Gas turbine transitioning between different fuel types.

Unlock Sustainable Power: How Fuel Flexibility is Revolutionizing Gas Turbines

Rhea Morgan in Climate & Environment June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Explore the future of energy with advanced gas turbine technology and its vital role in securing a diversified and eco-friendly fuel landscape."

In today's rapidly evolving energy market, the demand for flexible and sustainable power solutions has never been greater. Gas turbines, traditionally reliant on natural gas, are now undergoing a significant transformation to accommodate a wider range of fuels. This shift is driven by the need to reduce emissions, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure a reliable energy supply amidst fluctuating fuel availability and costs.

The ability to utilize various fuels – from natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to biodiesel and light crude oil – provides a strategic advantage for energy providers. This adaptability ensures consistent power generation, reduces reliance on single fuel sources, and enables the use of cleaner or more economically viable alternatives.

Recent advancements in gas turbine technology, particularly in combustion systems, are making this fuel flexibility a reality. Innovations like the Advanced Environmental (AEV) burner are enabling turbines to operate efficiently and safely with diverse fuel compositions, opening new possibilities for sustainable energy production.

Why Fuel Flexibility Matters: A Greener and More Reliable Energy Future

Gas turbine transitioning between different fuel types.

Fuel flexibility in gas turbines offers a multitude of benefits that address key challenges in the energy sector:

Environmental Responsibility: By accommodating alternative fuels like biodiesel and gases with high hydrogen content, gas turbines can significantly reduce their carbon footprint and minimize emissions of harmful pollutants. This aligns with global efforts to combat climate change and improve air quality.

Economic Viability: Fuel flexibility allows energy providers to take advantage of the most cost-effective fuel sources available, reducing operational expenses and enhancing profitability.
Energy Security: Diversifying the fuel mix reduces dependence on any single fuel source, mitigating the risk of supply disruptions and price volatility.
Operational Reliability: Turbines that can seamlessly switch between fuels ensure a consistent power supply, even when primary fuel sources are unavailable or uneconomical.

These benefits are particularly crucial in regions where natural gas is scarce or expensive, making alternative fuels a vital component of the energy mix. By embracing fuel flexibility, energy providers can create a more sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective energy future.

Embracing the Future of Fuel-Flexible Energy

The journey towards greater fuel flexibility in gas turbines is an ongoing process, with continuous research and development efforts focused on optimizing combustion systems, reducing emissions, and expanding the range of usable fuels. As technology advances and new fuel sources become available, fuel-flexible gas turbines will play an increasingly important role in shaping a sustainable and reliable energy future for all.

About this Article -

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This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1115/gt2018-76374, Alternate LINK

Title: Extended Range Of Fuel Capability For Gt13E2 Aev Burner With Liquid And Gaseous Fuels

Journal: Volume 4B: Combustion, Fuels, and Emissions

Publisher: American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Authors: Martin Zajadatz, Felix Güthe, Ewald Freitag, Theodoros Ferreira-Providakis, Torsten Wind, Fulvio Magni, Jeffrey Goldmeer

Published: 2018-06-11

Everything You Need To Know

What does fuel flexibility mean in the context of gas turbines, and how is it achieved?

Fuel flexibility in gas turbines refers to the ability of these turbines to operate using a variety of fuels, including natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), biodiesel, and light crude oil. This adaptability is achieved through advancements in combustion systems, such as the Advanced Environmental (AEV) burner, which allows for efficient and safe operation with different fuel compositions. Fuel flexibility enhances energy security by reducing reliance on a single fuel source and enables the use of more economically viable or cleaner alternatives.

What are the primary advantages of using fuel-flexible gas turbines?

Fuel flexibility in gas turbines offers several benefits, including environmental responsibility by reducing carbon footprint and emissions through the use of alternative fuels like biodiesel and gases with high hydrogen content. It also provides economic viability by allowing energy providers to utilize the most cost-effective fuel sources. Furthermore, it enhances energy security by diversifying the fuel mix and ensures operational reliability by enabling seamless switching between fuels, ensuring a consistent power supply even when primary fuel sources are unavailable or uneconomical.

What is the role of the Advanced Environmental (AEV) burner in fuel-flexible gas turbine technology?

The Advanced Environmental (AEV) burner is a key innovation in gas turbine technology that enables turbines to operate efficiently and safely with diverse fuel compositions. This burner technology allows for the combustion of various fuels, contributing to fuel flexibility. The AEV burner plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable energy production by accommodating alternative fuels and reducing emissions.

How does fuel flexibility in gas turbines contribute to a more sustainable energy landscape?

Fuel flexibility contributes to a more sustainable energy landscape by enabling the use of alternative fuels like biodiesel and gases with high hydrogen content, which reduces the carbon footprint and minimizes emissions of harmful pollutants. By diversifying the fuel mix, it promotes a greener and more reliable energy future, aligning with global efforts to combat climate change and improve air quality. Continuous research and development efforts are focused on optimizing combustion systems and expanding the range of usable fuels, further enhancing sustainability.

What does the future hold for fuel-flexible gas turbines, and what challenges need to be addressed?

The transition to fuel-flexible gas turbines involves continuous research and development focused on optimizing combustion systems, reducing emissions, and expanding the range of usable fuels. As technology advances and new fuel sources become available, fuel-flexible gas turbines will play an increasingly important role in shaping a sustainable and reliable energy future. However, challenges remain in fully optimizing the combustion process for all fuel types and ensuring long-term reliability and durability of turbine components when using diverse fuels.