Work has begun on the expansion of a gas turbine test facility, which will significantly advance the development of hydrogen-fueled turbines – potentially powering millions of homes and businesses, including those in the UK.

Hydrogen will form a key part of the future energy system. The UK Government has recognized the importance of new power stations capable of utilizing the fuel to support security of supply, reduce emissions and provide flexible back-up for intermittent renewables. SSE is leading the way in developing this next generation of power stations.

Delegates from SSE, Siemens Energy and Equinor attended a ground-breaking at Siemens Energy’s combustion test facility, Clean Energy Centre near Berlin.

The state-of-the-art test facility is being extended as part of SSE, Siemens Energy and Equinor’s multi-million pound “Mission H2 Power” collaboration. This will allow testing and validation of combustion components of the largest gas turbines, enabling them to run on 100% hydrogen. 

The project, which launched in December last year, builds on the existing partnership between SSE and Siemens Energy.

Early construction work has now commenced with earthworks, in preparation for the installation of the significantly larger hydrogen tanks and additional infrastructure required. Once these works are complete, testing with the expanded capabilities is planned to begin in autumn 2026.

The co-investment will see Siemens Energy develop a combustion system for its SGT5-9000HL gas turbine capable of operating on 100% hydrogen, while maintaining the flexibility to operate with natural gas and any blend of the two.

It will support the decarbonization of SSE’s Keadby 2 Power Station in North Lincolnshire, which is already powered by this turbine. As Europe’s most efficient combined cycle power plant, blending hydrogen into operations will ensure the class-leading technology is fit for a net zero future.

Investment in Mission H2 Power underlines SSE’s commitment to create decarbonization pathways for flexible electricity generation and accelerate hydrogen projects, which can support the delivery of a clean power system by 2030.

Two such projects are Keadby and Ferrybridge Next Generation Power Stations, being designed to run on natural gas, hydrogen and any blend of the two. They could become the world’s first at-scale 100% hydrogen-fired power stations.

UK Government Minister for Energy, Michael Shanks, said: “Hydrogen-fired power stations have the potential not only to cut emissions, but will help get us off the rollercoaster of international fossil fuel markets while supporting good, skilled jobs in the industries of the future.

“SSE, Siemens Energy and Equinor’s partnership takes us a step closer to this reality, with hydrogen playing an important role in our future energy mix as we move to clean power.”

Finlay McCutcheon, Managing Director of SSE Thermal, said: “The development of this technology is a significant step forward for low carbon flexible power generation and the contribution hydrogen can make to a clean power system.

“It isn’t enough for developers to simply talk about an ambition to transition from gas to hydrogen – delivering a clean power system requires bold action. And that is why we are investing in Mission H2 Power. We know hydrogen-fired power stations will be an essential element of the energy mix in a net zero world and the turbines developed here will drive that transition.”

Darren Davidson, Vice President of Siemens Energy UK&I, said:
“Mission H2 Power builds on the existing partnership between SSE and Siemens Energy. Our collaboration is a significant step in reaching the point where large gas turbines can run on 100% hydrogen. I’m delighted that construction work on the additional facilities at our Siemens Energy’s Clean Energy Centre in Berlin is underway.

“This summer the UK and Germany signed a new Bilateral Friendship and Cooperation Treaty that reinforced our commitment to work together on the issues that matter most to both of us. High up on that list is energy security and hydrogen can play an important role, as a low-carbon homegrown source of fuel.”