West Coast Power Provider Adopts GE Energy's Opflex(TM) Wide Wobbe Controls Technology
NEW ORLEANS, LA.-December 12, 2007-GE Energy has won an order to supply its OpFlex(TM) Wide Wobbe solution to combined-cycle plants operated by a California-based power generation company. The model-based control (MBC) technology will be installed on four 7FA+e gas turbines at power plants in the southwest region, along with Mark(TM) Ve control system upgrades on two units.
In line with the current drive to burn fuel with a greater compositional variation, the plants are gearing up to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) from an offshore terminal in early 2008. Installing the OpFlex Wide Wobbe system will enable the turbines to operate with compositional fluctuations in the natural gas-derived fuel while maintaining performance, reliability and operating flexibility. When running LNG, flame stability, emissions and dynamics issues are typical operational concerns due to the greater variation in fuel composition. The MBC technology automatically adjusts control parameters based on actual gas turbine performance and environmental conditions, allowing the units to operate within ± five percent variation from a baseline Wobbe index while staying within emissions constraints.
The OpFlex Wide Wobbe system will complete installations in fourth quarter of 2007 and first quarter of 2008. The Mark Ve control upgrades were recently completed and are the first installations of the Mark Ve control system with MBC technology.
"We are delighted that GE Energy's technology allows our customers to meet the challenges of an ever-changing energy landscape," said Dan Heintzelman, president of GE Energy's services business. "Having the flexibility to burn fuel of fluctuating composition is a key benefit in today's competitive power market. We are excited about this model-based controls system and are developing additional ways in which this technology can be applied to deliver further operational and performance benefits."
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 2006 revenue of $19 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.
For more information, contact:
Catherine Edenborough
GE Energy
+44 1420 595872
catherine.edenborough@ge.com
howard.masto@ge.com
Gina DeRossi or Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
+1 518 786 6488
gina.derossi@mastopr.com
