- The Sky Global Power One Power Plant
Provides One Solution to Help Solve Texas’ Energy Challenges
- Due to Increasing Installed Base of
Renewable Power in ERCOT Region, Plant Must Provide High
Flexibility to Offset Volatility of Wind and Solar and Ensure Grid
Stability
- Six-Unit Order Represents Largest North
American Power Project for GE’s 60-Hertz J920 FleXtra Gas Engine
Technology
GE (NYSE:GE) today announced the opening of Sky Global Partners,
LLC’s “Sky Global Power One” power plant, which features six of
GE’s Jenbacher J920 FleXtra gas engines—representing the first six
60-hertz, 8.6-megawatt (MW) units to be in commercial operation in
the United States. The plant is located in Colorado County, Texas,
and will supply peaking power to meet the power demands of the
18,000 members of San Bernard Electric Cooperative (SBEC) in an
eight-county region of south Central Texas.
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Six of GE's 60-hertz, Jenbacher J920
FleXtra gas engines are powering the new Sky Global Power One power
plant in Colorado County, Texas. (Photo: Business Wire)
GE provided six of its 60-hertz, Ecomagination qualified,
8.6-megawatt (MW) J920 FleXtra ultra-fast response, natural
gas-fired engine generator sets for the 51-MW Sky Global Power One
project, including a multiyear service agreement to increase asset
availability. The plant will use no more water than a single
residence. Sky Global Partners will sell peaking power generation
to the San Bernard Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SBEC), which
supplies electricity to more than 18,000 members. This partnership
between Sky Global Partners and SBEC allows SBEC to participate in
the value of the project through its investment in the purchased
power over time.
“This project is a testament to our strong relationship with Sky
Global Partners. The plant will not only serve the electrical needs
of our membership when needed, but it also will be a merchant plant
for others when not serving our needs,” said Billy Marricle,
president and general manager of San Bernard. “This is a
significant part of our power strategy going forward and provides
us with protection from electricity exchange price spikes and the
opportunity to increase the value of our cooperative.”
Due to the increasing installed base of renewable power
generation in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
region and the intermittent nature of these energy sources, the
power plant must be able to provide a very high degree of
flexibility within a short period to offset the volatility of the
wind and solar resources, thus ensuring grid stability.
While GE supplied the core equipment consisting of six engines
and the exhaust emission reduction systems, Sky Global Partners
contracted with Haskell to design and construct the overall power
plant. Sky Global Partners is the managing partner. SBEC’s
participation in the project includes not only purchasing power,
but also active participation in the management of the power plant.
The financial collaborators for the plant are Sky Global Partners,
Prudential Capital Group and The Lincoln National Life Insurance
Company.
“For over a decade, Sky Global had been seeking a means to
improve the value of power supply for the public power sector in
Texas. This project is the first to achieve that vision, which is
largely due to the combined efforts of GE’s technology, Haskell’s
execution, Prudential Capital Group’s unique financing structure
and the strategy of SBEC’s leadership,” said Frank Rotondi,
president and CEO of Sky Global Partners.
Texas produces and consumes more electricity than any other
state, accounting for more than one-tenth of total U.S. energy use.
Contributing factors include its large and growing population,
extreme summer temperatures and extensive industrial/manufacturing
sector. When compared to the rest of the country, Texas has a
higher concentration of energy-intensive industries such as
aluminum, chemicals, forest products, glass and petroleum
refining.
“Currently, more than one in six people in the world lack access
to electricity, and one in three can’t depend on the sources they
have1. Countries like the U.S. that have reliable access face big
challenges as they look to upgrade aging infrastructure while
making economic, environmental and efficiency improvements.
Reliable and flexible power is key to economic success,” said
Heiner Markhoff, president & CEO for GE Water & Distributed
Power at GE Power. “As Texas continues to grow, it must invest in
more power generation to ensure a reliable and affordable supply
during peak power, and the Sky Global Power One project is one
solution to help solve Texas’ energy needs. The best-in-class
electrical efficiency of GE’s Jenbacher J920 FleXtra gas engines
adds up to big savings in fuel over the life cycle of a plant.”
About San Bernard Electric Cooperative, Inc.
San Bernard Electric Cooperative, Inc. began in 1939, when
several leaders from Austin and Colorado Counties became interested
in securing service for their farms. As a result of their efforts,
the cooperative was incorporated in November of 1939. The
cooperative derived its name from the San Bernard River, which is
the common boundary between Austin and Colorado Counties. The first
89 miles of power lines were built in 1940 and energized on
December 31st, 1940. They served 141 members in the rural areas of
Colorado and Austin Counties. Currently the Cooperative has
approximately 3,900 miles of line serving approximately 25,000
meters in eight Texas counties – Austin, Colorado, Fayette, Grimes,
Harris, Lavaca, Montgomery and Waller.
About Sky Global Partners, LLC
Sky Global Partners, LLC (Sky Global) is an independent power
producer founded in 2007 with a fresh approach to serve evolving
energy markets today. As leaders in the power generation industry,
our mission is to design, build, finance, own and operate
customized special purpose electric generation for Municipal
Utilities, Rural Electric Cooperatives, Oil & Gas Producers,
and Large Industry throughout the United States.
Sky Global Partners, LLC was founded in 2007 by a group of
individuals with over 4,000 MW of completed independent power
development, financing and operational experience. The members of
the management team have built and operated power plants and other
energy supply sources, managed all aspects of electric generation
development and presided over multibillion-dollar energy
commodities trading and marketing businesses.
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. Follow GE Power on Twitter @GE_Power and on
LinkedIn at GE Power.
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 organized
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
1 Source:
http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/resources/energydevelopment/
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GE’s Distributed PowerSusanne Reichelt, +43 664 80833
2382susanne.reichelt@ge.com
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