Efficiency drive

The world’s largest gas turbine is being built by

in its Berlin factory to become the heart of a high-efficiency combined cycle power plant.

When completed after 14 months, the 440-tonne turbine - the SGT5-8000H - will have a capacity of 340MW and operate at 50Hz. At 13m long and 5m high it will be tested in a prototype plant at

, operated by

, for two years.

If the tests are successful the combined cycle plant will be extended and have a capacity of approximately 530MW with an expected efficiency of more than 60 per cent. The most efficient existing plant in

has an efficiency of 58 per cent.

Siemens is investing €500m (£163m) in the plant. 'Our intention is to prove the technology,' said Dr Wolf-Dietrich Krueger, head of gas turbines at Siemens Power Generation. 'It's very important to test a whole machine and the process behind it before we introduce a new family of turbines. If it's OK then we will go to find other customers.'