The effective use of gas turbines and combined cycle technology in heat and electrical energy production

The modernization of the energy industry in many countries is a real challenge for both, the policy makers as well as for the power industry. Especially, the efficient satisfaction of the heat and electrical demand of big cities will remain an interesting task for supply companies and hence for today engineers and economists, because the availability of natural gas from Russia and from other deposits owning countries for the decades to come, cogeneration by using modern gas turbines and combined cycle technologies is a key and corner stone of supply, not the least for its very low emission and small environmental loading. It is the intention of this paper, to demonstrate under resource to: 1) the high potential of natural gas-based cogeneration; 2) the high efficiency of gas turbines and combined cycle plants; 3) their flexibility to cover different demands; 4) the operational experience with gas turbines and combined cycle cogeneration plants; 5) the very good environmental behavior of gas turbines. Actually, the highest utilization of primary energy resources is afforded with natural gas and described technology. Future gradual rise of gas prices can bring about a shift from the present main application in high efficiency load plants to mid range load operation of cogeneration plants. (Author)