Siemens performs first large gas turbine exchange in the U.S.

Earlier this year, Siemens embarked on a project to replace the gas turbine section (V84.2) at PowerSouth’s McWilliams power plant in Covington County, Alabama with a newer, more efficient section that is providing numerous benefits. The newer SGT6-2000E is known for its reliable performance and, in this case, was the perfect, and economically viable, alternative to simply continuing to replace parts and provide maintenance upgrades at regularly scheduled intervals. The McWilliams plant is now equipped with Siemens’ innovative Si3D blades, which are characterized by an aerodynamic design with optimal efficiency.

After the exchange project, the McWilliams plant is now producing 114 megawatts (MW) of cleaner energy, up from an average of 102 MW previously, due principally to improvements in gross simple cycle efficiency from approximately 31 percent to approximately 35 percent. In addition, NOx emissions have decreased from 13-16 parts per million (ppm @ 15 percent O 2) to 10 ppm.

"This is a terrific example of how ingenuity, technical expertise and a commitment to making energy cleaner come together to provide measurable benefits to customers and consumers alike," said Vinod Philip, CEO Service Power Generation at Siemens Gas and Power. "As the world pays closer attention to how energy is produced and consumed, it is incumbent upon companies like Siemens to help our customers address these concerns with innovative, cleaner energy solutions such as the Brownfield Engine Exchange program."

There is a need worldwide for BEX programs as energy efficiency is essential in reaching climate goals. For many turbines in operation, BEX offers a cost-effective and fast solution to traditional maintenance and can increase efficiency and cut greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.

Another trendsetting example for making fossil energy greener is the Braskem project in Brazil. In this modernization project two SGT-600 gas turbines are co-fired up to 60 percent with hydrogen. This will result in greater efficiency for the production process of the industrial unit of the Petrochemical Complex and an emission reduction.

Siemens is a leader in the drive to a decarbonized energy system and making energy greener is a continuing core focus area as renewables and low-carbon fossil energy pave the way into a sustainable future. Under this umbrella, Siemens continues to innovate in sustainable energy solutions such as low and no carbon fuels, Power-to-X, grid stability, battery storage, energy efficiency, fuel flexibility and more.