- Eight of GE’s trailer-mounted TM2500* aeroderivative gas turbines are expected to provide approximately 250 megawatts of fast power
- The temporary reserve power plant is expected to run from February 2023 until end of April 2026
- GE’s flexible TM2500 units will be installed at GE’s manufacturing site in Birr, 30 kilometers east of Zurich
Baden, Switzerland — GE Gas Power (NYSE: GE) today announced it has secured an order from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) for the rental of eight of its trailer-mounted TM2500* mobile aeroderivative gas turbine units to help meet the electricity demand during the critical period towards the end of the winter season. Based on GE’s flexible TM2500 technology, the temporary reserve power plant will be located at GE’s Manufacturing Center in Birr, in the Swiss canton of Aargau approximately 30 km west of Zurich and will plan to deliver approximately 250 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the grid starting as early as in February 2023. Under the terms of the agreement, GE will be responsible for the installation, operation, and maintenance of the plant through 2026.
“We’re pleased to work with the Swiss Federal Office of Energy to help ensure we’re supporting their needs during a demanding winter energy season, demonstrating the crucial role that aeroderivative units can deliver in emergency use situations,” said Clive Nickolay, CEO of GE Gas Power’s Aeroderivative Business. “Fuel flexibility and fast installation time were crucial elements in the decision to use GE’s aeroderivative gas turbines. These units can reach full production capacity in a short time, which enables power providers to quickly meet peak demand and ramp down units and avoid wasting energy when demand is lower; and they are engineered with vast fuel flexibility. As a company with a strong commitment to and presence in Switzerland, we are proud to help SFOE to raise the generation capacity for the next four winters and help achieve a reliable source of emergency power for the Swiss communities.”
“The temporary reserve power plant installed in Birr will have dual fuel capability, and can operate on both gaseous and liquid fuels, and switch in between” added Christian Verhoeven, Chief Technology Officer, GE Gas Power Switzerland. “GE’s TM2500 gas turbines can run on several different fuel sources including hydrogen, biogas or biodiesel and synthetic fuels produced with renewable energy, the most readily available in the area, and with lower-carbon footprints, such as synthetic fuels/SAF (sustainable air fuels). This is a crucial capability that our technology offers today for tomorrow’s sustainable power generation.”
GE’s aeroderivative gas turbine portfolio currently has the capability to burn blends of hydrogen and natural gas, the specific limit depends on the combustion system configuration. The Single Annular Combustor (SAC) configuration allows up to 75% by volume of hydrogen when blended with natural gas. GE is working to expand this capability through testing in our combustion laboratory and collaboration with our customers. The trailer-mounted gas turbine requires minimal site preparation, which allows for fast delivery and installation. Once all electrical components are in place, the TM2500 can generate power within minutes at outputs of up to 34 MW in winter conditions.
Engineered for flexibility and quick dispatch, TM2500 has a small footprint for sites where space is limited. GE’s TM2500 is derived from jet-engine technology powering the world’s airlines and is mounted on a wheeled trailer for ultimate mobility. With more than 20 years of experience and over 300 units installed around the world, GE’s TM2500 is a proven solution for providing a baseload bridge to permanent power installations, or for generating backup power in the wake of natural disasters, plant shutdowns, grid instability or in isolated locations.
GE expanded its operations in Switzerland in 2015 through the acquisition of Alstom’s power generation business. GE Gas Power’s European Headquarters is in Baden, only a few kilometers away from GE’s Manufacturing Center in Birr, which was inaugurated in 1960 and provides maintenance, testing, and repair solutions globally.
* Trademark of General Electric Company.
