Barely two weeks after the launch of its new 500 MW FlexEfficency 50 combined cycle plant design, GE announced, on 7 June, at Power-Gen Europe in Milan, that the first project to use the new technology will be a renewables/CCGT hybrid to be built at Karaman, Turkey. Known as the Dervish project, it is being developed by MetCap Energy Investments, a Turkish project developer already familiar with FB gas turbine technology, on which the FlexEfficiency 50 builds.
The new plant will integrate the natural gas CCGT (capable, says GE, of over 61% efficiency as well as "28 minute start capability") with 50 MW of eSolar concentrated solar thermal tower capacity and 22 MW of GE wind turbines - the plant achieving an efficiency of 69% at the Dervish site conditions.
Commercial operation date is 2015. EPC services will be provided by Gama Power Systems Engineering and Contracting, Inc. The whole plant be operated with a GE Mark* VIe plant control system, with "single-button start" of the various components. It will also feature zero liquid discharge.
Dervish is thought to be a precursor of other similar gas/renewable hybrids in places where sunshine and wind are abundant, such as the Middle East. Earlier, on 6 June, GE had announced an investment and licensing agreement with eSolar, a developer of concentrated solar thermal tower technology.
Under the agreement, GE will licence and incorporate eSolar technology and software into its IRCC (integrated renewable combined cycle) offerings and standalone solar thermal power plants.
In addition to the agreements with MetCap Energy and eSolar, GE has signed a memorandum of understanding with Harbin Electric Co Ltd to support the introduction of FlexEfficiency in China. Harbin has been teaming with GE since 2003 to provide heavy duty gas turbines for projects in China.
Harbin has agreed to purchase four 9FB gas turbines from GE before the end of 2013, "including two that will incorporate FlexEfficiency technology." The purchases are subject to Harbin being awarded power plant orders, most likely for district heating facilities in China.
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