Caterpillar Inc announced the latest additions to its lineup of commercially available power solutions running on hydrogen fuel. Available at Cat® dealers worldwide, Caterpillar’s lineup of gas generator sets capable of operating on natural gas blended with up to 25% hydrogen by volume now includes power nodes ranging from 600 kW to 2.5 MW for 50 or 60 Hz continuous, prime, and load management applications. These include Cat CG132B and Cat CG170B generator sets as well as the G3500H series platform.
Additionally, the company offers aftermarket retrofit kits for updating these models to provide the same hydrogen blending capabilities of up to 25% hydrogen by volume.
These new generator sets add to Caterpillar’s current portfolio of hydrogen-capable power solutions. Since last year, Caterpillar has offered demonstrator Cat G3516 gas generator sets capable of operating on 100% hydrogen. It is available with a maximum rating of 1250 kW for 50 or 60 Hz continuous applications.
“By expanding our portfolio of generator sets using hydrogen blends, we’re allowing more of our customers to evaluate the performance and sustainability of hydrogen-fueled power solutions in their operations,” said Bart Myers, general manager for Caterpillar Large Electric Power. “This program also provides additional options to help customers navigate the energy transition through future-proof systems that can be readily configured for pipeline natural-gas blending.”
Demonstrated Leadership in Hydrogen-Fueled Power Solutions
The new generator sets show how Caterpillar continues to invest in hydrogen-fueled power technologies that minimize impacts on maintenance costs and schedules, availability and operations.
Last year, Caterpillar announced a project with District Energy St. Paul to demonstrate a 2.0 MW combined heat and power (CHP) system fueled by various combinations of hydrogen and natural gas. The project is supported and partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and it is backed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Also, Caterpillar has launched a three-year project through a collaboration with Microsoft to demonstrate a power system incorporating a large-format hydrogen fuel cell to produce reliable and sustainable backup power for data centers. The project is supported and partially funded by the DOE under the H2@Scale initiative, and it is backed by the NREL.
These initiatives build on Caterpillar’s 35 years of enterprise experience in hydrogen fuels, supporting numerous power generation projects across multiple end industries currently operating on natural gas blended with up to 80% hydrogen.
In addition to its hydrogen power initiatives, Caterpillar is actively contributing to a reduced-carbon future through continued investments in new products, technologies and services. These include Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) software solutions for monitoring, managing, and monetizing on-site energy assets; a full hybrid energy solutions technology suite; Cat cogeneration CHP systems and combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) systems; and support for hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), biodiesel, and blended fuel products.
Caterpillar delivers innovative power systems engineered for sustainability, durability, reliability, and value. The company offers worldwide product support, with parts and services packaged in customer value agreements available through the Cat dealer network. In addition, Cat dealer technicians are trained to provide a comprehensive range of maintenance and services that help customers optimize the total cost of ownership of Cat equipment.
