KIRCHDORF AN DER KREMS, Austria--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The largest cogeneration plant powered by gas engines in Austria was recently commissioned in Kirchdorf an der Krems (Kirchdorf). Energie AG Oberösterreich Wärme Gmbh (Energie AG) upgraded its district heating facility by replacing the existing steam turbines with three of GE’s (NYSE: GE) latest Jenbacher J624 gas engines, allowing for greater flexibility and higher efficiency. Energie AG serves about 1,400 customers in the communities of Kirchdorf, Schlierbach and Micheldorf in Upper Austria.
“As our steam turbines reached the end of their life, we looked for a solution with a proven record for high efficiency, low emissions and flexibility. GE’s gas engine technology was the best product for our requirements,” said Dr. Andreas Kolar, CFO of the Energie AG and managing board of the Energie AG Wärme division. “Additionally, the J624’s small size allowed for us to minimize the modifications and extensions to our building, saving us time and money and allowing us to continue to meet the needs of our customers.”
Under the terms of the project, GE provided three J624, two-stage turbocharged gas engines to Integral Montage Anlagen – und Rohrtechnik Gesellschaft m.b.H., which handled the installation at Energie AG’s site. GE’s J624 gas engine has an output of 4.4 megawatts and is the world’s first gas engine with two-stage turbocharging, providing high electrical efficiency (45.4 percent), thermal efficiency (43.7 percent) and overall efficiency (89.1 percent).
The J624 units, which are running on natural gas, offer customized hydraulic integration, which gives customers the ability to achieve their desired temperature level. Its quick start/stop sequences and automatic control (depending on thermal load), allow the unit to run to the customer’s exact desired heat profile.
“For more than 60 years, our Jenbacher gas engines business has been driving technology forward as we develop solutions for the never-ending list of new technological challenges to stationary gas engines. The J624 two-stage turbocharged engines being used at the Energie AG’s largest gas engine cogeneration plant in Austria represent the latest Jenbacher technology available today,” said Karl Wetzlmayer, general manager—gas engines for GE Power & Water. “Energie AG selected our advanced technology for this important project, which will both provide heat to the town of Kirchdorf and electricity to the local grid.”
With the new two-stage turbocharger, the output of GE’s J624 gas engine has increased by 10 percent. The two-stage turbocharging is the enabling technology to increase the specific output and efficiency of the gas engine. This new technology offers significant output and efficiency advantages under hot environment conditions, and it offers a higher total efficiency for combined heat and power applications.
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