The Perfect Complement to Renewable Power Sources
Natural Gas Fills the Gaps in the Grid
In the global fight against climate change, renewable electricity generation, such as solar and wind power, are now a vital component of utility grids around the world. Intermittent energy has created a growing need for peaking or capacity firming power to fill the gaps, when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing. Enerflex’s high efficiency natural gas power generation systems offer utilities and independent power producers (IPP) the ideal plant solution to stabilize their grids and promote a wider integration of renewable energy systems.
Building Stability into the Next-Generation Grid
The growth in renewables and the expected retirement of large baseload coal-fired power stations creates opportunity for flexible gas-fired power plants and capacity firming solutions.
Also known as grid firming, capacity firming is a vital characteristic for any power generation system. While renewable power generation alternatives have become competitive with traditional power sources, they can have adverse system impacts if not carefully integrated into the grid. Wind and solar are typically non-dispatchable and their nameplate capacity does not always align with the real-time power demand.
Enerflex’s solutions can fill this gap with the ability to start quickly and generate electricity at high efficiencies. Enerflex reciprocating natural gas power generation systems provide grid stability where it’s needed ensuring reliable power at any time of the day.
Renewable Energy to Power. Enerflex Delivers.
Enerflex in Action
- Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
8.8 MW Cogeneration Hydro / LNG Power Plant
Enerflex installed and commissioned a full turnkey, cogeneration power plant operating on LNG — the first in Canada. Enerflex replaced existing assets with two modular Jenbacher JMS 624 H01 4,160V generators, producing a total of 8.8 MW. These generators ensure continuous services when demand exceeds hydro capacity to satisfy the utility network. Enerflex also supplied a fluid transfer unit that housed fresh and used oil, glycol, and the heat transfer pump system for the gasification process. An e-house was also supplied for the plant electrical equipment.
Outcome
One of the challenges Enerflex planned for was snow build-up around the plant ventilation. The Enerflex modules were designed to deal with very low temperatures, with louver baffle blockers. The engine room has a pre-heater on the ventilation ducts. The first-of-its-kind solution was completed successfully, on-time, on-budget, and with zero injuries.