Why the 'reactive power' of gas turbines is vital for the energy transition

Gas turbines are still relevant in today's energy landscape and will continue to be, according to Terry Raddings, Business Development Manager, GE Gas Power Systems.

In an exclusive interview with Editor-in-Chief Kelvin Ross, Raddings emphasised that gas is one of the key ways to get at-scale power onto the grid quickly.

Gas turbines also provide the inertia and grid balancing to support the build-out of variable renewables, said Raddings.

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"It won't be just about providing megawatts, it's going to be about providing that reactive power, that grid frequency response, that balancing reserve, the stuff you can't really predict very well," he said.

And when asked if gas is a transition or a destination fuel, Raddings answered, "it's a collaboration: wind and renewables are intermittent, not dispatchable."

People need energy, he said, emphasising that it's not just about gas turbines, it's about bringing all the technologies together to balance the network.

Radding also delves into the future of alternative fuels and hydrogen and how developing the right infrastructure will keep power plants relevant.