Oil Processing in the Largest Wind-Diesel Hybrid Power Station in the World
The latest installation is a co-operative venture involving the largest wind-diesel hybrid power station in the world on the Caribbean island Bonaire. The main factor in autonomous power generation in this respect is a newly built wind farm. However, where calm or storm conditions prevail, or if consumption peaks occur, a diesel engine power station serves as backup in order to assure power supplies at all times.
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The island of Bonaire, 85 km off the coast of Venezuela, is geographically part of the Lesser Antilles. Soon Bonaire will be the first island in the Caribbean to cover all of its energy needs with renewable sources.
Heavy oil and lubricating oil processing facility required
This requires a heavy oil and lubricating oil processing facility which has been supplied by GEA Westfalia Separator Group, as has a Westfalia Separator® ViscoBoosterUnit for precisely adjusting the viscosity of the fuel. In the initial phase, it is planned that the power station will be operated with heavy fuel oil; in future, biodiesel is to be used in order to make the entire power supply on the Caribbean Island even more sustainable.
The Caribbean is particularly reliant on diesel power stations, and requires the suitable fuel processing technology for this purpose. Of the total of 11.7 GW installed for power generation, approximately half is already produced by diesel engine power stations. Electricity production will expand to approximately 25 GW by the year 2028. There are certainly reasons why the leading GEA Westfalia Separator Group is stepping up its presence in the Caribbean. Engine manufacturers regard the Caribbean region as one of the most rapidly expanding markets for diesel engine power stations after Brazil. The Finnish engine manufacturer Wärtsilä has so far installed around 1.5 GW, around one quarter of the diesel engine market; the German large engine manufacturer MAN Diesel & Turbo SE together with BWSC (Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor A/S) have installed approximately 2 GW, around one third of the diesel engine market.
Wind power plus diesel for the island situation
With a total surface area of around 288 km and approximately 15,000 inhabitants, Bonaire is one of the smaller Caribbean islands. White beaches, turquoise water and colourful coral reefs however mean that this island is a unique paradise for holiday makers. The beautiful island attracts approximately 50,000 tourists for diving and snorkelling every year. However, despite the paradise conditions which they encounter, they all need energy. More precisely, they need 75,000 MWh electricity p.a. or 5.3 MWh per inhabitant p.a. at peak times, which requires an installation with a rating of 11 MW.
Despite the attractiveness of the Caribbean region with its approximately 36 million people, power supplies for the up to 7000 smaller and larger islands have so far been provided almost exclusively with the aid of diesel units. The islands are too small for hydro-electric power, and there is generally no provision for liquid gas supplies. So diesel has to be used. However, rising oil prices also mean rising electricity prices.
Or wind plus diesel: and it is precisely this solution which is right for a sustainable future that has now been implemented by MAN Diesel & Turbo SE, the wind installation manufacturer Enercon and the planning and consultancy company Econcern. The installation consisting of a wind farm with twelve wind power installations and a (bio) diesel power station has been operating as an independent base load station since the end of 2010, and supplies the entire island with a total of up to 25 MW environmentally friendly energy.
Renewable energies ideal for the Caribbean area
The Bonaire model has a future, and not only on the isolated island locations in the Caribbean. As a result of the location, the Caribbean, which enjoys high levels of sunshine and strong winds, is absolutely ideal for utilising renewable energies in conjunction with back-up diesel units to ensure autonomous power supplies. MAN Diesel & Turbo SE alone is currently installing more than 3000 MW capacity in the Caribbean and Central American region. At present, the power station is operated with liquid fuel; the long-term aim is to change over to biofuel. And as a result, Bonaire will be the first island in the Caribbean to cover 100 percent of its energy needs with renewable sources.
Sustainable energy supply
The Business Line Energy of GEA Westfalia Separator Group has supplied the processing installation for processing heavy fuel oil and lubricating oil in the wind-diesel power station installation, without which trouble-free operation is not possible. Two Energy Compact Units 1 with OSD 35 separators are used for processing the heavy oil. Five additional Energy Compact Units 1 with OSD 6 separators treat the lubricating oil continuously in a bypass arrangement and remove micro-particles and water. A Westfalia Separator® ViscoBoosterUnit for five engines also precisely sets the viscosity/temperature and pressure for the fuel, and an automatic filter completes the package. In this way, GEA Westfalia Separator Group is making a contribution to the sustainable supply of energy to the Caribbean island.
Associated CARILEC Member
GEA Westfalia Separator Group is also showing presence at the leading Caribbean power supply event. As an associate CARILEC member, the Business Line Energy of GEA Westfalia Separator Group was represented last summer for the second time in succession at the CARILEC Engineering Conference, one of the most important events for the Caribbean energy industry. The Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation CARILEC, an association of the Caribbean energy utilities, comprises 33 full members from the Caribbean as well as 62 associate members.