Integrated power production and storage systems

An integrated power plant system comprising:

• a gas turbine engine;
• a plurality of electrolyzers;
• a storage system;
• a controller in communication with the plurality of electrolyzers, the gas turbine engine and the storage system;
• and
• memory having instructions stored therein executable by the controller to operate the plurality of electrolyzers, the gas turbine engine and the storage system, the instructions comprising:
• instructions for operating the gas turbine engine to drive an electric generator to provide power to a grid power system, the gas turbine engine operable on at least one of hydrogen and natural gas;
• instructions for operating one or more of the plurality of electrolyzers to generate hydrogen and oxygen with electricity from the grid power system;
• instructions for storing hydrogen produced by the one or more of the plurality of electrolyzers in the storage system;
• instructions for coordinating operation of the gas turbine engine and the plurality of electrolyzers to power demand of the grid power system;
• instructions for operating the gas turbine engine with natural gas when renewable energy sources arc unavailable;
• and
• instructions for operating the gas turbine engine with hydrogen when the renewable energy sources are available.

A method of operating an integrated power plant connected to a grid power system, the method comprising:

• operating a gas turbine engine to drive an electric generator to provide power to the grid power system, the gas turbine engine operable on at least one of hydrogen and natural gas;
• operating an electrolyzer to generate hydrogen and oxygen with electricity from the grid power system;
• storing hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer in a storage system;
• and
• coordinating operation of the gas turbine engine and the electrolyzer based upon a power demand of the grid power system;
• wherein coordinating operation of the gas turbine engine and electrolyzer to power demand of the grid power system comprises operating a bi-directional converter to control connection of the integrated power plant to the grid power system.

A method of operating an integrated power plant connected to a grid power system, the method comprising:

• operating a gas turbine engine to drive an electric generator to provide power to the grid power system, the gas turbine engine operable on at least one of hydrogen and natural gas;
• operating an electrolyzer to generate hydrogen and oxygen with electricity from the grid power system;
• storing hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer in a storage system;
• coordinating operation of the gas turbine engine and the electrolyzer based upon a power demand of the grid power system;
• and
• operating switches to connect a battery storage system and renewable energy sources to the integrated power plant based on operating states of the gas turbine engine and the electrolyzer.

A method of operating an integrated power plant connected to a grid power system, the method comprising:

• operating a gas turbine engine to drive an electric generator to provide power to the grid power system, the gas turbine engine operable on at least one of hydrogen and natural gas;
• operating an electrolyzer to generate hydrogen and oxygen with electricity from the grid power system;
• storing hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer in a storage system;
• and
• coordinating operation of the gas turbine engine and the electrolyzer based upon a power demand of the grid power system;
• wherein coordinating operation of the gas turbine engine and the electrolyzer based upon the power demand of the grid power system comprises:
• reducing operation of the gas turbine engine from a maximum load status to a minimum load status to produce a reduced electricity output;
• and
• starting operation of the electrolyzer to consume the reduced electricity output;
• wherein the power demand of the grid power system is reduced.

An integrated power plant system comprising:

• a gas turbine engine;
• a plurality of electrolyzers;
• a storage system;
• a controller in communication with the plurality of electrolyzers, the gas turbine engine and the storage system;
• and
• memory having instructions stored therein executable by the controller to operate the plurality of electrolyzers, the gas turbine engine and the storage system, the instructions comprising:
• instructions for operating the gas turbine engine to drive an electric generator to provide power to a grid power system, the gas turbine engine operable on at least one of hydrogen and natural gas;
• instructions for operating one or more of the plurality of electrolyzers to generate hydrogen and oxygen with electricity from the grid power system;
• instructions for storing hydrogen produced by the one or more of the plurality of electrolyzers in a storage system;
• and
• instructions for coordinating operation of the gas turbine engine and the plurality of electrolyzers to power demand of the grid power system comprising operating a bi-directional converter to control connection of the integrated power plant system to the grid power system.

An integrated power plant system comprising:

• a gas turbine engine;
• a plurality of electrolyzers;
• a storage system;
• a controller in communication with the plurality of electrolyzers, the gas turbine engine and the storage system;
• and
• memory having instructions stored therein executable by the controller to operate the plurality of electrolyzers, the gas turbine engine and the storage system, the instructions comprising:
• instructions for operating the gas turbine engine to drive an electric generator to provide power to a grid power system, the gas turbine engine operable on at least one of hydrogen and natural gas;
• instructions for operating one or more of the plurality of electrolyzers to generate hydrogen and oxygen with electricity from the grid power system;
• instructions for storing hydrogen produced by the one or more of the plurality of electrolyzers in a storage system;
• instructions for coordinating operation of the gas turbine engine and the plurality of electrolyzers to power demand of the grid power system;
• and
• instructions for operating switches to connect a battery storage system and renewable energy sources to the integrated power plant system based on operating states of the gas turbine engine and the one or more of the plurality of electrolyzers.

An integrated power plant system comprising:

• a gas turbine engine;
• a plurality of electrolyzers;
• a storage system;
• a controller in communication with the plurality of electrolyzers, the gas turbine engine and the storage system;
• and
• memory having instructions stored therein executable by the controller to operate the plurality of electrolyzers, the gas turbine engine and the storage system, the instructions comprising:
• instructions for operating the gas turbine engine to drive an electric generator to provide power to a grid power system, the gas turbine engine operable on at least one of hydrogen and natural gas;
• instructions for operating one or more of the plurality of electrolyzers to generate hydrogen and oxygen with electricity from the grid power system;
• instructions for storing hydrogen produced by the one or more of the plurality of electrolyzers in a storage system;
• and
• instructions for coordinating operation of the gas turbine engine and the plurality of electrolyzers to power demand of the grid power system, wherein the instructions comprise:
• instructions for reducing operation of the gas turbine engine from a maximum load status to a minimum load status to produce a reduced electricity output;
• and
• instructions for starting operation of the one or more of the plurality of electrolyzers to consume the reduced electricity output;
• wherein the power demand of the grid power system is reduced.