Siemens Power Generation is a leading supplier of environmentally compatible and climate-friendly energy technology. Our extensive portfolio of products and solutions is geared to increasing energy efficiency while reducing or preventing emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants.
We set the standards for power plant efficiency
From the very beginning of our turbine development program, we have sought to achieve ever higher levels of efficiency for fossil-fueled power plants by continually developing solutions to improve fuel efficiency. Today, ours is the most advanced technology available, allowing the highest power generating efficiency, whether for lignite- or hard-coal-fired power plants, or for combined cycle power stations. Boosting power plant efficiency with the aid of available technology is an especially effective way to avoid emissions, conserve energy resources and reduce operating costs.
Clean coal-fired power stations
But we are also thinking ahead to the next step. Considering economic realities and the need for secure energy supplies, it must be assumed that fossil fuels will continue to represent the backbone of electricity generation in the future as well. That’s why we are developing CO₂ separation technologies to assure clean coal power generation in the future. In addition to CO₂ separation, we also offer systems to monitor and reduce emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide. In these efforts, we are guided by a comprehensive approach and a very simple philosophy: the cleaner the combustion process, the less flue-gas cleaning will be required.
Energy technologies for zero emissions
In addition, we are working on ways to generate electricity with renewable energy sources. We produce powerful, reliable wind turbines and supply key components for solar thermal, geothermal and biomass-fired power plants. And through our minority holdings in AREVA NP and Voith Siemens Hydro, we are involved in nuclear power and hydroelectric energy. We have advanced the development of fuel cells for many years, and today we are the world leader in the area of solid oxide fuel cells.
We are investing in an innovative, low-emissions technology mix
Siemens Power Generation is one of the world’s most innovative companies in its field. To uphold the company’s longstanding culture of innovation, we regularly invest considerable resources in our research and development activities. To date, our engineers have developed the technologies behind more than 1,800 patents and patent applications, about half of which relate to environmentally compatible and climate-friendly technologies.
Technology of double value
With many of our products, solutions and services, manufacturing accounts for just a small fraction of their environmental and climatic impact. The actual use phase offers far greater scope for reducing their overall environmental footprint.
An energy-efficient solution, for example, not only avoids emissions and helps to conserve resources, it also keeps energy costs down, combining a lifecycle cost advantage for the customer with concrete environmental benefits.
Examples
High-efficient combined cycle power plants (CCPP)
Key features:
- Worldwide most powerful gas turbine
- Output of gas turbine 340 MW, output of CCPP 530 MW with efficiency of >60 %
Environmental value:
- Savings of 40,000 tons CO2 per year compared with 58% power plant efficiency
- Low emission rates
Customer value:
- High efficiency secures lower fuel consumption
- Reduced operating costs
- High operational flexibility
Coal-fired power plants with CO2 capture
Key features:
- Coal-fired integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) with optional pre-combustion CO2 capture as greenfield solution
- Coal-fired steam power plants with post-combustion CO2 capture for retrofit and new plants
Environmental value:
- Capture of pollutants (e.g. NOX, SO2) as well as CO2 and clean combustion in IGCC
- Post-combustion is another effective CO2 capture technology, especially for retrofitting existing coal-fired power plants
Customer value:
- Flexible feedstock, but most economical for coal
- Gasification offers fuel flexibility (coal, biomass, refinery residues, etc.) and product flexibility (polygeneration), i.e. production of synthetic fuels, chemicals or electricity
Wind energy
Key features:
- Wind power is an established, competitive technology with high reliability
- Siemens Power Generation is the world market leader in offshore wind power technology
- Repowering increases efficiency
Environmental value:
- CO2-free technology
- Siemens installed almost 6,000 Megawatt capacity from wind turbines with avoidance of more than 9 million tons CO2 per year
Customer value:
- High reliability
- No fuel costs
- Emission free
- Fulfilling renewables quota