Siemens to supply wind and steam turbines for renewable energy projects in Spain

Siemens Power Generation (PG) has received major orders from Spain to supply wind turbines as well as key equipment for solar-thermal power plants. ACS, Spain’s largest construction company, has ordered 50 wind turbines with a capacity of 2.3 megawatts (MW) each to be erected in four wind farms in Andalucía. ACS has also ordered an industrial steam turbine for the solar-thermal power plant Extresol I, to be built in southern Spain. Additionally, Siemens will supply steam turbines to two further solar-thermal power plants in Spain. Customers are the Spanish energy company Iberdrola and Solel Solar Systems of Israel. The total volume of all four orders is more than EUR170 million.

“Siemens has become a leading supplier of innovative renewable energy technology”, said Randy Zwirn, member of the PG Group Executive Management. “Our wind power business is growing rapidly and we are the leading supplier of steam turbines for solar-thermal power plants. The new orders from Spain emphasize our competence in delivering climate compatible, reliable and cost-efficient energy solutions for the world’s future power needs.”

Siemens will supply 50 of its SWT-2.3-93 type wind turbines to four projects in Southern Spain. The 2.3-MW-machines with a 93 meter rotor diameter belong to the most advanced wind turbines available on the market today. The scope of the contract with ACS includes the supply, transport, and the installation of all 50 turbines. Furthermore, a five year service contract is part of the order. Delivery of the wind turbines from Brande, Denmark, is scheduled to begin in February, 2008.

Spain’s role as one of the most important markets for renewable energy is steadily growing. With more than 11,600 MW of wind power capacity installed at the end of 2006, Spain was the third largest wind power market in the world, only behind Germany and the USA. With an official government target of 20,000 MW in place, the installed wind energy capacity in Spain is expected to grow with an average of more than 2,000 MW in the upcoming years.

Besides being a leading country in wind power, Spain is also pioneering the development of solar-thermal power plants. As part of the new orders Siemens will supply four SST-700 steam turbines for four solar-thermal plants in Spain. The SST-700 is a high-speed, high-pressure turbine specifically optimized for solar-thermal applications. It uses the reheat concept to improve the cycle efficiency and thus reduces plant investment costs. The turbine is also designed to handle rapid start and stop times, which are necessary to allow night-time shutdown of the plant.

Siemens had previously received orders for two SST-700 steam turbines for two solar-thermal power plants Andasol 1 and 2 near the Almerian coast of Andalusia. When the plants come on-line 2008 and 2009 they will be the largest solar power plants in the world with a collector area of 512,000 square meters and a capacity of 50 MW, each. The Andasol projects, both being built by Spain’s ASC/Cobra group, will also be equipped with thermal salt-storage, allowing the plants to run 24 hours a day during the peak summer period.