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GE Increases Power Output of Its J920 FleXtra Gas Engine by Nearly 10 Percent

GE | April 27, 2017

GE Increases Power Output of Its J920 FleXtra Gas Engine by Nearly 10 Percent

GE Worked with Pilot Customer Stadtwerke Rosenheim to Develop Next Evolution of Its Jenbacher J920 FleXtra Gas Engine
New Offering from GE Helps Promote Germany’s Energy Transition Plan and Energy Security in Europe
Modification and Upgrade Increases Number of European Homes that Can be Served by Existing Engine from 18,500 to More than 20,000

As Germany transitions to greater energy efficiency through its Energy Transition plan, it looks to increase the use of natural gas to enable renewable energy and reduce emissions. Helping to promote energy security in Europe, GE’s Distributed Power (NYSE:GE) today announced it has worked with pilot customer Stadtwerke Rosenheim to develop a modification and upgrade for its Jenbacher J920 FleXtra gas engine that increases the power output of the engine by nearly 10 percent—an increase from 9.5 megawatts (MW) to 10.38 MW for the 50-hertz unit.

The power boost of more than 0.8 MW electrical output has increased the number of European homes that can be served with power from 18,500 homes to more than 20,000, and this additional output comes from the existing engine, which has been upgraded. The modified and upgraded pilot engine already contributed reliably to the power and heat supply of the city of Rosenheim last winter.

“A macrotrend in power generation is the growing need for grid stability, creating demand for more flexible power using multiple smaller power generation units as an addition to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar,” said Dr. Götz Brühl, CEO of Stadtwerke Rosenheim. “With the modification and upgrade, we can produce more power and heat for our customers from our existing J920 FleXtra gas engine, providing an even more cost-effective, value-added solution in the same footprint.”

GE’s Jenbacher 50-hertz J920 FleXtra gas engine breaks the 10-MW threshold. Illustrated by the example of a 100-MW power plant where it can now meet the net power output with one less engine. The gas engine is Ecomagination qualified, and with the highly efficient 10-MW gas engine platform, a European facility could reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by as much as 78,000 metric tons for a 100-MW power plant over the course of a year, which is equivalent to the CO₂ emissions from more than 41,000 cars on European roads.

The natural gas-fired Jenbacher J920 FleXtra combined heat and power system (CHP) provides electricity and thermal power (hot water) for local residents and industrial customers with a lower carbon footprint compared to conventional power plants, supporting Germany’s effort to reduce greenhouse emissions by 40 percent by 2020. Also, the Jenbacher J920 FleXtra gas engine’s short startup time increases Stadtwerke Rosenheim’s operational flexibility to overcome the challenges of intermittency associated with adding more wind, solar and other renewable energy supplies.

“European customers are searching for cost-effective solutions to cover their energy demands, and regulations require high total energy efficiency and low emissions. Using a Jenbacher J920 FleXtra gas engine for CHP applications and reaching a total energy efficiency of 90 percent and more is a very attractive option for municipality customers, as it can provide an environment-friendly, reliable and economical solution to meeting the region’s energy demand,” said Niall Prendiville, general manager, J920 FleXtra product line for GE’s Distributed Power. “GE and Stadtwerke Rosenheim share more than a decade of gas engine innovation, which made the company an excellent associate to work with to develop this modification and upgrade that will help it provide more flexible power and heat to its business and residential customers.”

The modification and upgrade is part of the planned evolution of the Jenbacher J920 FleXtra gas engine. Two-stage turbo charging with higher boost pressure is the enabler for such upgrades and increasing power output. The Jenbacher J920 FleXtra gas engine is now a 10.38-MW engine manufactured in the company’s Jenbach, Austria, facility. The new 10.38-MW offering is for 50-hertz applications, while the 9.34-MW offering is for 60-hertz applications.

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About GE’s Distributed Power

GE’s Distributed Power is a leading provider of engines, power equipment and services focused on power generation and gas compression at or near the point of use. Distributed Power offers a diverse product portfolio that includes highly efficient, fuel-flexible, industrial gas engines generating 100 kW to 10 MW of power for numerous industries globally. In addition, the business provides life cycle support for more than 35,000 gas engines worldwide to help you meet your business challenges and success metrics—anywhere and anytime. Backed by our service providers in more than 150 countries, GE‘s global service network connects with you locally for rapid response to your service needs. GE’s Distributed Power is headquartered in Jenbach, Austria.

About GE Power

GE Power is a world leader in power generation with deep domain expertise to help customers deliver electricity from a wide spectrum of fuel sources. We are transforming the electricity industry with the digital power plant, the world’s largest and most efficient gas turbine, full balance of plant, upgrade and service solutions as well as our data-leveraging software. Our innovative technologies and digital offerings help make power more affordable, reliable, accessible and sustainable.

For more information, visit the company's website at www.gepower.com. Follow GE Power on Twitter @GE_Power and on LinkedIn at GE Power.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com