INTEREST FOR LIQUID FUELS IN POWER GENERATION GETS RENEWED

As investments in power additions are under scrutiny, the viability and sustainability of generation projects are increasingly challenged by planners, and the debate about the most appropriate primary energy and prime mover is renewed with a sharper focus. Faced with limited forecasts on future growth, today's power generators are looking cautiously at power addition blueprints and placing increased emphasis on equipment versatility and fuel flexibility in a move to eliminate single fuel reliance. Heavy duty gas turbines (HDGTs) can mitigate the uncertainty about operation factor and plant capacity thanks to versatile and modular installation schemes; in addition, they open the door to large clusters of alternative primary energies. In this context, it is important to note that liquid fuels are making a comeback in the power generation scene. This is due to the tactical advantages inherent to liquid fuels such as multiple sourcing, ease of transportation, and existing infrastructures. Liquid fuels as primary energies cover a wide product range from Super Light Hydrocarbons (naphtha, gas condensates and natural gas liquids) to ash forming fuels through aromatic cuts (BTEX, C9+), heavy distillates, synfuels, gasification derivatives (methanol & dimethyl ether: DME) and biogenic fuels (ethanol, biodiesel). This paper stresses the importance of fuel flexibility as a requirement for plant versatility and offers a review of the main liquid fuels that are accessible to gas turbines.