Last month, at the Gas Power Summit in Greenville, South Carolina, GE's Power Services business announced the world’s first upgrade with additive manufactured components for GT13E2 gas turbines—the new MXL2 with Additive Manufactured Performance (AMP).
The new technology can help gas plant power producers save up to $2 million in fuel annually, while opening up the potential for additional revenue of up to $3 million annually in new power capacity.
Did you know?
It normally takes 10 years of development to raise power plant efficiency levels by 1%.
In addition powering Bouchain at record-setting efficiency levels, the HA gas turbine delivers enhanced flexibility, and is capable of reaching full power in less than 30 minutes. This allows partners to respond quickly to grid demand fluctuations, integrating renewables as necessary—supporting the COP21 agreement and its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, Bouchain’s CO2 emissions are approximately 55% less than a standard thermal power plant.
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Breaking ground: Ushering in a new era of power generation
GE and EDF officially began operation of the first ever combined-cycle power plant equipped with GE's HA gas turbine in Bouchain, France, launching a new era of power generation technology and digital integration. This plant also represents the most efficient gas power plant in the world at 62.22%!
But how does a record-setting power plant efficiency percentage happen? With the help of GE’s Digital Power Plant capabilities, which helped to unlock power at Bouchain that had previously been inaccessible. Capabilities, including the digital control system, use real-time data to deliver better plant outcomes with stable and efficient operations, while providing valuable predictive insights for higher reliability and optimization.
And the numbers speak for themselves. With the capacity to generate over 605 MW, the Bouchain plant will generate the equivalent power needed to supply 680,000 homes. Additionally, the HA compressor boasts an airflow that could inflate the Goodyear blimp in 10 seconds, and the tip of the 9HA.01’s last blade clocks a speed of 1200 mph/1931 kph –1.5 times the speed of sound.
“Today is an important milestone in our industry, one that would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the many GE and EDF employees across the world who are committed to a future of increased energy efficiency,” said Joe Mastrangelo, president and CEO of Gas Power Systems for GE Power. “By tapping into the broader GE Store, we are able to collaborate on these initiatives and bring together the right hardware and software tools, as well as people to deliver these results.”
Want to learn even more about Bouchain? Check out GE Reports and get a deeper dive into the science and strategy behind this new world record.
9HA Heavy-Duty Gas Turbine
The world’s largest and most efficient heavy-duty gas turbine is now part of the world’s most efficient power plant.
combined-cycle efficiency for the 9HA
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