New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
New German CHP plant cuts carbon emissions
23/3/2022
News
New combined heat and power (CHP) plant has been installed in Frankfurt, Germany, for more efficient cogeneration and a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.
A €60mn MAN Energy Solutions gas-fired CHP plant has been commissioned by Stadtwerke Frankfurt (Oder). Powered by five MAN 20V35/44G gas engines, the plant provides 51 MW of electrical power and 50 MW of district heating. In addition, MAN installed a 20 MW hot water boiler, boosting thermal capacity to 70 MW.
The new plant replaces an older CHP plant which has supplied electricity to around 33,000 households and commercial customers, as well as district heating to about 19,000 households and local companies since 1997.
The new facility will cut up to 50,000 t/y of CO2 emissions for the Frankfurt (Oder) region. The older power plant burned about 60,000 t/y of lignite, whereas the new one is more climate friendly and has an overall fuel efficiency of over 90%, explained Torsten Roglin, Managing Director of Stadtwurker Frankfurt (Oder).
Handing over the new plant, Dr Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Energy Solutions, said he recognised that the military attack by Russia on Ukraine ‘is currently causing many people to view natural gas sceptically as an energy source’. However, he maintained that: ‘Flexible, gas-fired power plants like the new CHP plant in Frankfurt are an indispensable technology on the way to the energy and heat transition.’
The MAN 20V35/44G gas engines operate in combination with a newly built 10,000 m3 heat storage facility, where waste heat from the engines can be stored when heat demand is low, while continuing to generate electricity. This allows Stadtwerke Frankfurt to react quickly and flexibly to price fluctuations in the electricity market.
