Gas
Rwe and kawasaki launch 34MW hydrogen turbine trials
RWE and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have initiated operations for a 34MW hydrogen-compatible gas turbine in Germany.
Key points
- Trials commenced at the Emsland facility in Lingen using natural gas and hydrogen blends up to 100%.
- On-site GET H2 Nukleus electrolysers supply renewable-powered hydrogen for the project.
- The test phase aims to collect performance data for future flexible power stations.
What happened
According to Power Technology, energy firm RWE and manufacturing company Kawasaki Heavy Industries have begun testing a 34MW hydrogen-compatible gas turbine in Lingen, Germany. The commissioning ceremony at the Emsland power station location drew approximately 130 attendees, featuring regional government officials and diplomatic representatives.
This project represents the initial deployment of electricity generation using hydrogen at this capacity within a European industrial environment. Testing will evaluate various combinations of natural gas and pure hydrogen over several months. The initiative seeks to record operational parameters and load dynamics to support future flexible electricity generation alongside intermittent wind and solar power sources.
Technical scope
Power Technology reported that the trial facility sources its hydrogen directly from on-site GET H2 Nukleus electrolysers. These units utilize renewable energy to split water into oxygen and hydrogen, supplying fuel for the turbine combustion systems. RWE Generation CEO Nikolaus Valerius stated that the Lingen site delivers up to ten times the output of earlier hydrogen turbines, providing critical operational data for larger future installations. RWE also recently acquired contracts to construct three additional hydrogen-capable gas-fired power stations in North Rhine-Westphalia following a capacity auction managed by Germany's Federal Network Agency.
Why it matters
As global energy systems transition to mitigate carbon emissions, integrating hydrogen into thermal generation offers a pathway to stabilize grids with high shares of variable renewables. While European industrial economies deploy capital into hydrogen infrastructure supported by government auctions, emerging markets and resource-rich nations in Africa face different strategic imperatives. With the Henry Hub natural gas spot price recorded at 2.63 US dollars per MMBtu on 3 November 2026 according to US EIA data, investors balancing conventional fossil fuels with green technology investments must assess long-term supply economics. Policymakers in developing regions are monitoring these industrial-scale European trials to understand how hydrogen combustion technology might eventually influence global equipment manufacturing, export markets, and the future evolution of thermal power generation.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Gas is the flexible backbone of many grids and the designated transition fuel in many national plans, from LNG trade to domestic LPG and CNG. Supply security and pricing drive both power reliability and emissions.
17.9% of electricity in Germany came from gas in 2025Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
