Siemens, Evonik and E.ON recently signed contracts to build a new combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant for energy supply to Marl Chemical Park, Evonik’s largest production facility. For this joint project, Siemens has agreed to supply the CCGT. Siemens has also been awarded a multi-year service contract to maintain the gas turbine and ensure that it meets high standards for performance, availability and reliability.
Marl Chemical Park currently receives electricity and steam from three power plants consisting of a total of five generating units. The oldest of these is Unit 3, which in a few years is expected to reach the end of its useful operating life and be replaced with a new CCGT plant with 60-MW electric capacity. E.ON is planning to build the new plant at a central location at Evonik’s production facility, and the plant is expected to enter service in 2015. By switching from coal-fired power to natural gas generation Evonik is likely to reduce its carbon emissions at Marl by about 280,000 metric tons annually.
Once in service, Evonik will control and have operational and legal responsibility for the power plant while E.ON will plan, finance and build the new Marl plant and provide a number of services related to its operation. E.ON Energy Projects, a subsidiary of E.ON, will build the plant. Caspar Gammelin, President Site Services at Evonik said the new CCGT will be an important step toward updating Marl Chemicals Park’s power and steam supply which will be a reliable and cost-effective source of heat and power well into the future.
According to Ingo Luge, CEO of E.ON Deutschland, “distributed generation is an important aspect of the transformation of Germany’s energy system, to which we intend to make a substantial contribution.” Markus Tacke, CEO of Siemens Energy’s Industrial Power business unit said, “Combining an SGT-800 gas turbine and an SST-300 steam turbine is a proven solution. Together they create a CCGT that optimally meets today’s requirements for operational flexibility and reliable performance over the long term. The gas turbine generates electricity extremely efficiently and economically.”