Nine Capstone C65 microturbines to power battery and paint manufacturing plants in Germany

Published on: October 29, 2020

Capstone Turbine sold nine C65 microturbines to a global manufacturer of retail and industrial batteries and an automotive paint supplier. The microturbines are expected to be commissioned in early 2021.

Destined for a manufacturing facility in Ellwangen, Germany, the first order for eight C65 microturbines will be installed at a battery power manufacturing plant specializing in a wide range of consumer and industrial products and applications automotive, medical, and electrochemical storage. Together, the microturbine array will be installed in a combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) application that provides 520 kilowatts (kW) of electricity and allows for the utilization of exhaust energy to be captured for heating and cooling. The second order for a C65 microturbine will be installed at an industrial paint manufacturing plant located in Velbert, Germany.

Capstone Turbine's technology and modular design allows for the microturbine site to operate continuously, even during maintenance times. Because each unit has only one moving part, maintenance costs are usually lower than traditional power systems.

Cogeneration can bring many benefits for building a net-zero carbon society and is a key enabler in achieving the European Union's goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. A recent study by Artelys found that there is a cost-effective potential for cogeneration in the EU as a flexible solution within a highly electrified, highly renewable, and low demand net-zero emissions energy system. According to this study, optimizing cogeneration, as part of integrated energy systems could lead to an energy system cost reduction of €4.1-€8.2 billion and has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 4-5 MtCO2 annually.