Germany’s MAN Turbo has staked out its territory in the green energy sector with EUR100 million-worth of orders for steam turbines to be used at concentrated solar thermal, biomass and waste-to-energy facilities.
Under a landmark order from Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Future Energy Company, MAN Turbo is to supply a 125 MW steam turbine for the Shams 1 solar power plant, the largest plant of its type in the world. The $400 million project is being developed near Medinat Sayed and the steam turbine will be the largest ever used in a CSP plant.
MAN Turbo says it has also won an order to supply an 80 MW steam turbine to the largest waste-to-energy plant in Great Britain, and is also to supply two steam turbines for the expansion of two waste processing plants in Germany and Switzerland.
“The proportions of different energy sources will change in the future, meaning that renewable energy will play a greater role,” said Dr. Hans-O. Jeske of the MAN Turbo board. “For example, CO2 reduction goals will lead to a greater demand for energy sources such as solar heat. Also, operators of so-called classic industries will place higher and higher emphasis on [energy efficiency].”
MAN Turbo has demonstrated the performance of its steam turbines in two CSP plants in Spain. The Andasol 3 plant in Andalusia and the Ibersol plant in the southwestern section of the Iberian peninsula both use 50 MW MAN Turbo steam turbines.
MAN Turbo says that its steam turbine concept allows CSP plants to work with increased efficiency.
In the UK, MAN Turbo will supply an 80 MW steam turbine to a waste-to-energy plant under construction in southeast London. The plant will consist of three incineration lines, each processing around 32 tons of waste per hour, and will deliver electricity to around 66 000 households.