Continuous design improvements
In the early years, the natural gas Series 4000 enjoyed major success on the market in greenhouse nurseries, especially in the Benelux countries. “In Germany, gas engine systems are a recurring feature in orders from municipal utilities, being used as CHP plants to supply power and heat to industrial operations. MTU gas engine systems are now in operation in 48 countries around the world,” explained Carsten Baumgarten, who leads the development of the series. The current mark-4 version of the Series 4000 gas engine can be supplied as a natural gas, biogas or special gas engine with 8, 12, 16 or 20 cylinders, covering a power range from 800 to 2,600 kW and running for up to 8,000 hours per year, depending on the application.
Preferences in the power generation market are trending towards sustainable power supplies. “Gas engines are increasingly in demand to compensate for the natural volatility of solar and wind power by generating what is referred to as load-balancing power and also for decentralized energy generation in emerging markets,” explained Görtz. “As one of the core elements of our microgrids – autonomous, decentralized power grids – gas systems can make a significant contribution to the move towards renewable energies.”
Press photos are available for download from www.rrpowersystems.com/press
Read more about Rolls-Royce power generation based on medium-speed engines at www.rolls-royce.com/bergen