Edipower Selects GE Ecomagination Technology to Comply with New Emissions Requirements
ATLANTA, GA. - January 21, 2009 :- GE Energy announced today that Edipower, a leading Italian generation company, has selected GE Energy's ecomagination-certified gas turbine emissions control technology to meet regional greenhouse gas emissions standards at the company's Sermide facility. Edipower will achieve the new NOx emissions standards for combined-cycle power plants, the most aggressive in Europe, with the help of GE's DLN 2.6+ system. Edipower provides nearly eight percent of Italy's energy needs, generating 7,700 megawatts (MW) of capacity annually, including 750 MW generated by renewable energy resources.
On January 1, 2009, the region of Lombardy, Italy, enacted new standards limiting nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions to 30 milligrams (mg) /Nm3 as compared to present levels of 50 mg/Nm3, for a total emissions reduction of 40 percent. Edipower's combined-cycle power plant in Sermide will meet the new standards with the installation of GE's Dry Low NOx (DLN) 2.6+ system.
By adding the DLN 2.6+ system to its Sermide facility, Edipower will limit its greenhouse gas emissions, such as NOx and carbon monoxide (CO), to below the 30 mg/Nm3 cap. The DLN 2.6+ system also will reduce the minimum operating load levels for the gas turbines to 35 percent, improving the operating flexibility and increasing benefits to both the environment and project economics.
"We chose to invest in GE Energy's DLN 2.6+ technology to ensure that Edipower's Sermide plant has more operating flexibility, reduced fuel consumption at lower loads and reduced emissions. In 2009, Italy will have more stringent emission regulations and, with GE's gas turbine emissions control technology, Sermide will meet those new environmental requirements," said Paolo Gallo, chief executive officer, Edipower.
"Edipower has been a long-standing customer since its inception and it has once again turned to GE for its energy needs. GE Energy's DLN 2.6+ technology will provide Edipower with the ability to generate energy more effectively with significant emissions reduction," said Ricardo Cordoba, GE Energy's president for Western Europe and North Africa. "GE is proud to help Edipower meet Italy's strict environmental emissions standards."
GE will upgrade all three 9FA+e gas turbines operating at the Sermide facility with the advanced DLN 2.6+ combustion systems. To meet Edipower's requirements for a short-cycle project, GE will perform each upgrade starting in parallel with a planned maintenance outage, thus requiring minimal additional stoppage time to the power plant's production.
GE Energy's newest dry low NOx combustion system, DLN 2.6+, was developed to help power plant operators meet or exceed the increasingly stringent regulatory requirements in Europe and elsewhere around the world. Capable of reducing NOx and CO emissions by 40 percent or more on GE Frame 9FA gas turbines, this technology has been certified under GE's ecomagination program to address the need for cleaner, more efficient sources of energy to reduce emissions.
The DLN 2.6+ technology is capable of reducing combined-cycle emissions without use of any chemical or catalytic system, thus eliminating the possible releases of harmful chemicals into the environment. In addition to reducing emissions, the technology also enables the gas turbine to be operated at lower power during off-peak periods, consuming less fuel and helping to reduce plant operating costs. This enhanced product builds upon decades of GE experience in combustion technology.
About GE Energy
GE Energy (www.ge.com/energy) is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies, with 2007 revenue of $22 billion. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Energy works in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels. Numerous GE Energy products are certified under ecomagination, GE's corporate-wide initiative to aggressively bring to market new technologies that will help customers meet pressing environmental challenges.
About GE
GE is a diversified global infrastructure, finance and media company that is built to meet essential world needs. From energy, water, transportation and health to access to money and information, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com. GE is Imagination at Work.
About Edipower
Edipower is a leading Italian generation company. In 2007, Edipower satisfied eight percent of national energy needs with 7,700 MW of operative power. The company produced 24 billion kilowatt hours, out of which 750 MW (7.3 percent) was from renewable sources (hydro) while the rest (92.7 percent) was through thermal power plants. Edipower's strength is the diversification of the energetic sources: gas (increasing use), oil, coal and water. The company is controlled by Edison (50 percent), A2A (20 percent), Atel (20 percent) and Iride (10 percent). www.edipower.it
For more information, contact:
Brian McGuire
GE Energy
+ 1 816 313 4840
brian.mcguire@ge.com
Ken Darling or Gina DeRossi
Masto Public Relations
+1 518 786 6488
kenneth.darling@ge.com
gina.derossi@mastopr.com
