Power Plant Solution

WinGD’s low-pressure, dual-fuel X-DF engines have become market leaders in the marine industry thanks to their high reliability and efficiency, as well as low CAPEX. In close cooperation with leading engineering, procurement and construction partners, WinGD has developed a modular power plant solution for the power generation market based on its highly capable X-DF genset.

The power generation market is transitioning to a scenario where the global power generation is dominated by renewable energy. In this transition, natural gas-fired power plants enable a high renewable penetration, while ensuring both grid stability and the delivery of secure energy. Natural gas-fired power plants are dispatchable at any time and they can quickly adjust the load profile to balance demand with capacity. These capabilities, combined with the inherent variability and non-dispatchability of renewable energy sources, will drive increasing market growth and demand for flexible natural gas-fired power plants. 

The WinGD X-DF genset is well-positioned to help drive this transition in global power generation. With a modular power plant approach and a simple cycle efficiency value of up to 53 % across all engine loads, the WinGD X-DF genset delivers a winning technology and an alternative solution for flexible natural gas-fired power plants.

Benefits of the WinGD X-DF genset 

With an increasing share of renewables in the energy mix, natural gas-fired power plants are changing their operation mode from a traditional baseload profile to more of a cycling profile. The higher efficiency at partial load improves functionality, while reducing both production costs and the environmental footprint. For natural gas-fired power plants, typically between 100 MW and 350 MW, Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plants achieve a very high efficiency only at baseload. From 80 % relative load, their efficiency drops below 50 %. Furthermore, for Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) plants, from 50 % relative load, the efficiency drops even more drastically than for CCGT.

The WinGD X-DF genset offers a superior efficiency compared to all other natural gas-fired power plants. 

The higher efficiency makes the WinGD X-DF genset the best technology selection for natural gas-fired power plants operating in isolated grid systems. For industrial users such as mines and paper mills, the high efficiency of the WinGD X-DF genset guarantees the lowest cost of electricity, while ensuring an adequate spinning reserve.

The system inertia of grid systems, with an increased share of renewable energies, is an important aspect to be considered. For a grid system, the system inertia is the inherent response capability of synchronously connected generators to provide resistance to frequency drops. The medium-speed genset and aero-derivative gas turbines (a typical OCGT) can provide a fast start-up to compensate for large frequency drops. However, in order to ensure both grid stability and the delivery of secure energy, it’s also important to have enough spinning reserve as a buffer to start fast-reacting generators such as the medium-speed genset or aero-derivative gas turbines. An adequate spinning reserve is also required to compensate for small and recurrent frequency drops.

The superior efficiency of the WinGD X-DF genset guarantees the best technology selection for low load operations to provide adequate spinning reserve. 

Figure 3: A comparative overview of the typical start-up time for different natural gas-fired power plants

The superior efficiency of the WinGD X-DF genset also guarantees the lowest Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions technology selection for natural gas-fired power plants.

For natural gas-fired power plants, typically in the range of 200 MW, the WinGD X-DF gensets emit up to 40% less CO2  emissions compared to typical OCGTs. 

Assumptions

Operating profile 100% / 65% / 40%
Operating hours/year 2000 / 3000 / 1000
Gas price $5/GJ
CO2 price $20/tons

 

 

 

 

 

Compared to the medium-speed genset, the WinGD X-DF genset also offers superior environmental performance across other regulated emissions such as nitrous oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM). Also, the WinGD X-DF genset does not require the additional installation of a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system*  to control the NOx emissions according to the European limits (75 mg/Nm3). This advantage offers significant capital and operational cost savings which are associated with the SCR system and its urea consumption.

Further information 

For more information on the benefits of our modular power plant solution, see our supporting documentation below.

 

WinGD-X-DF-Power-Plant-Solution

WinGD PowerPlant Application

 

* For information only, project specific assessment is needed.

 

Contact information

E-mail: powerplant@wingd.com