Capstone Turbine Corp. secures two new orders from large US energy firm
4/12/2011 12:00:00 AM
The longtime C65 customer will add a C800 to its growing 48-unit microturbine fleet at compressor stations throughout the region. It will move beyond its traditional microturbine application by installing a C1000 at a division headquarters – the first time the company has used Capstone microturbines as a prime-power generation source at a location other than a compressor station.
The C800 Power Package will provide 800 kilowatts of low-emission electricity at a pipeline compressor station in the Marcellus Shale play in the eastern US. After 10 years of proven results from the company's growing 48-microturbine fleet, officials decided to also purchase a C1000 Power Package to provide prime power to a large office building that houses one of the company's division headquarters.
The purchase of the two additional microturbines brings the company's total US Capstone fleet to 50.
The C800 at the compressor station, which is in a remote state wildlife area, will replace three Capstone C65 microturbines installed at the site in 2001. Upcoming expansion of the compressor station will require four times more electricity than now is available. The C65s continue to run efficiently and will be moved to another compressor station. E-Finity Distributed Generation, Capstone's mid-Atlantic distributor, secured the follow-on order for the C800.
"The company installed Capstone microturbines in remote sites over the years because the microturbines are highly reliable and because they meet stringent air quality requirements and sound restrictions," said Jim Crouse, Capstone's executive vice president of sales and marketing. "Our stellar track record with the company is a key reason they chose Capstone microturbines to supply power at a site other than compressor stations."
BHP Energy, Capstone's north-Atlantic distributor, secured the order for the natural-gas fueled C1000, which will be commissioned in the office building this summer to combat increasing utility rates and replace its unreliable power supply.
The Capstone C1000 Dual Mode system will supply 1 megawatt of continuous power to the facility, which will dramatically offset the amount of power purchased from the utility. The C1000 also will serve as a reliable backup power source. During a utility power failure, the C1000, which is grid interconnected, will take over and supply all electric power required to operate the administration building, including its critical power needs.
"A growing number of oil and gas producers around the world are turning to clean-and-green, highly reliable Capstone microturbines for prime power, as well as combined heat and power applications," Crouse said.
"Within the past year, we've received a record number of orders from oil and gas companies,” he added. “This latest order from a longtime customer confirms that energy companies are considering Capstone microturbine for applications beyond their traditional uses at wellhead sites, compressor stations and oil platforms."
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