Addressing Vietnam's energy challenges with aeroderivative gas turbines

The information was shared at GE’s webinar titled Aeroderivative Technology for Vietnam: Staying competitive with fast, flexible, and reliable power on February 23, attracting nearly 100 experts from within the energy industry. The webinar provided valuable insights on how aeroderivative gas turbines could be used to address different areas of Vietnam's energy challenges.

GE's aeroderivative portfolio features highly flexible and mobile technologies that can be used in a wide variety of applications, including utility generation, district heating, mobile and fast power, and grid stability. These gas turbines are perfectly suitable for capacity firming, ensuring the reliability and security of the supply to the grid. The technology effectively complements renewable energy sources.

As Vietnam's energy needs are increasing, the country faces hurdles in terms of limited domestic sources, an unstable grid, and environmental concerns. The government is promoting renewable energy, including wind and solar, to address these challenges. GE's expertise in the energy sector makes it a valuable partner as Vietnam moves towards a more sustainable and efficient energy system.

Lan Phung, general director of GE Power Vietnam said, "Recently, Vietnam has seen a boom in renewable energy. However, the development has created difficulties for grid operation during stabilisation. The use of small, modular, fast, and reliable power solutions has a key role to play in the market.

GE’s aeroderivative technology is a viable option for Vietnam’s energy transition process. The technology has the potential to help the nation improve its energy security, ensure a reliable supply, and also support the sustainable growth of renewable power."

In the same vein, George Djohan, director of Aero Sales and Business Development at GE Gas Power in Asia noted, "To achieve the net-zero target, countries should take into consideration the liability, sustainability, and affordability of the power, which is a very complex equation."

"Vietnam as a country needs to identify which one to prioritise to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The country should focus on promoting sustainability while maintaining affordability. Therefore, GE approaches the net-zero target with a portfolio of solutions. We have discussed renewable partnerships, but we also think about the coal to gas transition,” he continued.

Specifically, GE is committed to investing in innovation to cost-effectively scale renewables, move towards net-zero gas power with hydrogen, modernise and digitalise the grid, and advance carbon-free nuclear power.

In early 2022, GE reported its first order for the Asia region for six of its advanced LM2500XPRESS aeroderivative gas turbines for Taiwan's power company. With the capability to startup in five minutes or even less, these units can perform daily starts and stops to complement fluctuating renewable power production.

GE’s LM2500XPRESS can support the diversification into fast, flexible, and more efficient gas technologies that will help balance the electricity grid, meet future demand, and support the increased use of renewable solar and wind power. It is an ideal solution for countries that are eager for fast, flexible, and sustainable power, like Vietnam.

According to David Day, Aero senior product manager for GE Gas Power in Asia-Pacific, Vietnam has extra challenges because of the huge amount of transition between the loads in the north and the south.

GE's aeroderivative technology could help the nation to address this problem thanks to its fast loading, high inertia, and the ability to provide voltage support for current. It can be installed at a specific location in the grid where it's required.

GE has connected aeroderivative gas turbines to grids with very high renewable penetration of close to 100 per cent. They have been performing very well in such situations.

Mark Benjamin, Aero global sales director at GE Gas Power, noted that GE does not presently have any aeroderivative units installed in Vietnam. The market is going through a transition and the company has been building up the baseload generation in the country over the years.

Once that is established, Vietnam will facilitate its transition into renewables, which will create a different dynamic in the market. That is when aeroderivative gas turbines can come into play.

This webinar was a chance for authorities to learn about GE’s aeroderivative technology, and was thus a significant step towards creating a sustainable and efficient energy system for Vietnam’s expanding economy and population.

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