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Emerson to automate power plant

Emerson is to automate operations at Intermountain Power Agency’s IPP Renewed power plant in Utah to increase safety, decrease costs and simplify maintenance.

IPP Renewed transforms the retiring coal-fuelled Intermountain Power Project into a clean energy solution that addresses demands for decarbonisation and regulatory challenges. Adjacency to Mitsubishi’s Advanced Clean Energy Storage hub positions the plant to utilise stored green hydrogen to supply carbon-free power to six western states on demand. Green hydrogen produced using renewable energy during peak production will be stored in the hub’s underground salt caverns for use by IPP Renewed’s hydrogen-capable turbines to generate electricity during standard and peak consumption.

The 840-MW IPP Renewed plant will use 30% hydrogen fuel and 70% natural gas at start-up, transitioning to 100% hydrogen use by 2045. Emerson’s Ovation software and automation technologies and cybersecurity solutions will provide improved visibility of the green hydrogen production, storage and generation processes, as well as secure control and monitoring of the IPP Renewed balance of plant operations.

Emerson will help Intermountain Power Agency implement the Ovation platform – from green hydrogen production and storage at Mitsubishi’s Advanced Clean Energy hub to carbon-free electricity generation at the IPP Renewed plant. The plant will also total plant simulation developed by Emerson and Mitsubishi to enable predictive and artificial intelligence-driven maintenance strategies, automate operational decision-making and support commissioning and training.

Cameron Cowan, general manager of the Intermountain Power Agency, said: “Our partnership with Emerson, which has renewable power industry expertise and proven automation experience for complex projects, will help us build a digitally optimised facility to deliver reliable, carbon-free electricity for decades to come.”

Bob Yeager, president of Emerson’s power and water business, said: “Successfully managing supply and demand of renewable energy will be a key differentiator for power generation facilities competing in a low-carbon energy future.”


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