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NEWSIn brief...Fossil fuel/renewables win over UK nuclear powerTognum to acquireAggretechThe specialist propulsionand power solutions companyTognum is to acquire75.1%of the shares in theBavarian manufacturer ofpower generator setsAggretech, subject toapproval by thecompetition authority.Aggretech produces dieseland gas-based powergenerator sets for itsseries systems business,but also offers customerspecificsolutions. Thisinvolves installing theengine, generator andsystem control unitmounted on speciallymanufactured base framesinto individually designedcentral energy plants.Most recently, in July2011, Tognum signed acontract with Aggretechfor the delivery of 50 20V4000 gas-based powergenerator sets.GE’s US$200mcontract for Saudipower stationA US $200m contract hasbeen won by GE to supplysteam turbine technologyto covert Saudi ElectricityCo.’s (SEC) PP10 powerplant from simple to combined-cycleoperation.Around 1,300 MW will beadded to the plant’scapacity. GE is selling 10of its SC series steamturbines specifically forthe PP10 combined-cycleexpansion. GE formerlysupplied 40 7EA GasTurbines for the PP10 site.Eng. Ali Saleh Al Barrak,president and CEO for SECsaid: “The conversion tocombined-cycle operationis part of our growth planto add an average of4,000 megawatts of powereach year, with a vision ofdoubling the grid capacityby the year 2020.”Two of the UK’s ‘big six'’ energy companies havepulled out of multi-billion pound plans to developnew nuclear plants leaving Britain's long-termenergy policy ‘in tatters’, say critics.RWE npower and E. ON announced last month theywould end their joint venture to build nuclearpower plants in Britain, a move which has left the£15 billion 'Horizon project - which would developreactors at Wylfa in North Wales and Oldbury-on-Severn, Gloucester - effectively dead.The German-owned companies, which operate fossilfuel and renewable generation in the UK, said theywere looking for a new owner for the HorizonNuclear Power. The utilities had planned to build upto 6,000MW of new nuclear plants in Britain by 2025and had been due shortly to announce a reactordesign choice for Wylfa,the first new plant.The decision was madebecause of the globaleconomic crisis andsignificant costs of theproject, they added.Despite pulling out ofnew nuclear, E.ON said itUK says no to nuclear?would continue to develop its £736m HumberGateway offshore wind project and its £120mbiomass plant in Sheffield, and had invested £1bn inthe past year in the UK including in highly efficientgas plants and renewables. RWE npower alsostressed it had invested £1.2 billion in newrenewable energy in the UK in the past three years.£2.5bn investment in renewable energyBritish companies have announcedplans to invest a total of £2.5bnin renewable energy projects,according to the UK Departmentof Energy.The plans could create almost12,000 jobs across the countryaccording to research by theDepartment of Energy andClimate Change.It came as as the Governmentreaffirmed its commitment tomeeting the European Union'sSilver Sponsorship at AMPS & IPEE Awards DinnerApril 18th, Hilton Metropole NEC,Birmingham: Power professionals,company excutives and theirguests, industry agents, dealersand distributors will be attendingthe AMPS/IPEE Dinner. This is onlya part of a dazzling evening whichcelebrates corporate achievementin the power industry.One evening highlight will be theDinner’s Guest Speaker - GeoffMiller, Chairman of Selectors forthe England Cricket Team.The other highlights will be thetarget for the UK, which wouldsee 15% of energy generated fromrenewable sources by 2020. Thewider EU target is 20%, which isprestigious Awards. The AMPSAwards being presented recognisethe outstanding achievements ofindividuals, departments, teamsor organisations which havecontributed to the growth anddevelopment of the powerindustry.AMPS Members AwardsCategories- Company of the Year- Lifetime Achievement AwardThe IPEE & Power IndustryAwards Categories are as follows:likely to be met by the majorityof EC nations.A separate report to theEuropean Commission showed theUK's consumption of renewableenergy increased by 27% between2008 and 2010, when itrepresented 3.3% of total energyconsumed.Wind generation rose by 46% overthe same period and the use ofbiofuels in transport rose threefold.* Product or Initiative of the Year* Product of the Year* Best Innovative Stand at IPEEExhibition* Best Stand (over 16m2) at IPEEExhibition* Best Stand (under 16m2) at IPEEExhibitionSilver Sponsors for the event are:DEIF UK, AKG, andHARSEN INTERNATIONAL.To book tickets for the Dinnerplease - visit our website onwww.ipee.co.uk6M ARCH 2012 • WORLDWIDE I NDEPENDENT P OWER