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Scott DeNeale, a Water Resources Engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, spoke with 

 about the lab’s current research projects in hydropower and how there’s been a shift toward retrofitting dams and modular designs: The era of building large new dams is largely over. The focus is now on improving existing infrastructure with modular, low-head hydropower solutions that can be more easily integrated and deployed. The lab is also exploring the use of metal additive manufacturing to create standardized and efficient Francis turbines, potentially reducing costs and lead times compared to traditional custom-built turbines.

TURBO: Can you tell us a little about Oak Ridge National Lab?

 Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the largest multi-program science and technology laboratory in the United States. It's managed by UT Battelle but is owned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). As part of my research, I do a lot of work for hydropower. The research and development that I do touch on a lot of different things. We look at grid integration, markets, reliability, performance, hydrology and hydraulics, water management, biodiversity and ecosystem science. We look at technological advancement as well.

TURBO: What recent advancements have you seen in turbomachinery used in hydropower technology and pumped storage hydropower technology?

 Conventional hydropower—what we would speak to is the age of the big dams is over, so a lot of what we're looking at is retrofitting existing dams, replacing units, or adding new units to existing dams. And there's an area looking at canals and conduits as well. So, some of the advancements I've seen are geared toward the existing infrastructure, which has largely low-head or low-pressure potential. It’s a slightly different design used to capture that design point. Another area is modular technologies and standard technologies. Conventionally, many turbines are custom-built, so the ability to have a standard design that could be plug-and-play has been of interest. We've had some research related to that over the past 10 years, working with industry on advancing their concepts as well.

For pumped storage … I would refer you to a report from some of my friends at Argonne National Laboratory. They have done some great documentation of innovations—a lot of it's conceptual for pumped storage but some cool innovations there. However, there has been no new pumped storage since 2012. And, even with that, that was a very small project. So, since the mid-nineties, there really hasn’t been much of anything in terms of new pumped storage, but there is a great demand for it.

TURBO: You mentioned two technological advancements: modular technology and low head. Can you elaborate on those and any industry trends you’re seeing overall?

 A lot of existing and older hydropower plants used higher head technology. Low head is a different type of turbine—a bulb or Kaplan design works better for those low heads than a Francis or Pelton turbine. Those are relatively established technologies, but getting below 20 feet of head is a challenge, so a lot of smaller companies are trying to innovate in that space.

From the modular standpoint, the idea is to capitalize on the existing infrastructure. There are over 90,000 dams in the United States that are documented, and only 3% of those are hydropower dams, so there's an incredible number of existing dams that could be tapped for hydro. All may not be suitable, but we've seen thousands that really could be easily tapped; many are even at federal facilities. Some damn designs are standard where even a single design could plug in with the existing water conveyances—pipes or spillways or different water conveyances that could be tapped to convey that water through a turbine. As such, modular designs are of interest.

We’ve worked with four different companies on our standard modular hydropower project to advance modular concepts. Of those, two were related to fish passage, and one was related to sediment passage. Natel Energy is focused on fish-friendly technology for generating hydropower, for example. It’s called the FishSafe Hydropower Turbine, and the idea is they can pass fish through a high-speed, high-rotation turbomachine without mortality and safely pass the fish through 98 - 100% of the time. It’s a game changer in the industry and an exciting opportunity to work with them.

TURBO: What are you most excited about in this space?

Hydropower has been around for roughly 150 years, so it’s an old industry. The preconception is that it's mature and we already know everything, but that's not true. There are a lot of opportunities to complement new generation with environmental compatibility to make sure we’re sustainably doing things. It’s exciting watching the next generation of the workforce. I've worked with students, teachers, and interns here at the lab, and it's cool to see them learn about hydropower for the first time. This is an engineering discipline that sits in between two really important resources: water and electricity. Both of those are essential to civilization as a whole and advanced societies. Just working at Oak Ridge National Lab, we have somewhere around 7,000 employees with wide-spanning capabilities. We touch on 24 of the 25 core capabilities that the DOE defines.

Material science is a legacy capability that we've had at the lab. We've been able to work heavily leveraging the DOE’s manufacturing demonstration facility. It's a user facility here in Knoxville, just outside of the Oak Ridge area, but the Oak Ridge National Laboratory manages it. We’ve collaborated with the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility staff, who are experts in advanced manufacturing materials. This is an evolving space where technology continues to advance. Through this, our hydropower technical collaboration program largely targets technology developers who can come to us at the lab and say, “Hey, we have this concept, and we'd like to see if there are opportunities to advance the concept—speed up development or make it more cost-effective or both by using advanced manufacturing or new materials.”

Another program we’re working on is Rapid RUNNERS, in collaboration with numerous people, including Voith—one of the largest turbine manufacturers for hydropower—the Tennessee Valley Authority, and other entities. It uses metal additive manufacturing to manufacture Francis turbines that are inherently very complex. Basically, we 3D print using metal to build sophisticated turbomachines, starting with a 0.4-meter diameter design and then increasing to 1.5 meters and then eventually 4.3 meters, so you’re talking about a ton of metals that are being deposited to build these machines. The goal is to do it quicker to demonstrate this can be done cost-effectively.

To hear the full interview with Scott DeNeale, 

Oak Ridge National Lab is advancing hydropower and using additive manufacturing to build sophisticated turbomachines. 

Oak Ridge National Lab Focuses on Modular Hydropower Designs, Material Sciences

Dr. Adolfo Delgado, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University’s Turbomachinery Laboratory, guided the 

 team through the lab, located in College Station, Texas, during our visit last month.

During our tour, he spoke about the latest research being conducted on rotating equipment systems and components and relevant trends and changes. According to Delgado, the industry’s most prevalent trend is transitioning toward high-power density machines, which the Lab’s component-level testing addresses.

Adolfo Delgado of Texas A&M’s Turbomachinery Laboratory says component-level testing and development have significant impacts on the industry as a whole.

Texas A&M’s Dr. Delgado Talks Component-Level Testing, Power Density Trends

TURBO: What improvements or research have been applied to rotating equipment, rotor dynamics, pumps, etc., at the Turbo Lab?

There are a number of developments and improvements that have been made over the years. We constantly work with our sponsors to understand the industry’s needs and how we can help improve their equipment. In terms of what we do here, we’ve mainly worked with components and have improved bearings, seals, and dampers. These are components that go directly into the machines and have a significant impact on the industry.

TURBO: What trends are you seeing in the rotating equipment space?

A constant trend that we’re seeing in the industry is increasing power density, and everything we do in terms of improving machinery is toward that goal. We work at a component and system level to find ways to improve power density. Another trend we’re seeing is high-power density CO

 for power generation, and it’s pushing the need for high-power density machines.

TURBO: What changes have you seen in rotating equipment in the past 3 – 5 years?

The main change we’re seeing in the rotating equipment field goes, again, toward having machines that can increase their power output while maintaining the size or shrinking the machine and maintaining the same power output. These initiatives require new mechanical components that are able to withstand high velocities or high speeds, as well as high forces. We may have to revisit some of these mechanical components.

As industrial decarbonization drives full speed ahead, innovations in rotating equipment are needed at scale to accelerate the energy transition and close technological gaps.

Siemens Energy opened a new laboratory in Redmond, WA, focused on developing and testing turbomachinery-based technologies designed to support industrial decarbonization at scale. It is commercializing several rotating equipment technologies to accelerate the energy transition. Three technologies in the early stages of commercialization are being developed at the facility: an advanced rotor hydrogen compressor, a Turbo Heater, and a rotating olefins cracker (ROC). 

Utilizing turbocompressors for low-mole-weight gases like hydrogen presents several technical challenges. A large amount of specific work is required to achieve meaningful pressure ratios, as there is a comparatively lower pressure rise per stage relative to heavier gases, such as methane or CO

Siemens Energy’s STC-SVm single-shaft turbocompressor with advanced rotor technology was designed to address these limitations. The platform utilizes a multi-stage rotor that permits circumferential speeds at the impeller outer diameter of up to 600 m/s without exceeding material stress limits as specified in API 617. This enables compressor stage count and a reduced footprint by up to 50% compared to a conventional turbocompressor solution in low-mole-weight gas applications.

The STC-SVm platform can operate on 100% hydrogen and applies to all major industrial markets with case ratings up to 350 bar (g) and discharge temperatures up to 193°C. It is suited for applications with high-hydrogen flows where installing several reciprocating compressor packages is uneconomical or impractical due to footprint constraints. In high-volume applications where high operating flexibility is required, the STC-SVm can also be combined with reciprocating units in hybrid compression packages to reduce total cost of ownership.

The development and testing of the new rotor technology included operation on 100% helium in a closed loop. Further validation testing and additional technology development using 100% hydrogen will continue in the new test facility. The first field implementation will take place in the United Kingdom, where a three-stage advanced rotor compressor will boost an underground natural gas-hydrogen flow loop.

Siemens Energy’s Turbo Heater is a turbomachine that employs high-speed gas dynamics to directly heat gas through a shock wave train. The machine is driven by an electric motor and does not require the direct burning of fossil fuels or a heat exchanger. With the Turbo heater, fluid is accelerated to high velocities using several stages, each consisting of rotating blades followed by stator vanes redirecting the flow into subsequent stages. The flow is then directed to a stationary diffuser that rapidly reduces the flow velocity and converts the fluid’s kinetic energy into thermal energy, producing a rapid increase in static temperature.

The Turbo Heater also features scalability: The flow capacity and therefore the amount of energy transferred to the flow is approximately a quadratic function of linear dimensions. This means doubling the machine’s diameter results in a flow-capacity increase of roughly four times.

A 1.6 MW prototype successfully completed a proof-of-concept test campaign covering a wide range of operating conditions. The test program demonstrated outlet temperatures above 700° C, which matched the pre-test performance predictions. A four-hour API mechanical run test was also completed. Achievable temperature levels are projected to reach up to 1000° C using materials and design practices proven in gas turbines and other turbomachinery products.

Next year, the first field demonstration project will take place at a pulp and paper mill in Washington, providing process heat to a rotary kiln. Siemens Energy was awarded a $1.7 M matching grant from the Washington State Clean Energy Fund to support this effort.

The ROC is a turbomachine that utilizes the same fluid dynamic principles as the Turbo Heater to produce olefins without the combustion of fossil fuels. The technology is being developed as part of a joint effort between Siemens Energy and Technip Energies. The two companies have already validated the fundamentals of reactor chemistry in a laboratory setting and successfully tested a turbomachine prototype operating with inert gas.

Like the Turbo Heater, the ROC is driven by an electric motor or a hydrogen-fired gas turbine. Kinetic energy produced via rotation is converted rapidly to heat through a controlled shock wave, creating a near-instantaneous temperature rise in the gas to initiate pyrolysis reactions without heat transfer from heat exchanger surfaces.

In addition to eliminating fossil-fuel combustion, the rapid temperature increase optimizes the reaction volume to better control chemical kinetics and maximize the yield of the desired high-value chemicals compared to the gradual heating and long residence times dictated by the bulk volume of long tube bundles in conventional furnace heating coils. Eliminating the reliance on surface heat exchange in tube coils will lower the propensity for coke formation. The ROC is compact, highly scalable, and can convert large quantities of energy to heat in a small footprint.

Siemens Energy’s Redmond Turbomachinery laboratory accelerates the company’s goal to progress industrial decarbonization. In addition to the high-speed rotor hydrogen compressor, Turbo Heater, and ROC, the team is also developing several other decarbonization technologies for power generation and energy storage using turbomachinery-based solutions.

Siemens Energy is developing three technologies—an advanced rotor hydrogen compressor, a Turbo Heater, and a rotating olefins cracker—to drive the energy transition and reduce carbon emissions.

Product Spotlight: Siemens Energy: Turbomachinery-Based Technologies for Decarbonization 

Siemens Energy and Rolls-Royce SMR announced a supply partnership that locks in Siemens Energy as “its global turbine systems partner” of conventional technology for future small modular reactors (SMRs).

Per the agreement, Siemens Energy will exclusively supply steam turbines and generators— with outputs ranging from 20 MW to 1,900 MW—and other auxiliary systems for Rolls-Royce SMR's planned Generation 3+ modular nuclear power plants. The company will support the entire turbine systems package, including design, manufacture, installation, and commissioning for a global fleet of factory-built SMR power plants.

"We are currently experiencing a global renaissance of nuclear energy,” said Karim Amin, a Siemens Energy Executive Board member. “Numerous countries are turning to nuclear technology to produce low-emission electricity, and small modular reactors will play a key role in this. Siemens Energy brings decades of experience in conventional equipment, while Rolls-Royce has the necessary implementation expertise. This perfect symbiosis enables us to shape the future of energy supply jointly. We are pleased to work with Rolls-Royce SMR on this exciting project."

The final contract, detailing all specifics, is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

Rolls-Royce SMR is developing a "mini nuclear power plant" that relies on its standardized, modular design to be operational faster than traditionally built plants due to its standardized, modular design. Its pressurized water reactors are designed to achieve an electrical output of up to 470 MW.

“The turbine systems are a vital part of the Rolls-Royce SMR power plant, and we are delighted to be working with Siemens Energy, a global leader in energy systems who have significant experience and a proven track record in nuclear steam turbines,” said Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce SMR Chief Executive. “This partnership will unlock U.K. jobs and a range of manufacturing opportunities. We are delighted that Siemens Energy will support our capability and enhance our ability to deliver a global fleet of Rolls-Royce SMRs.”

Siemens Energy said that SMRs are a promising technology for the future of nuclear energy and a key factor in the energy transition's success. Compared to conventional nuclear power plants, they are:

Rolls-Royce SMR was also selected to deploy SMR units in the Czech Republic and down-selected for potential projects in the United Kingdom and Sweden.

 announced its supply agreement for Taiwan's 1,200-MW Kuo Kuang 2 power plant. It will supply a complete power island, including two SGT6-9000HL gas turbines, one SST6-5000 steam turbine, three SGEN6-2000P generators, and the Omnivise T3000 control system. The plant, with CTCI as its engineering, procurement, and construction partner, will support Taiwan’s phase-out of coal and nuclear while integrating renewable and low-carbon energy.

James Montgomery, Chief Design Engineer for the Rolls-Royce novel nuclear team, and John Mason, Systems Design and Integration Technical Specialist working at Rolls-Royce's Novel Concepts team, spoke to 

. Microreactors are compact, portable rectors that produce thermal energy, which can be used as heat or converted to electric power. Micro-reactors can be quickly deployed and installed, and when they utilize a responsive design concept, they can prevent overheating and require fewer components, fewer operators, and less maintenance.

 Q&A with Felix Aschendorf, Sales Director Nuclear at Siemens Energy.

 He discusses its role as Rolls-Royce’s “global turbine systems partner” for conventional technology for small modular reactors (SMRs), technical challenges, and nuclear trends.

Rolls-Royce SMR's planned Generation 3+ modular nuclear power plants will feature Siemens Energy's steam turbines, generators, and other systems. 

Siemens Energy to Supply Steam Turbines for Rolls-Royce SMR's Nuclear Power Plants

, Baker Hughes announced two partnerships—with Hanwha and Argent LNG—and a special chemicals award from ExxonMobil Guyana.

Argent LNG selected Baker Hughes to supply its liquefaction solutions, power generation equipment, and gas compression systems for its proposed LNG export facility in Port Fourchon, LA—set to deliver approximately 24 MTPA of LNG. Baker Hughes’s NMBL modular LNG solution powered by the LM9000 gas turbine will integrate iCenter digital solutions powered by Cordant to maximize availability, reliability, and operational efficiency. Baker Hughes will also provide multi-year services to support Argent LNG terminal operations.

“Today’s announcement is a further testament to the technology capabilities that we have built over the past 30-plus years in LNG. This collaboration with Argent LNG underscores our commitment to delivering advanced, best-in-class LNG solutions,” said Lorenzo Simonelli, Chairman and CEO of Baker Hughes. “As global energy demand continues to grow, we are committed to providing innovative technology solutions to the LNG industry, a key supplier of reliable and affordable energy to many countries around the world.”

Phase 1 construction is slated to start in 2026; commercial operations are expected by 2030. 

Baker Hughes, Hanwha Power Systems, and Hanwha Ocean signed an agreement to leverage Baker Hughes’ small-size gas turbine technology and Hanwha’s ammonia combustion system. The two companies agreed to create 100% ammonia combustion dual-fuel with natural gas small-size turbines suitable for marine applications, onshore and offshore applications, and electric generation and mechanical drive.

“Decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries and transportation is one of the most pressing but high-potential opportunities of our time,” said Alessandro Bresciani, Senior Vice President of Climate Technology Solutions at Baker Hughes. “We believe fuel switching to ammonia will play a key role in achieving significant emissions reductions across these sectors, and to realize this ambition, the industry needs more partnerships such as this. Together, we will continue to lead by example and take energy forward.”

This comes on the heels of Hanwha’s successful proof-of-concept test of its combustor with 100% ammonia as the fuel gas and Baker Hughes’ initial turbine feasibility studies in 2024. The target date to complete the full engine test with ammonia is by the end of 2027, after which the ~16-MW power range turbine will be commercially available for orders.

“We are very excited to be collaborating with Baker Hughes to deliver an innovative and efficient solution to enhance the adoption of ammonia as a fuel for the propulsion system for future vessels. This collaboration marks a significant turning point in accelerating the transition to low-carbon fuel propulsion in the global maritime industries,” said James Shon, senior executive vice president and head of Product Strategy and Technology at Hanwha Ocean.

ExxonMobil Guyana awarded Baker Hughes a specialty chemicals and related services award for its Uaru and Whiptail offshore greenfield developments in Stabroek Block.

The multi-year contract includes topsides, subsea, water injection, and utility chemicals for the Errea Wittu and Jaguar floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessels. These vessels are currently under development and are targeted to begin production in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

“ExxonMobil Guyana and Baker Hughes share a long history of supporting Guyana’s energy sector, and we look forward to working together to write its next chapter,” said Amerino Gatti, Executive Vice President of Oilfield Services & Equipment at Baker Hughes. “Our experience operating across the country’s energy supply chain and unmatched expertise in oilfield and industrial chemicals make Baker Hughes uniquely suited to support complex FPSO operations such as these.”

Uaru and Whiptail will include up to 20 drill centers and 92 production and injection wells. Each FPSO will have a capacity of 250,000 barrels per day.

At Baker Hughes Annual Meeting 2025, the company announced partnerships to support LNG, ammonia, and offshore greenfield developments.

Conference Coverage

Baker Hughes Announces Supply Partnerships, Special Chemicals Award

Wednesday morning’s keynote at POWERGEN 2025, 

The Role of Gas Turbines in the Clean Energy Transition,

 highlighted the rapid development of low-carbon fuel retrofits for gas turbines as representatives from the top gas turbine OEMs discussed the latest technological advancements, positioning gas turbines as key players in the clean energy transition.

Some key themes from this morning's keynote include:

 Advancements in hydrogen combustion technology for gas turbines.

 Gas turbines are positioned as a crucial technology for the energy transition, providing reliability and flexibility while cleaner energy solutions are scaled up.

 Significant R&D efforts are focused on developing advanced combustors, carbon-capture technologies, and alternative fuel capabilities.

 All presenters emphasized strategies and technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of gas turbine power generation.

 MHI has successfully developed 100% ammonia firing technology, and a partnership is working on an ammonia-based gas turbine.

Bobby Noble, Senior Program Manager, Gas Turbine R&D at EPRI, moderated the panel and introduced the panelists:

Jason Jermark, Vice President of Global Services Operations - Siemens Energy

Fabien Codron, Director, Carbon Solutions - GE Vernova

Aad den Elzen, Vice President of Power Generation and Strategic Growth - Solar Turbines

Benjamin Thomas, Director, Hydrogen Production - Mitsubishi Power Americas

Jeffrey Benoit, Vice President of Clean Energy Solutions - PSM - a Hanwha company

Despite some negative perceptions, Jermark said gas turbines can achieve decarbonization and are clean energy. And while hydrogen supply lags behind demand, gas turbines can bridge the gap until supply increases. Beyond hydrogen, there are several other alternative fuels, including syngas, ammonia, and biofuels, that can help decarbonize gas turbines.

Jermark listed several gas turbine benefits, including:

Coal-to-natural gas shift (reducing emissions)

Grid stabilization (essential for renewable integration)

Siemens Energy has several projects in the pipeline:

HyFlex Power Project uses electrolyzers to produce green hydrogen in France

Hillabee: Achieved a world record for hydrogen co-firing and blending, up to 38%

Jermark announced some exciting news at the keynote. The company is accelerating 100% hydrogen firing for Siemens' largest gas turbine. More to come! Siemens Energy is also developing a Sco2 oxy-combustion engine, a potentially game-changing technology for near-zero emissions.

100% hydrogen-fueled dry low NOx combustor

 based on micromixer technology for full-scale combustion, which we reported on earlier this year. He also discussed NZT Power, the world's first 

carbon-capture and combined-cycle plant equipped with exhaust gas recirculation

den Elzen said that Solar Turbines is pursuing decarbonization through several strategies:

Improvements in digital and operational efficiency.

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies

“New energy challenges must be addressed with rapid deployment of power solutions,” den Elzen said. “They must also be addressed via modular gas turbine solutions for data centers and utilities, providing 500+ MW of power.”

He emphasized a focus on fuel flexibility, continuous operation, and reliability for mission-critical applications.

“MHI's overall strategy focuses on long-term validation and the development of products for the future,” Thomas said.

MHI conducts combustion testing at the Takasago Hydrogen Park, a facility that includes a gas turbine and a rig. Due to Japan's high hydrogen cost, MHI generates hydrogen onsite at Takasago Park using electrolyzers and solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOEC). MHI plans to initiate operation with a 30% hydrogen blend on a JAC turbine within the next year and intends to test a 50% hydrogen blend soon after.

The Nagasaki Carbon Neutral Park serves as MHI's primary research and development hub where 100% clean ammonia firing technology was developed. This is where MHI also conducts testing on CCS technology, biomass utilization, and ammonia use in thermal power plants.

Benoit provided a brief history of gas turbine technology development and discussed advancements in fuel-flexible combustion systems. He emphasized that existing turbines can easily be modernized and future-proofed with advanced technology retrofits and upgrades to accommodate evolving energy demands and operator market conditions.

“PSM's FlameSheet combustor was originally designed and implemented for F-Class gas turbines based on requirements by Calpine, our owner at the time,” Benoit said. “The FlameSheet combustor system, developed and validated over the past decade at DLR (German Aerospace Research Center) test facility in Cologne, Germany, is today applied across dozens of OEM B-, E-, and F-class gas turbines.” It can operate on up to 100% hydrogen.

 entered into a joint development and collaboration agreement to develop carbon-free e-propulsion systems for Hanwha’s maritime business utilizing ammonia gas turbines. This collaborative effort will result in an ammonia-turbine power plant capable of utilizing 100% natural gas to 100% ammonia fuel while meeting the IMO Tier III NOx emissions standards without a selective catalytic reduction system.

Keynote panelists discuss the latest innovations in gas turbine combustion systems, carbon capture, hydrogen, ammonia, and more. 

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