Enecogen, cleanest gas plant in The Netherlands, now officially operational
As of today, the Netherlands boasts one of Europe's cleanest gas-fired electricity plants. With the blowing of a steam whistle, the Enecogen plant was officially put into operation by the CEO’s of DONG Energy and Eneco. The total investment of the plant amounts to 652 million euros.
The Enecogen power plant adds to The Netherlands power production with a production capacity corresponding to the electricity consumption of 1.4 million households. With an efficiency of 59.5% the power plant is the most efficient power plant in The Netherlands. The highly efficient turbines together with the DeNOx installation capturing nitrogen oxides makes Enecogen a clean competitor compared to other gas-fired and especially coal-fired plants.
About Enecogen – facts and figures
The 870 MegaWatt gas-fired (STEG) plant consists of two identical generating units and has an efficiency of over 59.5%, which is especially high compared with coal-fired plants that have an efficiency of less than 50%. As a result, the Enecogen plant emits substantially less CO2 per unit of electricity. The plant's units are designed to handle 290 starts a year and reach full capacity within approximately 50 minutes. This enables optimal adaptation to fluctuations in electricity demand. The plant was constructed by Siemens and 30 subcontractors within a period of 31 months. Over 800 people in the peak time were responsible for the installation of the 9,700 tons of machinery, 1,000 tons of pipelines, 2,500 tons of steel constructions, 23,000 m3 of concrete and 300 kilometres of cable that form the plant. At Enecogen safety had and will have the highest priority.
We are well on our way to reduce CO2 emissions with 50 percent by 2020 because of our persistent focus on expanding our offshore wind power capacity and replacing coal with natural gas and biomass. Our investment in Enecogen is a confirmation of this and of our strong commitment to be an active player in the North West European markets.
We are very pleased with this new plant, which is fully in line with our strategy to improve the sustainability of the energy supply. Enecogen improves our ability to balance the fluctuations in the electricity produced by our wind farms. Our wind portfolio now totals nearly 1,000 MegaWatt and our sustainable generating facilities continue to expand. In combination with our own –also new- gas storage facility in Epe (Germany), Eneco has created a sustainable production triangle that combines wind farms, gas plants and gas storage and offers –also for our clients- sustainable benefits.
