Priority projects for the implementation of green hydrogen in combined cycle power plants in Mexico

In 2024, Mexico released its green hydrogen plan for electricity generation. A key initiative involves integrating green hydrogen into both existing and new natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plants. This outcome could contribute to the creation of a technology roadmap for designing NGCC power plants and defining their operational requirements when using green hydrogen. This article provides an overview of the opportunities for incorporating fuel blends containing 5 %, 30 %, and 75 % by volume of green hydrogen into gas turbines in Mexico, with implementation scheduled between 2033 and 2038, as proposed by the Mexican Ministry of Energy. According to the findings, a total of 48 NGCC power plants were identified, representing a combined installed capacity of 23,451 MW. These facilities are situated in the northern and southern regions of Mexico, which are characterized by high solar and wind energy potential, as well as sufficient water resources. Following the identification of the relevant power plants, the article classifies 24 existing facilities as suitable candidates for retrofitting (e.g., via combustor modifications), and recommends that five new plants be designed with gas turbines capable of operating on high-hydrogen-content fuels, based on their projected operational lifespan. Furthermore, the study estimates potential reductions in CO2 emissions, natural gas consumption, and water usage. The results indicate that achieving a 50 % reduction in both CO2 emissions (from 57.8 MtonneCO2/year to 28.80 MtonneCO2/year) and natural gas consumption (from 21,612,672 tonne/year to 10,806,336 tonne/year.) requires a fuel blend containing 75 % hydrogen by volume. In terms of the water consumption necessary for this hydrogen production, it accounts for 0.3168 % of Mexico's total water usage in 2017.