000 turbines totaling 200 MW, functioning as a peaking power station dedicated to supplementing the grid with surplus local wind and solar power. The British operator NESO projects a need for tens of GW in dispatchable low-carbon sources by 2030 to complement the expected ~80% renewable generation.
The Chinese landmark: Jupiter One
In December 2025, China put into commercial operation the world's first 100% hydrogen gas turbine: the 30 MW Jupiter One, located in Ordos. Developed by the MingYang Group, the unit operates on pure hydrogen produced by electrolysis powered by local wind and solar sources.
The numbers are impressive: in simple cycle, it provides 30 MW of electricity; in combined cycle, it reaches 48 MW. The operation avoids the emission of more than 200,000 tons of CO₂ annually compared to an equivalent coal-fired power plant, with no emissions of SOx or particulate matter.
Jupiter One has proven that medium-sized H₂-powered turbines are a commercially viable reality, being used for peak regulation in the local grid and serving as a model for future applications in industrial parks and data centers.
Efficiency and economic viability
From a technical standpoint, hydrogen turbines achieve thermal efficiency comparable to conventional natural gas turbines. In a well-designed combined cycle, they approach the 55-60% range, rivaling the best available power plants. Modern dry combustion (DLE) approaches maintain high efficiency without the need for steam injection to control NOx.
The critical challenge lies in the cost of fuel. Producing 1 kg of green H₂ via electrolysis costs between US$3 and US$7, translating to US$90-210/MWh in fuel alone – multiples of the cost of natural gas for equivalent generation.
However, the trajectory is clear: initiatives like the US “Hydrogen Shot” seek to reduce prices to US$1/kg within a decade. Furthermore, the strategic value of storable and dispatchable energy may justify premiums in 100% clean electricity systems, where the cost of blackouts or maintaining fossil fuel reserves outweighs the fuel differential.
Conclusion
By 2026, hydrogen turbines have transitioned from distant promises to tangible, zero-carbon base-load generation solutions. Technological advancements have overcome historical barriers, retrofitting allows for the utilization of existing infrastructure, and real-world cases like Jupiter One demonstrate operational viability. For energy managers and grid operators, hydrogen represents an essential tool for ensuring reliability in systems dominated by intermittent renewables, keeping the lights on without resorting to fossil fuels.
