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Toshiba to refocus on geothermal power turbines again

Toshiba to refocus on geothermal power turbines again Turbine model at the Hellisheidi power plant, Iceland (source: zoomr/ joshourisman)
Alexander Richter 18 Jan 2011

Having last delivered a turbine for a geothermal power plant in Iceland in 2007, Toshiba is now focusing again on selling turbines to geothermal projects world-wide.

Reported this morning, “Toshiba Corp. (TSE:6502) has decided to jump back into the fray for geothermal power and pursue orders for steam turbines for new plants.

Toshiba retains the leading share of the global market for geothermal turbines, but during the past decade it has focused on improvements to existing plants and has received turbine orders for only one new plant — a facility in Iceland that began operations in July 2007. During those same 10 years, rivals Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (TSE:7011) and Fuji Electric Holdings Co. (TSE:6504) have each won 40 per cent of the turbine orders for new plants.

Given the growing interest in geothermal power as renewable energy, Toshiba has decided to reinvigorate efforts to win orders for new plants by highlighting the durability of its turbines and its fast delivery capabilities .

Turbines for geothermal plants must handle the presence of corrosive sulfur in the steam, and Toshiba’s turbines with their specially designed blades are around four times as durable as conventional turbines.

Toshiba supplies these geothermal turbines as packages assembled with rotors, piping and power cables, so no adjustments are necessary at the site. Because of this, the turbines can be put in place in around four months, which is one or two months quicker than normal.

In addition to its existing line of turbines for 33 megawatt-class geothermal plants, Toshiba will also offer packages that can accommodate plants with outputs of up to 60mw.

The company aims to establish a stable business with orders for turbines for two new geothermal plants a year.”

Source: TradingMarkets