Caterpillar expands hydrogen capabilities with new gas generator sets

Caterpillar has added Cat CG260 gas generator sets to its range of power solutions, now capable of running on hydrogen fuel.

Available through global Cat dealers for both 50 and 60 Hz applications, the 12- and 16-cylinder versions of the Cat CG260 can operate on gas containing up to 25% hydrogen by volume. The CG260 provides up to 4.5 MW of electric power for continuous, prime, and load management needs. Additionally, Caterpillar offers retrofit kits to upgrade existing CG260 generator sets with these hydrogen capabilities.

Diverse hydrogen-fueled power solutions

With this addition, Caterpillar’s portfolio now includes gas generator sets ranging from 400 kW to 4.5 MW, offering hydrogen blending opportunities via factory-installed hardware and retrofit kits for the CG132B, CG170B, CG260, and G3500H platforms.

Expertise in hydrogen power technologies

Caterpillar has extensive experience in hydrogen-fueled power technologies, focusing on minimising impacts on maintenance costs, schedules, availability, and operations. Since 2022, Caterpillar has offered demonstrator Cat G3516 gas generator sets capable of operating on 100% hydrogen, recommended for locations with abundant hydrogen fuel supplies, available with a maximum rating of 1000 kW for 50 Hz or 60 Hz continuous applications.

Caterpillar recently announced a successful collaboration with Microsoft and Ballard Power Systems, demonstrating the viability of using large-format hydrogen fuel cells to supply reliable backup power for data centres. The project simulated a 48-hour backup power event at Microsoft's data centre in Cheyenne, Wyoming, using two Cat Power Grid Stabilization (PGS) 1260 battery energy storage systems and a 1.5 MW hydrogen fuel cell. Supported by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under the H2@Scale initiative, this demonstration was a significant success.

Caterpillar is also working 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. This project, supported and partially funded by the DOE and backed by the NREL, aims to further explore the potential of hydrogen in energy systems.

These initiatives build on Caterpillar’s 35 years of experience in hydrogen fuels, supporting numerous power generation projects across various industries currently operating on blended gas with up to 80% hydrogen.

Commitment to a reduced-carbon future

Beyond hydrogen power solutions, Caterpillar is committed to a reduced-carbon future through continuous investments in new products, technologies, and services. These include Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) software solutions for monitoring, managing, and monetising on-site energy assets; a comprehensive hybrid energy solutions technology suite; Cat combined heat and power (CHP) systems and combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) systems; support for hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), biodiesel, and blended fuel products; and expertise in landfill gas, biogas, and other waste-to-energy applications.

“The movement toward lower carbon solutions for power generation is accelerating,” said Melissa Busen, vice president for Caterpillar Large Electric Power. “Caterpillar is positioned today with a large and growing lineup of technologies to help customers integrate hydrogen-fueled systems into their power strategies.”