Caterpillar Inc. has exciting news! They have added the Cat® CG260 gas generator set to their range of power solutions that can run on hydrogen fuel. This means more options for cleaner energy!
New Hydrogen-Ready Generators
You can now find the Cat CG260 gas generator sets at Cat dealers worldwide. These generators come in 12- and 16-cylinder versions and can run on gas with up to 25% hydrogen. They produce up to 4.5 MW of electric power, making them perfect for continuous, prime, and load management needs.
If you already have a CG260 generator set, don’t worry. Caterpillar offers retrofit kits to upgrade existing generators to handle hydrogen fuel too.
A Wide Range of Options
With this addition, Caterpillar now offers a variety of gas generator sets from 400 kW to 4.5 MW. These sets, including the CG132B, CG170B, CG260, and G3500H, can blend hydrogen fuel through factory-installed hardware and retrofit kits.
Expert Insights
Melissa Busen, vice president for Caterpillar Large Electric Power, said, “Caterpillar is ready with a wide range of technologies to help customers use hydrogen-fueled systems in their power plans.”
Leading the Way in Hydrogen Power
Caterpillar has been a leader in hydrogen-fueled power technology. They focus on making sure their systems are efficient and cost-effective. Since 2022, they’ve offered Cat G3516 gas generator sets that can run on 100% hydrogen. These are ideal for places with lots of hydrogen fuel and can generate up to 1000 kW.
Successful Collaborations
Caterpillar recently teamed up with Microsoft and Ballard Power Systems to show that hydrogen fuel cells can provide reliable backup power for data centers. They tested this at Microsoft’s data center in Cheyenne, Wyoming, using two Cat Power Grid Stabilization systems and a 1.5 MW hydrogen fuel cell. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) supported this project, and it was partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Caterpillar is also working with District Energy St. Paul to test a 2.0 MW combined heat and power system that uses both hydrogen and natural gas. This project is also backed by the DOE and NREL.
A Future with Less Carbon
Caterpillar has been working with hydrogen fuels for over 35 years, supporting many power generation projects that use blended gas with up to 80% hydrogen. They are committed to a future with less carbon by investing in new products, technologies, and services. These include software for managing on-site energy assets, hybrid energy solutions, combined heat and power systems, and support for various eco-friendly fuels like hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), biodiesel, and landfill gas.
Caterpillar’s ongoing efforts show their dedication to cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions.
