MAN supplies dual-fuel engines for floating power plants

They are part of Turkey’s Powerships fleet, supplying utility-scale flexible power supply facilities for governments and companies, including during times of natural disasters.

The contract to supply 24 18V51/60DF engines, each providing a capacity of 20.7MW for power generation, is with Karpowership – the builder, operator and owner of Powerships power-plant vessels. They will provide a total generation capacity of around 500MW, divided between several floating power plants.

“We are proud to have been ensuring secure energy supplies around the world, together with Karpowership, since 2009,” says Alexander Stöckler, head of Sales, Tendering and Project Management, MAN Energy Solutions.

“Dual-fuel technology offers customers the fuel-flexibility necessary to reliably operate their Powerships at any location.”

Powerships provides large-scale mobile power supplies using conventional engine technology in combined-cycle mode from ships and barges, It can be deployed rapidly and integrated into shore-side energy networks.

Powerships says its solutions are aimed at governments, national or regional electricity utilities, private companies, mining and port or industrial facilities, whether grid-connected or off grid, who need ‘fast-track, reliable, affordable, flexible and cleaner energy’.

A more pressing and important requirement for the principle of ‘portable’ energy supplies is in power cuts caused by natural disasters.

Global

Powerships is part of the Karadeniz Holding AS group and has more than 60 group-owned or operated ships, including a number of chartered-in vessels.

A presence on four continents provides more than 7,000MW of installed capacity in 30MW to 470MW plants and the scope of operation includes an integrated element for fuelling the plants through its LNG-to-Power projects. It has eight FSRUs, along with four FLNGTS and four LNG carriers in its fleet, with the plants also capable of operating on low-sulphur liquid fuel.

The installations are provided at coastal sites, ideally where there is a suitable electrical sub-station, along with the marine conditions for berthing or mooring. Fuel for the plant can be supplied from domestic natural gas supplied by a pipeline, bunkering or FSRU.

The floating plants are self-sufficient, including spares and on-board workshop. When required, a high-voltage sub-station is included on board, eliminating the requirement for a new sub-station onshore.

“Through our long-standing partnership with Karpowership, we have received orders for more than 150 engines and are pleased that we have been able to win its confidence once again,” says Timur Iyi, managing director – MAN Energy Solutions Turkey.

“In addition to our efficient, flexible and powerful engines, our experience and service quality have also played a decisive role: we have been able to increase the availability of the engines in Karpowership’s existing fleet over the past few years.”