Capstone Gets Microturbine Orders In Europe

Capstone Turbine Corp. said it has received three separate orders for 10 C65 microturbines, totaling 650 kW, from various commercial industrial combined heat and power customers in Europe. E-quad Power Systems, Capstone’s exclusive distributor in Germany and Luxembourg, secured the orders, which are expected to be commissioned by the end of 2020.

“We are recognizing that more and more customers are making progress in overcoming the economic standstill caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Marcus Mehlkopf, founder and managing partner of E-quad Power Systems. “This has forced us and the customer to push more projects through the pipeline, further accelerating projects through the remainder of the year.”

Six natural gas-fueled C65 microturbines will be deployed in a combined heat and power application for a manufacturer of construction materials. The thermal output of the microturbines will be used in a fluid bed dryer to dry sand used in the production of plasters and mortars. The C65 units will be housed in a self-contained ISO-style container allowing for easy installation and quick deployment, Capstone said.

As part of an upgrade of an existing turbine system, two C65 microturbines will be installed in a hospital in the city of Eilenburg. The microturbines will operate in a combined heat and power (CHP) application to lower emissions, increase energy efficiency, and ensure reliable power generation for the regional hospital. The natural gas-fueled microturbines will be grid-connected and provide electricity, heating, and hot domestic water for the facility.

An additional two microturbines will be deployed at a nonwoven textile manufacturing facility that specializes in the development of bedding and technical textiles. The C65 microturbines will be utilized in a direct drying application whereby the clean exhaust gas will be utilized in the manufacturing process to achieve energy efficiency levels greater than 80%.

“These new orders continue to illustrate the strong rebound we are experiencing from the energy efficiency markets in Europe,” said Darren Jamison, president and CEO of Capstone. “Quarter-to-date, approximately 75% of our new product orders are for projects in Europe with wins in Germany, the United Kingdom, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Romania and Poland.”

Currently, in Europe, cogeneration supplies approximately 11% of the electricity and 15% of the heating demand, Capstone said.