RWE Power and GE to Develop New Power Storage System
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FAIRFIELD, CONN. - December 27, 2007- RWE Power has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GE for the joint development and validation of a zero-emission storage technology (Advanced Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (AA-CAES) with higher efficiency than current available solutions. The memorandum is aimed at finding alternative paths for large-scale energy storage in an effort to better align distribution of supply and demand currently within the electricity market.
"The highly fluctuating power input is expected to increase in the future, if only because of the planned massive expansion of wind energy. Therefore it is important to address this challenge and develop concepts for efficient storage in due time," explains Dr. Johannes Lambertz, CEO of RWE Power AG, Fossil-Fired Power Plants portfolio. "Hence, RWE Power and GE will initially conduct a joint feasibility study to be completed by end of 2008. Based on the findings of this study, a first demonstration plant is scheduled for 2012."
AA-CAES is a zero-emission storage technology with higher efficiency with respect to current available energy storage solutions. A major challenge will be to develop a compressor technology that can withstand high temperatures during compression and ensure high availability of Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) power plants. To prevent this heat from being lost, it is extracted from the compressed air before the latter is stored in a cavern, and directed to a separate thermal energy storage.
"We're excited about this project because we believe that thanks to GE's vast experience in compressor technology, we have the capability to study and propose unique solutions as an alternative to the current state of art," said Claudi Santiago, president and CEO of GE Oil & Gas, which will study the compressor technology required.
The most interesting sites for CAES power plants are regions where caverns of worked-out salt mines are present. "This is an important project for GE. We are pleased to be partnering once again with RWE Power, a long time collaborator of ours," said Ricardo Cordoba, president of GE Energy, Western Europe and Northern Africa.
About RWE Power
RWE Power AG is the power generator in the RWE Group in Continental Europe and one of the largest European power producers. The generation of RWE Power draws on a broad range of primary energies: nuclear energy and lignite produced in the Company's own opencast mines in Rhineland for base load; hard coal, gas and renewable energies like water, wind and biomass for mid-merit and peak load. With its highly diversified energy mix, RWE Power offers its customers power supplies which are as reliable as they are reasonably priced and environment-friendly. Solid fuels and filter coke are also produced from lignite. About 17,000 highly qualified and committed employees work at RWE Power and its subsidiaries and affiliates at home and abroad. They generate about 6.6 billion of external revenue in 2006. RWE Power makes a major contribution to the income and strength of the RWE Group.
About GE
GE is Imagination at Work -- a diversified technology, media and financial services company focused on solving some of the world's toughest problems. With products and services ranging from aircraft engines, power generation, water processing and security technology to medical imaging, business and consumer financing, media content and advanced materials, 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.
For more information, contact:
Gabriele Peri
or Sara Hassett
or Ken Darling
or Howard Masto
GE
Masto Public Relations
Oil & Gas
+1 518 786 6488
+39 055 423 8280/3361
kenneth.darling@ge.com
Gabriele.peri@ge.com
howard.masto@ge.com
Sara.hassett@ge.com
