Although Ansaldo Energia has long been involved with both steam and gas turbines, they generally acquired the technology rather than developed machines themselves. Their company literature states that Ansaldo produced its first steam turbine in 1912. Over the years, the Italian company has become a licensee or end-producer for various energy-related products. Their current offerings include gas and steam turbines, generators and microturbines.
Ansaldo’s range of gas turbines includes four models: the AE64, AE94, GT26 and GT36 with two variants of the AE94 and GT36. The GT26 and GT36 were acquired through GE from Alstom and the AE64 and AE94 (formerly V64 and V94) are of Siemens origin. With the GT36 as an exception, the other offerings are older designs that might not pique interest among certain customers but have been doing well in other parts of the world.
Enter China
Since approximately 2014, a 40% stake of Ansaldo Energia has been owned by Shanghai Electric and it has been a lucrative partnership. Forecast International’s I&M turbine database lists a spike in turbines, from Ansaldo’s whole product line, destined for China. Published orders and deliveries number approximately 18 machines between 2014 and the near future; reportedly, there have been about that amount of orders which have not been revealed.
Many of these machines are not the newer GT36s (although some are) but the AE64s and AE94s. The choice of these machines is telling as it shows that price might be more a determining factor than cutting-edge technology. Traditionally, Europe has been Ansaldo’s major market and although Europe still buys the Italian turbines, China will keep the older machines afloat for the near to mid-term future.
Be sure to visit Forecast International Power Systems analysts Carter Palmer and Stu Slade at Power-Gen International on November 19th through 21, Booth #3515
Carter Palmer has long held a keen interest in military matters and aviation. As an analyst for Industrial & Marine Turbine Forecast, Carter specializes in examining key gas turbine programs for electrical power generation, mechanical drive, and marine propulsion applications. He is also responsible for updating the reports and analyses within the Space Systems Forecast – Launch Vehicles & Manned Platforms and Space Systems Forecast – Satellites & Spacecraft products.
