- Clarke Energy to Provide Three of GE’s Jenbacher J612 Gas Engines to Upgrade Territory Generation’s Tennant Creek Power Station
- Project Follows a A$75 Million Upgrade at the Owen Springs Power Station in Alice Springs Announced Earlier This Month
- Projects are Part of an Electricity Cost-Reduction Drive, Spearheaded by the Northern Territory Government of Australia
DARWIN, AUSTRALIA—Clarke Energy and GE’s Distributed Power business (NYSE: GE) today announced that Clarke Energy, GE’s authorised distributor of Jenbacher gas engines, is supplying three of GE’s high-efficiency Jenbacher gas engines to Territory Generation for an upgrade at its existing Tennant Creek Power Station. Earlier this month, Clarke Energy announced it also is supplying 10 of its Jenbacher J624 gas engines to upgrade Territory Generation’s Owen Springs Power Station in Alice Springs. The two projects are part of the Northern Territory Government of Australia’s A$100 million investment in Central Australia.
Clarke Energy will supply and install three of GE’s high-efficiency, gas-fired, spark ignition Jenbacher J612 reciprocating gas engines, which will be located adjacent to the existing plant. This project, which is supporting an electricity cost-reduction drive, will provide an electrical output of 7.5 megawatts (MW), helping to increase the reliability and efficiency of power supplies and further reduce electricity costs in the Tennant Creek Township, which services communities as far as Ali Curung, which is 150 kilometers south of Tennant Creek.
“The Tennant Creek Power Station currently is made up of 20-40-year-old units that do not meet the requirements of the Tennant Creek load,” said Greg Columbus, managing director, Clarke Energy. “After a rigorous government tender process, we are pleased to be chosen once again to provide GE’s reliable, high-efficiency Jenbacher gas engine technology to help Territory Generation meet new government reforms for cost reduction by upgrading its Tennant Creek Power Station.”
In 2014, the Northern Territory Parliament of Australia implemented key reforms within the government-owned power generation authority. An outcome of the reform process was greater contestability to reduce the historically high cost of electricity paid by the Northern Territorians. This new business environment is driving local power corporations to find ways of reducing the operating costs of their power generation assets by adopting more fuel-efficient and reliable technologies.
“This upgrade will help us increase the reliability and efficiency of the power supply at the Tennant Creek Power Station, thereby helping to reduce electricity prices,” said Adam Giles, chief minister. “By implementing GE’s proven technology deployed by Clarke Energy, we also will see a reduction in noise and emissions and a significant reduction in maintenance and operating costs.”
The fundamental design of GE’s gas engines provides numerous benefits. These include increased operational efficiency, greater reliability, reduced maintenance costs and enhanced capability to operate on gases with lower calorific value or unusual composition such as coal seam and coal mine methane gas, biogas, landfill gas, flare gas, coke oven gas and syngas from gasification processes.
“GE’s J612 gas engines feature enhanced heat recovery, stable combustion, lower emissions and increased efficiency,” said Bart Simes, regional manager for GE’s Distributed Power business (please verify contact). “The cost savings experienced as a result of the Tennant Creek upgrade will also be passed on to Territory Generation’s electricity customers.”
Territory Generation is the largest electricity producer in the Northern Territory, owning 582 MW of installed capacity and contracting an additional 40 MW from independent power producers for supply to its customers.
About Clarke Energy
Clarke Energy is a leader in the engineering design, installation and long term maintenance of gas engine-based power plants. The company is authorised sales and service provider for GE’s Jenbacher gas engines in 17 countries. Clarke Energy employs over 1,000 staff and has over 4,800 MW of Jenbacher generation equipment operating in its operational areas.
Clarke Energy in Australia
GE’s gas engines have been distributed by Clarke Energy in Australia since 1999. During this time, over 282 gas engines (525 MW) have been installed in Australia and New Zealand for a variety of industries such as mining, water, agriculture, oil and gas, manufacturing and cogeneration for commercial buildings.
Clarke Energy’s Australian Head Office, located in Adelaide, employs in excess of 60 people locally with another 80+ across all states of Australia and in New Zealand servicing the installed fleet. Locally it also houses a parts warehouse which is extensively stocked to service the growing reciprocating engine business. www.clarke-energy.com
About GE’s Distributed Power business
GE’s Distributed Power business is a leading provider of engines, power equipment and services focused on power generation and gas compression at or near the point of use. Distributed Power offers a diverse product portfolio that includes highly efficient, fuel-flexible, industrial gas engines generating 200 kW to 10 MW each of power for numerous industries globally. In addition, the business provides life cycle support for more than 36,000 gas engines worldwide to help you meet your business challenges and success metrics—anywhere and anytime. Backed by our authorized service providers in more than 170 countries, GE‘s global service network connects with you locally for rapid response to your service needs. GE’s Distributed Power business is headquartered in Jenbach, Austria.
About GE Power
GE Power is a world leader in power generation with deep domain expertise to help customers deliver electricity from a wide spectrum of fuel sources. We are transforming the electricity industry with the digital power plant, the world’s largest and most efficient gas turbine, full balance of plant, upgrade and service solutions as well as our data-leveraging software. Our innovative technologies and digital offerings help make power more affordable, reliable, accessible and sustainable.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.gepower.com.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organised around a global exchange of knowledge, the “GE Store,” through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com
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For more information, contact:
Martin Smith,
Product & Marketing Manager, Clarke Energy (Australia)
+61 439 341391
martin.smith@clarke-energy.com
Alex Marshall
Group Marketing Manager, Clarke Energy (UK)
+44 7917 066 242
alex.marshall@clarke-energy.com
Susanne Reichelt
GE’s Distributed Power
+43 664 80833 2382
susanne.reichelt@ge.com
