DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY (May 6, 2003) --- Despite challenging industry conditions around the world, opportunities for power generation projects across Europe are increasing, a GE Power Systems executive noted at Power-Gen Europe 2003.
"We continue to see large combined-cycle power plant activity in Spain and Italy, as well as mid-sized combined heat and power plant activity in Germany," said John McCarter, President and Region Executive, GE Power Systems Sales --- Europe.
GE forecasts that over the next five years, gas and steam turbine capacity in Europe will increase by approximately 15 gigawatts a year. When renewable energy sources such as wind and hydropower are included, that number increases to about 20 gigawatts per year.
Restructuring continues to change the face of the European power industry, McCarter noted. "The major electric utilities, many of them currently or formerly government-owned and controlled, are moving to change their businesses into privately held firms. The cross-ownership of corporations is changing the landscape of our customer base day to day."
In this highly competitive environment, the overall life cycle cost of a power plant becomes increasingly critical. "Customers are demanding improved plant output and heat rate, as well as faster payback from long-term contractual service agreements," McCarter said.
Responding to these industry requirements, in the past year GE Power Systems has introduced several new technologies that can be applied in Europe, including the Frame 9FB gas turbine, designed for high levels of fuel efficiency and output for large, air-cooled combined-cycle systems; the Frame 6C gas turbine, a machine designed for low cost of electricity and offering a strong fit for heat recovery applications; and High Efficiency Advanced Technology (HEAT) steam turbines, optimized for combinedcycle power plants using GE's F-class gas turbines.
Through its GE Aero Energy Products & Services unit, GE also is a leading supplier of LM6000 and LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbines for industrial and marine applications. For more than 50 years, this GE business has provided power generating equipment to utilities, industries and marine fleets throughout the world.
GE Aero Energy Products & Services also is a leading provider of aftermarket support for aeroderivative gas turbines for power generation, mechanical drive and marine applications. Through its facilities in Houston, Texas, Rheden, The Netherlands and Agotnes, Norway, GE services a broad range of products including the GE LM gas turbine line as well as engines from Rolls Royce and Pratt & Whitney. GE also has introduced the GE Virtual Test Cell Witness, a system designed to allow customers anywhere in the world to view live operating data via the web from gas turbines being tested at a GE test cell facility.
Through its GE Energy Services business, GE Power Systems offers a wide range of services for power plant owners and operators. GE's volume of service business in Europe has increased considerably. The company's portfolio of service offerings includes long-term, contractual service agreements (CSAs) to help plant owners obtain maximum value from their existing assets; a broad spectrum of field engineering services including evaluation and optimization of plant performance; and repair offerings for GE gas turbines as well as machines from other OEMs.
In the transmission and distribution arena, GE provides energy management systems, real time control solutions, GIS software, substation automation, on-line monitoring and diagnostic equipment, portable test equipment, project management and engineering, protection and control engineering, field services and asset management.
The need for development of new oil and gas fields in Russia continues to driveopportunities for GE's oil and gas business, noted McCarter. "GE has been present in the oil and gas industry in Russia and the former Soviet Union for more than 30 years, with 400 GE-technology gas turbines and 300 compressors installed there. Much of this equipment is in pipeline service, moving natural gas from Russia to meet the growing needs of an expanding Europe."
Also providing significant opportunity for GE Power Systems in Europe is the addition of GE Wind Energy to the company portfolio. Wind is the fastest growing segment of the global power industry, and much of that activity is in Europe which has nearly three-quarters of the world's installed wind power capacity.
GE Wind Energy's 1.5-megawatt wind turbine technology is well established in Europe, with 946 of these machines in service in the region. In addition, a prototype of the company's largest wind turbine, a 3.6-megawatt machine designed for offshore applications, is operating in Spain, producing power for the grid.
Hydropower continues to play a significant role in Europe, which has more than 250,000 megawatts of installed hydro capacity. The primary growth in hydro across Europe is the rehabilitation, modernization and uprating of existing plants. GE Hydro, headquartered in Norway, is a leading supplier of equipment and services for new and existing hydroelectric plants. New technologies from GE include the patented Francis X-blade technology used to improve turbine performance and oil-free Kaplan hubs which are uniquely designed to eliminate the use of oil in Kaplan turbines and prevent possible seepage into waterways.
The nuclear industry in Europe offers opportunity as well. As an example, McCarter cited the Finn 5 nuclear project proposed in Finland.
Recent additions to the GE Power Systems family---PII Pipeline Solutions, Bently Nevada and Panametrics---also are making major contributions to GE's business activity in Europe, McCarter said. PII, based in the U.K, is a world leader in pipeline in-line inspections and integrity management services. Bently Nevada is a global leader in machinery monitoring and diagnostics. GE Panametrics provides advanced ultrasonic testing equipment and innovative process control instrumentation for a wide variety of manufacturing and industrial applications.
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