RWE Power, a division of the Germany-based RWE Group, has announced that it is taking a new path in power generation in Europe with its power barge pilot project.
According to RWE, environmentally-friendly, combined-cycle gas turbine power stations will be erected on floating pontoons that will be flexibly moved and deployed between the various destinations. The first RWE power barges are expected to be available from 2010.
The energy company said that, a number of target countries do not have sufficient capacity of their own to cover their rising electricity needs until 2015/16. Peaks in demand especially arise in the summer months when numbers of air conditioning units are running and the electricity grids reach their limits during peak load hours. It said that, tugs are used to bring the floating units to the desired location. The 30-by-100 meter units are then anchored and connected to the gas or electricity grid.
Johannes Lambertz, CEO of RWE Power, said: “We will be able to provide electricity quickly and reliably exactly where it is needed at a given time. It is also a low risk way of exploring new growth markets for large projects on land.
“We are also looking for partner companies in the target countries who can support us with expertise and local knowledge in selecting locations and the authorization procedure.”
