Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger, Ltd. (MHIET), a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, announces a new lineup to SGP M450, a gas cogeneration system jointly developed with Toho Gas Co., Ltd., capable of H₂ co-firing at a maximum of 15 vol%, with power output of 450 kW. It is launched for Japan market at present.

To allow for H₂ co-firing, the two companies modified the fuel gas and engine control systems of the GS6R2 city gas mono-firing engine to develop a H₂ co-firing engine. More than 500 hr of demonstration testing was conducted at the Toho Gas Technology Research Institute (Tokai, Aichi Prefecture), confirming the reliability of H₂ mixing and the reduction in CO₂ emissions.

In the demonstration testing, various simulated operating patterns were applied to verify capabilities required for power generation equipment to respond to fluctuations in power demand and maintain stable operation. The tests confirmed that there is no risk of abnormal combustion, and that the system can be operated in the same manner as the city gas mono-firing model.

The H₂ blend ratio has been set at a maximum of 15 vol% to minimize the scope of change from conventional natural gas engines. The system has two operating modes, city gas 13A mono-firing mode and H₂ co-firing mode and can be switched between modes at any point during loaded operation. In H₂ co-firing mode, only city gas is used for starting the engine, which means the same amount of initial load as city gas mono-firing mode can be accepted even in the event of a power outage, making the system highly reliable for business continuity plans (BCP).

In addition, for customers who are considering the use of H₂ in the future, MHIET is also offering the "H₂ Ready" package. The system is configured for city gas mono-firing at the time of installation, but some equipment and functions necessary for H₂ co-firing are also pre-incorporated, allowing for a shortened work period when the site is converted for H₂ co-firing.