PGE/REWE 2015

Sessions Speakers Exhibitors Products Press Releases Show Specials Floor Plan

From Base to Cycling Operation - Innovative Operational Concepts for CCPP (Room G104, Auditorium Centre, First Floor)

The increasing share of renewable energy and high fuel prices in Europe changed the operational profile of the combined cycle power plants (CCPP) dramatically. Facing far less operating hours than expected in the business plans, CCPP nowadays need to encounter operational scenarios starting from volatile and less predictable phases of duty to mid-term preservation or even mothballing the plant. With decreasing megawatts generated, the utility will face the need to generate the remaining megawatts most efficient and to be available whenever the energy market is paying premium prices for generated energy or frequency control reserve. The paper will point out the optimization potential for an operating combined cycle fleet addressing the new operational aspects with special focus on startup and shut down improvements. This includes hot starts after night stops as well as starts after longer offline periods, considering the possibility to keep the steam cycle in heated condition. The paper contains the showcase of a European operating CCPP presenting a high potential of operational flexibility enhancements.