GE’s Distributed Power business announced that AB, a globally leading combined heat and power and biogas project developer based in Italy, has purchased 115 of GE’s high-efficiency Jenbacher Type 3 and Type 4 biogas engines. AB will offer the units to agricultural sector customers as a cost-effective alternative to upgrading existing engines at their sites.
Following a 2012 boom in agricultural biogas projects driven by government incentives, industry demand for new biogas development began to slow down. In response to this industry development, the new engine order illustrates AB’s new service strategy to give agricultural customers a cost-effective new option to repower their existing biogas energy facilities.
AB is offering the attractive replacement program for Jenbacher gas engines when they reach their recommended operating hours schedule for a minor overhaul. To save the customer time and money, AB offers on-site replacements with overhauled engines, including upfront delivery for engines that needs to be changed out. The customer receives an original Jenbacher engine that meets the latest technology standards and is aligned with the end user’s business needs. Meanwhile, the operator’s first engine will be overhauled at Orzinuovi and later will be returned to service during the next scheduled engine overhaul.
Installing a Jenbacher J320 long block engine under the replacement program will allow AB to offer an agricultural biogas plant operator 2,000 additional operating hours of power production in downtime savings, an estimated 2,700 tons of biomass savings and approximately €600,000 in additional income over 15 years. Meanwhile, the new long block engine offering continues to improve local air quality by helping the operator reduce the need to flare off biogas during the overhaul.
Based on press release by GE Distributed Power
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