Alstom secures contracts to reduce emissions at power plants in the USA, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan

Alstom, a supplier of Air Quality Control Systems (AQCS) has been awarded contracts worth globally over €240 million for emissions control at power plants in Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Increasingly stringent environmental regulations worldwide are fueling the growth of the AQCS market globally. This trend is set to continue due to the large number of installed coal-fired power plants in North America and Europe, and the massive scale of new fossil-fired power plant development in Asian countries, in response to high demand in these fast growing economies. Alstom has developed a leadership position in supplying AQCS worldwide for power and industrial applications, proposing the most efficient and cost-effective solutions.

In Taiwan, Alstom has secured a contract from CTCI to supply AQCS packages for the 3 x 800 MW coal-fired Linkou Renewal Power Plant being developed by the Taiwan Power Company. The scope of the order includes supply of the Seawater Flue Gas Desulphurization (SWFGD) system and the Particulate Removal System with Fabric Filter solution.

The Linkou Renewal project will build an ultra supercritical coal-fired power plant on the existing site of a 2 x 300 MW subcritical plant. The air quality control equipment to be supplied by Alstom will significantly reduce SO2 and particulate emissions, in compliance with environmental regulations in Taiwan, which are extremely strict by international standards. The renewed units 1 and 2 are expected to enter commercial operation in 2015 and 2016, while the third unit will enter operation in 2020.

This will be Alstom’s first SWFGD system supplied in Taiwan. Alstom has installed 106 of these units in different parts of the world, corresponding to a total equivalent capacity of about 38 GW of seawater flue gas desulphurization.

In Saudi Arabia, an Alstom - Cerrey SA de CV consortium has been awarded the contract to supply boilers and air quality control equipment for the Ras Tanura Integrated project. The contract has been awarded by Fluor Transworld Services, responsible for building the petrochemical complex for Sadara Chemical; a joint venture between Dow Chemical and Saudi Aramco. The Dow-Aramco petrochemical complex, which is said to be the world's largest, will comprise 30 world-scale production plants.

Alstom’s consortium partner, Cerrey SA de CV is responsible for the design, fabrication and delivery of 6x80 MW oil and gas-fired boilers and Alstom for the AQCS system, consisting of a Selective Catalyst Reducer and Alstom’s patented NID flue gas desulphurization system for each boiler. The AQCS system will reduce sulphur emissions by 95%, nitrous oxide emissions by close to 90% and almost completely eliminate particulate material emissions. Cerrey SA de CV is owned 25% by Alstom and the VU-60 type boilers being supplied for this project, are licensed from Alstom.

NID is Alstom’s patented Dry Flue Gas Desulphurization (DFGD) system, which has gained a lot of momentum recently because it offers lower capital and operation costs when compared to some other FGD systems. Alstom has installed more than 8 GW of this technology in the power generation industry with significant installations in the Waste to Energy and Iron and Steel industries as well.

In the United States, Alstom has been awarded a contract by a joint venture between the construction firm Kiewit Power ConstructorsEnergy Co. and the engineering firm Burns & McDonnell for the supply of DFGD systems including Fabric Filters for two coal-fired units located in the US. These units are expected to reach commercial operation by 2014.

The DFGD systems and Fabric Filters supplied for these units will cut suphur dioxide emissions (SO2) and particulate emissions from the two units, thus significantly improving the air quality in the neighboring region.

The Alstom DFGD solution supplied is the Spray Dryer Absorber (SDA) technology that offers very high sulphur removal rates for low to medium sulphur coals, which are predominantly used in the United States. Alstom has vast experience in this technology, spanning over 30 years. The first commercial Alstom SDA installation was for Montana-Dakota Utilities at the 440 MW Coyote power plant in 1978. Since then, Alstom has provided more than 15 GW of its SDA technology worldwide in both power and industrial applications.

Commenting on these contracts, Andreas Lusch, Senior Vice President of Alstom’s Steam business said, “We are seeing sustained growth in the environmental control systems business. These latest contracts desmonstrate the competitive edge of Alstom in the AQCS field, on a global scale.”