Gas & Oil Fired

China gas turbine deal for Alstom

Wed, 30 May 2012 12:22:00 GMT

Alstom (Euronext: ALO) has won a deal to supply Harbin Turbine in China with a gas turbine to be used at a combined cycle plant owned by Shenzhen Nantian Electric Power Company.

Alstom will deliver its GT13E2 gas turbine and associated generator that will add to the existing GT13E2 gas turbine generator at the same site.

The plant is slated to be commissioned by 2013.

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Ignoring environmental fears will stall shale boom says IEA

Tue, 29 May 2012 15:57:00 GMT

The shale gas boom could be “halted in its tracks” unless the energy industry wins public trust on the environmental and social issues surrounding it, the International Energy Agency warned today.

Speaking in London today, IEA executive director Maria van der Hoeven said: “The technology and the know-how already exist for unconventional gas to be produced in an environmentally acceptable way.

“But if the social and environmental impacts are not addressed properly, there is a very real possibility that public opposition to drilling for shale gas and other types of unconventional gas will halt the unconventional gas revolution in its tracks. The industry must win public confidence by demonstrating exemplary performance; governments must ensure that appropriate policies and regulatory regimes are in place.”

The IEA today issued what it dubbed the ‘Golden Rules’ to bring about a ‘golden age’ for unconventional gas. These are: full transparency; measuring and monitoring of environmental impacts and engagement with local communities; careful choice of drilling sites and measures to prevent any leaks from wells into nearby aquifers; rigorous assessment and monitoring of water requirements and of waste water; measures to target zero venting and minimal flaring of gas; and improved project planning and regulatory control.

IEA Chief Economist Fatih Birol said: “If this new industry is to prosper, it needs to earn and maintain its social license to operate. This comes with a financial cost, but in our estimation the additional costs are likely to be limited.”

He said applying the ‘golden rules’ could increase the cost of a typical shale gas well by around 7 per cent, but, for a larger development project with multiple wells, investment in measures to reduce environmental impacts may in many cases be offset by lower operating costs.

Shale gas has transformed the energy industry in the US and many countries around the world are keen to jump on the bandwagon. In Europe, Poland is the biggest pro-shale nation – unsurprising given the country holds the largest European reserves.

However, concern over ‘fracking’, the process by which the gas is extracted, have resulted in bans on exploration in several countries, including France, Germany and Bulgaria.

GE to supply gas turbine generators to Israel plant

Thu, 24 May 2012 14:03:00 GMT

GE (NYSE: GE) is to supply a dozen of its aeroderivative gas turbine generators to Dorad Energy power plant in Israel.

The order for the 12 LM6000-PC Sprint units is part of a $200m deal for the plant that GE has signed with Wood Group, which is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for Dorad Energy.

The plant is intended to play a vital role in boosting the reliability of Israel’s electricity system and will be the largest, and one of the first, independent power plants built in Israel since the country deregulated its electricity markets several years ago.

The 50 MW units, which are being built at GE’s Veresegyh�z plant in Hungary, are due to be operational in the second half of 2013.

Darryl Wilson, vice president of aeroderivative gas turbines at GE Power & Water, said the units “will help to stabilise the power system upon which Israel’s economy depends”.

Rolls-Royce in $136m Middle East gas turbine deal

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:54:00 GMT

Rolls-Royce has won contracts worth $136m to supply technology and support services to Dolphin Energy, which transports natural gas from Qatar to the United Arab Emirates and Oman via a 364 km subsea pipeline.

Rolls-Royce will supply Dolphin Energy with three industrial Trent gas turbine compression packages. The three units, each rated at 52 MW, will join six similar Rolls-Royce units that went into service at Dolphin Energy's gas processing plant in Ras Laffan, Qatar, in 2006.

The equipment will be manufactured at Rolls-Royce’s facilities in Montreal, Canada, and Ohio in the US, with delivery to Ras Laffan set for the middle of next year.

Andrew Heath, Rolls-Royce energy president, said: “I am delighted that Rolls-Royce technology has again been selected to support the Dolphin Gas Project, one of the largest cross border energy infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the Middle East.”

He added that to date the six units already installed on the Dolphin Energy project had recorded over 150,000 operating hours.

GE gas turbines to power Mexico’s Alpek cogeneration project

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:52:00 GMT

GE (NYSE: GE) LM6000 aeroderivative gas turbine technology has been selected for the Alpek gas-fired cogeneration project at its subsidiary Petrotemex’s site in Cosoleacaque, Veracruz, Mexico.

Supporting a Mexican government initiative to encourage more efficient power generation, the plant will produce more than 85 MW of electricity and all the site’s steam requirements.

GE’s aeroderivative gas turbine business will supply two LM6000-PF gas turbine generator packages to a joint venture including Schrader Camargo of Mexico and Sener of Spain, who are the engineering, procurement and construction contractors for the project.

Announced earlier this month at the GE-CONCAMIN Cogeneration Forum, the Alpek cogeneration plant will operate at 85% thermal efficiency and is due to begin commercial service in the first quarter of 2014.

The LM6000-PF units for Alpek will feature DLE technology, which does not use water and guarantees low emissions.

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New CHP plant for UK’s Addenbrooke’s hospital

Wed, 23 May 2012 10:21:00 GMT

A major new energy centre featuring combined heat and power (CHP) is expected to halve carbon emissions at the UK’s world-renowned Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

The energy centre will provide low carbon heating, hot water and electricity for Addenbrooke’s and Rosie hospitals. This will save Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) almost 30,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year, cutting carbon emissions by 47% over the contract term.

Construction is expected to start at the end of the year for the new energy centre to be fully operational by 2015.

Grid electricity and gas consumption will be more than halved, increasing the trust’s energy independence and protecting it from rising energy prices. The energy centre has also been designed with the potential to power future developments at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

MITIE has preferred bidder status to develop and operate the energy centre over a 25-year period. It will be developed in partnership with the NHS Carbon and Energy Fund, which supports projects meeting a certain level of carbon savings.

The hospital trust’s existing energy centre houses the NHS’s first combined heat and power plant, which has been providing sustainable energy to the expanding campus for 20 years. The trust incinerates its clinical waste on-site within the energy centre and uses clinical waste produced on the campus as a fuel source to provide heat and hot water to the campus.

With advances in technologies, the new energy centre will house a brand new incinerator, a highly efficient Rolls-Royce combined heat and power plant, and will also use wood chip as a fuel source.

MITIE has also been contracted to reduce energy demand on the existing CUH campus through a number of initiatives including a major lighting upgrade throughout the hospital.

Mike Tivey, managing director of MITIE’s Asset Management division, said the energy centre would provide ‘significant economic and sustainability benefits’.

‘In an increasingly volatile energy environment, this will provide CUH with increased energy resilience and predictably priced energy over the long term,’ he said.

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Agency says German power plants must be prevented from shutdowns

Mon, 21 May 2012 14:18:00 GMT

State-owned Dena Energy Agency says that utilities operating in Germany should not be permitted to close unprofitable gas fired power plants to safeguard supplies.

German daily Handelsblatt reported that while the government can legally force utilities to keep plants online, operators must be compensated for doing so.

Head of the agency Stephen Kohler told the newspaper that Germany should create “capacity markets” by identifying the generators needed and paying those companies that can build or operate them at the lowest cost.

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German cogeneration plant to receive Dresser-Rand turbine

Fri, 18 May 2012 11:15:00 GMT

US industrial rotation equipment supplier, Dresser-Rand (NYSE: DRC), is to provide Max B�gl Group with an indirectly fired KG 2-3 G gas turbine for its new biomass cogeneration plant in Bavaria, Germany.

The heat from the plant will be used to produce five tons of saturated steam which, in turn, will be used to produce concrete for pre-fabricated components and for electricity conversion.

As part of the company’s objective of reducing emissions, chips made from untreated wood, which will come from local agriculture and foresting farms or short rotation forestry, will be used as a CO2-neutral fuel.

By producing 2 MW of energy using renewable sources, Max B�gl will receive compensation from the German Renewable Act which provides incentives and compensation to companies that produce energy using renewable sources.

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Drax nears end of five-year �100m turbine upgrade

Fri, 18 May 2012 09:42:00 GMT

Drax Power Station is poised to complete what it claims is the largest steam turbine modernisation programme in UK history.

The UK’s largest power plant – which produces 7 per cent of the Britain’s power and has a capacity of 4000 MW – is putting the finishing touches to replacing all six units at its site in Yorkshire, England.

The five-year project cost �100m and will see Drax (DRX:LSE) cut its carbon emissions by one million tonnes a year.

Siemens was awarded the contract to replace the low pressure and high pressure turbines and made the parts at its manufacturing centres in Newcastle and Muelheim an der Ruhrin Germany.

The turbines consist of 28 separate turbine rotors which weigh more than 2800 tonnes and have 80 000 individual turbine blades.

Drax production director Peter Emery said the company takes “our responsibility to cut carbon emissions seriously and this project marks a significant milestone in our efforts to do that”.

He explained that the decision to go ahead with the modernisation was taken because “it became clear to us that climate was becoming business critical. When we floated the company investors were not too interested in carbon emissions.”

He added that because of Drax’s high visibility in Yorkshire – it cover 1854 acres of land – “we can be seen for miles around so it’s important that we are viewed as an asset to the neighbourhood”.

Steve Austin, lead turbine engineer at Drax, said that Drax choose Siemens for the project because “we wanted someone with a credible record, someone who shared our vision and somebody who knew our turbines”.

Drax burns 10m tonnes a year of solid fuel. Of this, 1.3m tonnes was biomass last year, making Drax the largest single renewable generator in the UK.

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US gas prices set to double

Thu, 17 May 2012 16:23:00 GMT

Royal Dutch Shell says it expects gas prices in the US to double in the next three years.

Shell’s chief executive, Peter Voser, said gas demand in the US would rise “as coal is replaced by gas in electricity, and gas in transportation takes off.”

Currently “fracking”, has led to a boom in gas production in the US, creating a surplus that has depressed prices and put many operators under pressure.

However all that is set to change, with shale gas exploration, also showing “very encouraging flow rates” in China.

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Smart meters can benefit UK to the tune of $11bn says Hendry

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:03:00 GMT

Smart meter

The UK’s Energy Minister Charles Hendry says rolling out its smart meters will benefit the country to the tune of �7bn ($11.1bn)

Mr Hendry added that smart meters will significantly slash the nation's carbon emissions.

As the 2014 launch nears for the mass deployment of smart meters to millions of homes and businesses, the Minister vowed to keep "consumers' interests at the heart of the programme", reports ClickGreen.

"Smart gas and electricity meters will play a key role in bringing our energy management into the 21st century," he wrote. "They will bring benefits for consumers, giving us more control over how we use our energy at home and at work, helping us to cut energy consumption save money and reduce carbon emissions.

"They will also help suppliers run their businesses more effectively. New products and services will be supported in a vibrant and competitive market in energy and energy management services.

The roll out will also support the development of a smart grid delivering improved network efficiency and responsiveness and supporting the uptake of electric vehicles and microgeneration.”

Mr Hendry added that the government programme involved every home in Britain having a smart electricity and gas meter with an In-Home Display which will show consumers how much energy they are using.

"Energy suppliers will be required to install smart meters in 28 million homes and two million smaller businesses in Britain, delivering over �7 billion net benefit to the nation.

The mass roll out of smart meters will begin in 2014 and be completed in 2019.

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Alstom wins $84m Polish power plant contract

Thu, 10 May 2012 08:59:00 GMT

Alstom S.A. (ENX:ALO) has announced that it has signed a contract worth approximately €65m ($84m) with GDF Suez Energia Polska S.A. which owns and operates Poland's Polaniec power plant, for the modernization of six units at the plant.

With an 1800 MW installed capacity, the plant produces both conventional and renewable energy through the use of coal and biomass.

Industrial info reports that the plant has eight units, each with a generation capacity of 225 MW.

Alstom is currently retrofitting the steam turbine of Unit 8 as part of a biomass boiler conversion project. Under the terms of the agreement, Alstom is engineering, delivering and commissioning new high-pressure and intermediate-pressure steam turbines.

The contract also covers the modernization of the turbine's auxiliary systems and the assembly of the steam turbines, generator and exciter systems. When completed, the new turbine components will boost turbine cycle efficiency 3.4 per cent; improve the unit's availability and reliability; and extend the turbines' design lifetime by 30 years.

The contract also includes the option of retrofitting an additional unit (Unit 1) of the power plant. A decision about the modernization of Unit 1 will be made before 2014.

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Natural gas, a challenge for Brazil’s energy policy

Wed, 09 May 2012 11:47:00 GMT

By the Potencia correspondent

Brazil is coming up with alternatives to tackle its growing energy demand. In the last decade, its population has grown considerably and is now close to 200 million. The government is in the process of developing several energy projects that are strongly supported by foreign capital. Through those projects, the Brazilian government wants to take electric power to areas where it would have been unthinkable in the recent past.

Brazil's natural resources and environmental conditions mean it is one of the best locations for investments in renewable energies, in particular wind and solar power.

This Latin American nation also has the potential to produce electric power from fossil fuels, one sources being natural gas. In 2011, Brazil’s natural gas industry experienced significant growth.

A report by the Brazilian Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuel (ANP), one of the entities responsible for the country's energy policy, said that natural gas production reached 24 000 million m³ last year, a record output. Moreover, between 2002 and 2011 natural gas production increased 55 per cent.

Brazil offers great investment opportunities in gas projects. More recently state-owned company Petrobras announced it had discovered new oil and gas reserves in the Amazonian region –gas reserves usually are found together with oil reserves although it is possible to find gas deposits without oil.

According to Spanish news agency Efe, these finds were discovered by drilling a 3000 metre deep exploratory shaft in the Solimoes basin. Petrobras has revealed that the reserves will be able to produce 45 000 m³ of gas per day.

This latest discovery represents an interesting opportunity for foreign investments in the area, and it now seems that the race for Brazilian natural gas has started. One f the first big foreign companies showing interest is E.ON, the energy utility from Germany.

According to El Semanal Digital, E.ON has signed an agreement with Brazilian MPX, which has created a joint company. This new company is one of the major private companies in the Brazilian energy market today.

The agreement between E.ON and MPX not only includes renewable energies projects, but also gas projects. Eike Batista, chairman of EBX group – MPX’s parent company – has proposed E.ON’s managing director Johannes Teyssen invests in the gas deposits found in the Northern region of the country, Financial Times Deutschland reported.

Gas investments in the largest and most populated country in Latin America are needed more than ever because the Southern region – which comprises the states of Parana, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, where almost 30 million people live – is suffering supply problems. Argentinean daily Cronista said that the local authorities in those states are demanding that the Brazilian government devise new solutions to guarantee the gas supply.

These issues will be discussed at the Gas Summit Latin America, which is being hosted in Rio de Janeiro, 14-16 May. Among the central issues to be discussed at this summit is the optimization of natural gas production in order to achieve an uninterrupted supply for Latin American countries. In addition, the ways to strengthen LNG production will also be covered.

Gas projects expansion in Brazil is in need of foreign investment, so Dilma Rousseff's government must guarantee the legal certainty for foreign companies, which want to risk their money in Brazilian gas projects, some experts have warned.

Brazil needs to avoid at all cost repeating what is happening in Argentina. Last month, the government said it would seize a controlling interest (51 per cent) YPF, an oil company owned by Spanish firm Repsol.

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KDM Energia to expand its Chilean biogas capacity

Tue, 08 May 2012 09:01:00 GMT

KDM Energia, a Chilean power firm, is set to expand the capacity of its Loma Los Colorados biogas fired power plant to 18 MW from its current 11.8 MW by the end of the first half of this year.

The plant's capacity expansion involves the addition of four specialty gas engines manufactured by GE, representing an investment of $4m.

A total investment of $35m is envisaged by KDM Energy to raise the capacity to 50 MW in 2045.

Located in the Tiltil municipality, 60 km north of Chile's capital, the facility provides energy to Chile’s central power network (SIC).

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Siemens receives first North American order for SGT-750 turbine

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:30:00 GMT

Siemens Energy has received a first order from North America for the supply of its SGT-750 industrial gas turbine.

In a press release the company announced that the purchaser is Energia MK KF, S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of textile manufacturer Grupo Kaltex.

When commercially operational in October 2013, the 36 MW facility will supply electricity to the textile facilities operated by Grupo Kaltex in Mexico.

The Energia MK KF, S.A. de C.V., combined heat and power plant with a total installed capacity of 36 MW will be located in Altamira, in Tamaulipas State, Mexico.

One-third of the total electrical capacity will be used for the Kaltex facility on site and two-thirds will be fed into the grid for other Kaltex facilities in Mexico.

The plant will meet approximately 40 per cent of Kaltex’s power needs in Mexico. The SGT-750 turbine will generate all the process steam needed for producing synthetic fibers.

The Siemens scope of supply encompasses supply, installation and commissioning of the SGT-750 gas turbine together with the electrical generator, heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) with supplementary firing system and auxiliary systems

“This order from Mexico shows that our SGT-750 gas turbine is now also gaining momentum in the 60-Hertz market,” said Markus Tacke, CEO of the Industrial Power Business Unit of Siemens Energy.

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Duke CEO talks up Smart Grid and warns on gas dependency

Wed, 02 May 2012 10:50:00 GMT

US utility Duke Energy’s (NYSE: DUK), CEO Jim Rogers has urged the Smart Grid sector to fight fire with fire and outshout what he called ‘scaremongers’ whose vocal opposition threatened to damage the industry.

Rogers, speaking at a Charlotte conference on so-called “Smart Grid” technology, said the energy industry must continue to tout energy efficiency gains in the face of negativity to the new technology.

“We’ve got to be just as loud and repetitive as fearmongers,” Rogers told dozens of conference attendees at UNC Charlotte’s uptown campus.

Rogers’ remarks came Tuesday morning, during the opening of the 2012 North Carolina Smart Grid Forum, reports the Charlotte Observer.

The Duke chief also warned of the dangers of overdependency on gas fired power.

"The temptation is to build all gas, all the time because it's cheap and it's quick to build," Rogers said.

"But the reality is,what strengthens the electric grid of the U.S. is our mix of generation." Today's low gas prices "make it uneconomic to burn coal at this time. ... I don't want to put all my chips on any single (generating) technology--I want a blend. ... The toughest challenge today is to convince regulators and consumers to let us build something other than natural gas (generation)."

In the U.S., developers and utilities continue to unveil plans to build new gas fired generation to meet demand growth and to replace capacity being shuttered by federal environmental regulations like the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) and the Mercury Air Toxics Standards (MATS) regulation.

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Achieving high efficiency and flexibility in the field

Tue, 01 May 2012 17:17:00 GMT

F. Boerefijn, Eneco, the Netherlands & R. Hvelplund, DONG Energy, Denmark

Within its first six months of operation, the Dutch Enecogen CCGT power plant has demonstrated the ease at which high efficiency and operational flexibility can be achieved.

On 11 November last year, a new state-of-the-art 870 MW combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant near the Dutch port city of Rotterdam entered commercial operation.

Called Enecogen, the CCGT plant was built — from piling to commissioning — within an impressive 31-month period, primarily thanks to its modular design. The natural gas fired power plant was built by Siemens for a partnership comprising Danish energy utility DONG Energy and Eneco, an energy company based in the Netherlands.

The power plant consists of two identical 435 MW single-shaft combined-cycle units, and because of its flexibility, fast load response and low emissions, can be described as an 'enabler for renewable energy'.

If its units are still warm, full-power output is available 50 minutes after giving the start command. A net fuel efficiency of 59 per cent and a power output of 435 MW can be achieved at an ambient temperature of 11 �C, a relative humidity of 75 per cent, a cooling water temperature of 12 �C and an ambient pressure at sea level (ISO conditions).

The development of the Enecogen project was started by Eneco in 2005, and together with DONG Energy, financial close was reached in April 2009 when the main contracts were signed, including the EPC contract with Siemens.

The reason for investing in flexible gas fired power plants is that this type of power plant fits well with the renewables development strategy that both shareholders have. A gas fired plant is able to produce electricity in a flexible way, therefore ensuring security of supply for customers. In other words, a gas fired plant can produce electricity, even when there is no wind or sun power available.

In comparison with other fossil fuel-based power generation resources, such as coal, a gas fired power plant is more flexible, can start and stop more easily, is faster and has relatively low specific carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Therefore, gas fired power plants are the ideal option for producing electricity on a large scale in the transition period from fossil to renewable electricity production.

Technology behind the art

Each of Enecogen's generating units utilises a 292 MW Siemens SGT-4000F gas turbine as the prime mover. The hydrogen-cooled Siemens SGen5-3000W generator is connected at one end to the gas turbine — the cold end (air intake) — while at the other it is connected via a clutch to a Siemens SST55-5000 steam turbine (see Figure 1). This arrangement enables all three major elements of the generating unit to be run at the same speed of 3000 rpm.

Figure 1: The hydrogen-cooled Siemens SGen5-3000 W generator is connected at one end to the gas turbine and to a Siemens SST55-5000 steam turbine at the other

The clutch between the generator and steam turbine gives extra operating flexibility to the units. During ramp up, the unit starts with only the gas turbine available, and subsequently as the steam conditions from the boiler reach the correct level, the steam turbine comes online.

Enecogen's boiler is a conventional drum-type heat-recovery steam generator with three pressure levels and reheat, which supports the operational flexibility of the complete plant.

Plant-operating characteristics

Each power block has a nominal output of 435 MW, with a fuel efficiency of 59 per cent at full load. The minimum load (minimum stable generation) is approximately 225 MW, with a fuel efficiency close to 52 per cent. Figure 2 highlights the distribution of power between the gas turbine and the steam turbine across the full load range.

Figure 2: Typical power output of the gas turbine and the steam turbine as a function of the combined output

At the minimum load of 225 MW (i.e. 52 per cent of the nominal load), each power block has a fuel efficiency of approximately 52 per cent, which means that the efficiency of the plant is high over the whole load range of the plant (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Typical fuel efficiency of an Enecogen power block

In the case of a 'hot' start — meaning that the unit has been at standstill for less than eight hours, synchronisation with the grid is reached within 15 minutes. The output is subsequently raised by 3 per cent of the nominal power per minute. This means that full output is reached after around 50 minutes, which is substantially faster than a conventional coal fired power plant. Figure 4 shows how the gas turbine and steam turbine team up in reaching the nominal output. A 'warm' start takes more time, but still less than two hours.

Figure 4: Typical ramping up of the power output of an Enecogen power block

Normal ramping down from full load to zero output takes around ten minutes. The operation scheme of the units foresees running during the intermediate and peak load hours of week days, representing some 250 starts and stops per year. This is not anticipated to negatively affect the operating life span of the power plant.

Reduced emissions

Natural gas has a specific CO₂ emission of approximately 56 g/MJ based on the lower heating value of the fuel. The energy conversion cycle of a prime mover such as a gas turbine cannot use the higher heating value of a fuel. For a fuel efficiency of 59 per cent, the CO₂ emission based on energy output is 94.9 g/MJ (56/0.59).

Since 1 kWh equals 3.6 MJ, the specific CO₂ emission of the Enecogen power plant at full load totals 341 g/kWh, which is around a factor of two lower than that of a modern coal fired power plant, which is a significant fact in our carbon-constrained world.

The nitrogen oxides (NOx) production by the gas turbine is low because it utilises pre-mixed combustion in an annular combustor with 24 burners. The NOx concentration is further reduced to a maximum of 17 g/GJ ( (9.6 ppmv or 20 mg/Nm³ @15% O₂) with an ammonia-based selective catalytic reactor (SCR). The SCR system ensures that any changes in the combustion process caused by load, ambient conditions or gas quality will not result in increasing the level of emissions released to the environment.

Operational experience

In the first few months of commercial operations, Enecogen has proven to be both a reliable and flexible power plant, with operation depending on market conditions.

The Enecogen CCGT power plant is an important addition to the Netherland's power generation portfolio as it seeks to reduce its reliance on coal, and as a back-up to the country's expanding renewables base. The Enecogen plant is a benchmark example of the high degree of efficiency and operational flexibility that can be achieved with a gas fired CCGT plant. Both DONG Energy and Eneco are very satisfied with the performance of the two power blocks, which are operating in full compliance with the specifications provided by Siemens.

The Companies Behind the Enecogen Project

Eneco, which is the largest Dutch-owned energy company, has an integrated distribution strategy covering generation, transmission, supply, metering and billing of electricity, gas and heat for 2.2 million customers.

Eneco's energy mix is becoming more sustainable, consisting of different types of sustainable electricity, heat and gas resources. Efficiently fuelled gas plants, like Enecogen, combined with underground gas storage, provide the company with the required flexibility for its electricity production.

Currently, the company sells approximately 27 TWh of electricity and 6000 million m³ of natural gas annually. Furthermore, it is the largest supplier of heat in the Netherlands.

DONG Energy as an electricity producer is a newcomer to the Dutch market. Its domestic market for electricity production in Denmark is practically saturated, and therefore the company is now looking to expand its activities abroad. Originally, DONG (Dansk Olie & Naturgas) was an oil and gas producer in both Denmark and Norway. The company subsequently transformed itself into an integrated energy supplier, providing more than 50 per cent of the electricity used in Denmark and meeting 40 per cent of its district heating needs. In addition, it owns 45 per cent of the Danish wind turbine capacity and 25 per cent of the UK wind power capacity.

DONG Energy has a strategy to reduce its specific emissions by 50 per cent in the next ten years by investing in wind power, the suspension of coal fired plants, converting coal fired plants to burn biomass and by investing in high-efficiency gas fired plants like Enecogen.

DONG Energy considers the partnership with Eneco as investors in this power plant to be an important part of this strategy.

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IEA heavily critical of slow carbon capture rollout

Tue, 01 May 2012 10:31:00 GMT

Leading figures within the International Energy Agency (IEA) have spoken out to highlight the poor adoption rates by utilities of carbon capture and storage technology.

Industrial Info reports that the IEA's Deputy Executive Director Ambassador, Richard Jones claimed that clean energy technologies are not being deployed quickly enough.

Backed up by its Tracking Clean Energy Progress report, the IEA highlighted that up to 40 fossil fuel-fired power stations fitted with commercial-scale CCS technology need to be in place by 2020 but at the moment that figure stands at zero.

"We have a responsibility and a golden opportunity to act," claimed Jones, speaking at the Clean Energy Summit in London, "Energy-related CO2 emissions are at historic highs; under current policies, we estimate that energy use and CO2 emissions would increase by a third by 2020, and almost double by 2050.

This would likely send global temperatures at least 6�C higher.”

Maria van der Hoeven, executive director of the IEA, explained: "Technologies with great potential for energy and emissions savings are making much less progress.

In addition, half of new electricity demand has been met by coal; and to make things more challenging, 50 per cent of those new coal fired power plants are still being built with inefficient technology. All these trends are going in the wrong direction."

The IEA has proposed a three-pronged strategy, which includes bringing in a level playing field for clean energy technologies, unlocking the potential of energy efficiency, the "hidden fuel" of the future and accelerating energy innovation and public support for research, development and demonstration.

Earlier this month, after several delays, the U.K. government launched its �1bn ($1.58 bn) funding competition to drive the development of commercial-scale CCS projects in the coal fired and gas fired power sectors.

For more gas fired power news

Shell awards Rolls Royce $30m gas project

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:51:00 GMT

Rolls-Royce has won a $30m order from Shell to supply two industrial RB211 gas turbines to boost gas output from a deepwater natural gas project in the Philippines.

The additional two RB211 units provided by the power systems company will enhance production output and efficiency, helping assure a stable supply of energy and a cleaner source of power for the Philippines.

Each RB211 unit will produce 27 MW of power to drive gas compressors, enabling gas production to be boosted as natural pressure within the gas field reduces with extraction.

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Egypt's Orascom wins $363m Iraq gas project

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:07:00 GMT

Orascom Construction Industries LSE: ORSD has formally signed the $363m contract to build a 1014 MW power station in Baija, Iraq.

The plant is togenerate power from six Siemens (NYSE:SI) 169 MW gas-fired units that Iraq bought in a package deal in 2008. The project is scheduled for completion within 21 months, reports Industrial Info.

The Baija project is part of the $15bn investment Iraq plans to make in the power sector through 2015 to increase installed generation capacity by 20000 MW to 27000 MW.

The additional generating power will consist of 13000 MW of gas-fired projects and 7000 MW of thermal power plants. Currently, power available on the grid is a bit more than 7000 MW but is expected to increase up to 9500 MW as new projects and upgrades are commissioned this year.

In 2011, peak demand reached 15000 MW, resulting in low availability and chronic blackouts.

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