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a bridge to the future THE IMPORTANCE of natural gas is rising rapidly among the fossil fuels. Following coal in the 19th century and oil in the 20th, is gas now assuming the mantle as the key fossil fuel? The International Energy Agency (IEA) thinks so at any rate and has already dubbed the 21st century the “Golden Age of Gas”. And the fact is that if the current growth trend continues, natural gas will overtake coal and oil in the next ten to twenty years, to judge by its share of global primary energy consumption. One thing is certain – thanks to its high level of availability, its versatility and its comparatively benign effect on the environment, natural gas will become increasingly important to all key applications such as transportation and the provision of power and heat. Low-pollutant combustion – as far as possible devoid of dust, soot and sulfur – and low CO 2 emissions are central arguments in favor of gas. This process starts right at the beginning of the natural gas value creation chain. Turbomachinery is in operation across the globe to ensure that natural gas can be extracted safely, efficiently and reliably. Compressors and turbines likewise play a vital role in subsequent transportation, conditioning and further processing to produce chemical feedstocks or liquid fuels – and demand is growing. This is because natural gas is becoming increasingly widespread as a fuel in road, rail and especially maritime transport. Natural gas is transported globally to a growing extent in the form of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). This is an attractive alternative to gas pipelines, especially where large distances are involved, and customers are not tied to one supplier. LNG tankers and other types of vessels are now propelled by gas or dual fuel engines. As the global LNG infrastructure becomes more dense, it is foreseeable that liquefied natural gas will also offer an economical, environmentally friendly alternative fuel source for a host of other types of ships. Approximately half of the world‘s shipping traffic is now powered by a wide variety of MAN ship propulsion systems. Gas engines account for a rapidly growing share of this figure. In heat and power generation, decentralized solutions will increasingly ensure an energy supply for the future in light of a rapidly growing proportion of regenerative energy sources – and not just in Germany, although this is a prime example. In the wake of its decision, enshrined in law, to phase out nuclear energy by 2022, the Federal Republic is pursuing a particularly ambitious goal: to increase the proportion 38 Encounter
of net power generation from renewable energy in stages from 21 percent in 2011 to 80 percent in 2050. The roadmap foresees a regenerative share of 35 percent by 2020. The planned transformation of the energy landscape will not be achieved by dispensing completely with fossil-fired power plant capacity: conventional generating capacity is needed for the present, not only to cover electric base load requirements but also to provide so-called balancing energy. This is because the volatility of power generation rises as renewable energies come increasingly into play – for instance, because sun and wind parameters change constantly. Balancing energy evens out power supply and demand, thus preventing the electricity grid from collapsing. Gas-fired power stations are now the facility of choice among fossil-fuel power plants for supplying balancing energy as well as for base load purposes. On account of their very short start-up and load regulating times they are extremely flexible, suitable for decentralized use and have a favorable CO 2 balance. Gas power plants are even more interesting from the environmental, efficiency and cost point of view if they generate combined heat and power. Fuel utilization levels of more than 85 percent can be achieved by cogeneration, and the 90 percent level is within reach. Here a gas engine or gas turbine drives a generator to produce power, while the waste heat from the generator drive is used either for heating purposes, to heat service water or for process heat in industrial production. The system options with cogeneration are many and diverse. For instance, a steam turbine can be connected in series to generate further electricity using the surplus waste heat. Cogeneration is an efficient technology – and with its portfolio spanning gas engines and gas and steam turbines, MAN Diesel & Turbo offers a broad, flexible spectrum of decentralized power generating technologies to realize the transformation in the energy landscape that is required to meet climate objectives. Whether in transportation or for producing electricity and heat, whether as a replacement for coal and oil or to complement regenerative energy sources, natural gas will form the basis for the transition to a preferably regenerative future. MAN Diesel & Turbo will play a part in this with its clear strategic orientation and an extensive range of natural gas products. Encounter 39
Page 1: ENCOUNTER The World of MAN Diesel &
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Page 6 and 7: Power Plants Hungry for power The g
Page 8 and 9: Power Plants Africa - like here in
Page 10 and 11: Power Plants The Power of Friendshi
Page 12 and 13: Power Plants Markets for gas and du
Page 14 and 15: Turbomachinery Elementary parts Whe
Page 16 and 17: Turbomachinery Barking up the right
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Page 20 and 21: Turbomachinery something of a coup,
Page 22 and 23: Marine Engines & Systems Keeping th
Page 24 and 25: Marine Engines & Systems Giants of
Page 26 and 27: Marine Engines & Systems Tail wind
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Page 30 and 31: MAN PrimeServ Investing sustainably
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Page 40 and 41: Products and Services Marine Engine
Page 42 and 43: At a glance MAN Diesel & Turbo: Wor
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