Current U.S. Turbine Industry - Threats & Opportunities

Written by: Wayne Karberg

 

 

With over four decades as a turbine specialist to leading utilities, his opinions are highly valued throughout the industry.  First Quality Solutions would like to sincerely thank Wayne for his expert insights into this topic, it is greatly appreciated!

 

 

In my opinion, the US "turbine" business has some considerable challenges for the next decade.  From an OEM's perspective, there focus will be less on steam turbine manufacture and sales within the US, and more on combustion turbine side.   This is due to the cost, environmental, and regulatory benefits using natural gas instead of coal.  The US steam turbine market will continue to decline (except for Combined Cycle plants), leaving the OEM's left with offering advanced upgraded components and services for existing US plants.  Foreign sales will be a hopeful "lifesaver" for a very limited number of manufacturers. 

 

The market for steam turbines has thus reached a high degree of maturity in the United States.  Advanced supercritical units that operate with initial steam conditions well above 1100 degrees F will probably not materialize here.  Only foreign markets (eg, China, India) will make significant use of such units.  The steam path geometries and manufacturing techniques involved are more complex than those used in the past, and will require advancements in both NDE and repair techniques until these units are also considered "mature", perhaps two or three decades from now.

 

I expect the Combustion turbine market to expand in the US, and sales will be driven by increased firing temperature limits due almost monthly-advancing metallurgy, cooling schemes, and coatings involved in manufacture.  Such turbines have increased operating risks, shorter service intervals, and somewhat higher maintenance costs, particularly when compared to steam turbines.  NDE and repair techniques may not be well developed for such units.



First Quality Solutions and the Steam-Turbine Industry

Written by: Kevin Kissig

While reports are sketchy, it is estimated that over 300 coal-burning power plants were slated to close in 2012 as a result of the Obama Administration’s anti-coal position, and increasing stringent EPA regulations.  This equates to over 30 gigawatts of national electricity output that will either have to be replaced or foregone.  For a company like First Quality Solutions, that for years has serviced the fossil side of the power generation industry, and the ancillary industries that support it, these are troubling statistics. 

 

Capital projects and even standard maintenance activities grinded to a halt at the vast majority of our customer’s facilities in anticipation of what was to come.  And while the boilers in many cases have been decommissioned, the need to find alternative ways to turn the generators has become a focus.  Alternatives such as gas-turbines and synchronous condensers have been proposed that would allow for utilization of the turbines without the benefits of steam produced through the use of coal-fired boilers.  Fortunately, First Quality Solutions has long-term experience and expertise with these turbines, and we’ve been able to redirect our efforts towards assisting in the conversion and maintenance activities underway at the facilities of some of our customers. 

As we look forward to a future without the benefit of coal-fired boiler outages for long-term inspection projects, we’re looking for ways to utilize our expertise with turbines to remain a valuable resource to our customers in the power generation industry.  As the government ends the era of coal-fired boilers, the need for the electricity they produced remains, the questions becomes; how will the generators that produce the electricity be turned?  Great and innovative minds continue to ponder this question and develop viable solutions. As an inspection company, our mission is to remain on the leading edge of that innovation, and constantly be a relevant and valuable resource to those that need our services.  We’re extremely interested to hear any of your questions, thoughts, concerns or ideas on this issue, please post them below.