GE’s Manufacturing Center in Birr. Image credit: GE
GE Gas Power has secured an order from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) for the rental of eight of its trailer-mounted gas turbine units.
The order was placed to help meet the electricity demand during the critical period towards the end of the winter season.
The temporary reserve power plant will use GE’s TM2500 technology and be located at GE’s Manufacturing Center in Birr, in the Swiss canton of Aargau approximately 30 km east of Zurich.
It will deliver approximately 250MW of electricity to the grid from February 2023.
Clive Nickolay, CEO of GE Gas Power’s Aeroderivative Business, said: “We’re pleased to work with the Swiss Federal Office of Energy to help ensure we’re supporting their needs during a demanding winter energy season…”
“Fuel flexibility and fast installation time were crucial elements in the decision to use GE’s aeroderivative gas turbines. These units can reach full production capacity in a short time, which enables power providers to quickly meet peak demand and ramp down units and avoid wasting energy when demand is lower; and they are engineered with vast fuel flexibility,” added Nickolay.
According to GE, the TM2500 is mounted on a wheeled trailer for ultimate mobility. The trailer-mounted gas turbine requires minimal space and site preparation, which allows for fast delivery and installation. Once all electrical components are in place, the TM2500 can generate power within minutes at outputs of up to 34MW in winter conditions.
“The temporary reserve power plant installed in Birr will have dual fuel capability, and can operate on both gaseous and liquid fuels, and switch in between” added Christian Verhoeven, chief technology officer, GE Gas Power Switzerland. “GE’s TM2500 gas turbines can run on several different fuel sources including hydrogen, biogas or biodiesel and synthetic fuels produced with renewable energy, the most readily available in the area, and with lower-carbon footprints, such as synthetic fuels/SAF (sustainable air fuels).”
