POWER September 2012 - 34

TOP PLANTS
Enecogen Power Station,
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Owners/operators: Eneco and DONG Energy
Courtesy: Enecogen
The Dutch utility Eneco and the Danish energy group DONG Energy recently collaborated
in building the 870-MW Enecogen Power Station that has a thermal efficiency
above 59% and is designed for maximum operational flexibility. As part of Eneco's
strategy to lower emissions across its fleet, the combined cycle plant is designed to
quickly compensate for intermittent power produced by the utility's wind turbines.
By Angela Neville, JD
T
oday's European power generation sector
is governed by the need to meet aggressive
carbon dioxide (CO2
) emission
reduction targets. This requirement is making
renewable energy sources increasingly important
and also driving the need for dependable
gas-fired power plants with operational
flexibility to balance renewables' intermittent
generation.
With the current lack of energy storage capacity,
wind and solar power generation can
have fluctuating power levels, depending on
when the wind blows and the sun shines. " In the
future, combined cycle power plants (CCPPs)
will be expected to balance out demand peaks,
wind or sunshine shortfalls, and plant outages, "
Lothar Balling, head of Gas Turbine Power
Plant Solutions in Siemens' Fossil Power Generation
Division, told POWER in July.
On Nov. 11, 2011, the Enecogen CCPP
started commercial operations in Rotterdam's
port area after a total construction time of only
34
31 months. The new plant is able to supply
1.4 million Dutch households with reliable,
low-emission power. As joint shareholders of
the plant, Eneco, and DONG Energy both sell
the electricity and purchase the necessary gas.
The partners' total investment in the facility is
just under €700 million ($863 million).
Project Overview
Balling said that CCPPs' increased use for power
generation over the past decade stems from
their high efficiency, rapid construction and
commissioning times, and relatively low specific
investment costs compared with other generation
facilities such as coal-fired units, nuclear, or
hydro. But now the potential for fast startup,
load ramping, and grid stabilization support are
also becoming increasingly important for complementing
intermittent renewables. With its excellent
efficiency record, the Enecogen plant is
an example of a state-of-the art CCPP.
" This new power plant impressively demwww.powermag.com
onstrates
how assured supply, operating
economy, and environmental compatibility
can be harmonized, " said Balling.
The facility achieves a net fuel efficiency of
more than 59% at an ambient temperature of
11C, a relative humidity of 75%, and a cooling
water temperature of 12C. The plant's two
435-MW single-shaft units (steam turbine and
combustion turbine are arranged in a common
driveline with a double-ended generator in the
middle) are designed for 290 starts per year.
" After the start command, the full power
output is available after 50 minutes if the units
are still warm. If the units have been at standstill
for less than eight hours-called a hot
start-the synchronization with the grid will
be reached within 15 minutes, " Balling said.
The plant's other achievements include low
noise levels and no fine particulate emissions.
In addition, its ammonia-based selective catalytic
reduction technology reduces the nitrogen
oxide (NOx
) emissions significantly and
POWER | September 2012
http://www.powermag.com
POWER September 2012

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