On behalf of the Italian energy technology company Ansaldo Energia, MAX STREICHER S.p.A. has been involved in the construction of a new energy generation area at the Tavazzano & Montanaso power plant (short: Tavazzano). The power plant, located south-east of Milan, is an important milestone on the road to Italy's energy transition: The aim of the project was to achieve a high level of efficiency while simultaneously minimising CO2 emissions. To achieve this, a so-called combined cycle power plant was implemented, which operates a gas turbine and a steam turbine through a waste heat boiler.
The entire power plant site covers an area of around 70 hectares. The plant is located close to important electricity consumption centres - in particular near Milan, which is around 25 kilometres away - and guarantees sufficient water availability to supply the power plant the whole year. The power plant is a pioneer of the energy transition in Italy, as it was one of the first industrial sites in the country to receive ISO 14001 environmental certification in 2000. It is also certified in accordance with the ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management system and is listed in the European EMAS register.
Now the efficiency of the power plant should be increased as part of a new project. STREICHER was commissioned to build and install the gas supply for the power plant unit, the so-called fuel gas supply system, consisting of volume measurement, preheating and pressure control, and to install the mechanical auxiliary systems. The entire gas system is H2-ready and designed for the future mixed gas operation of natural gas and hydrogen. The new power plant block achieves an overall efficiency of 63% in the combined cycle. This makes the project a role model for further sustainable energy generation in Italy.