Mitsubishi Heavy launching new engine system

MHIET is releasing the SGP M2000, a new natural gas engine cogeneration system. (Image: MHIET)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger (MHIET) is launching a new natural gas engine cogeneration system with a power generation output of 2000 kW.

The new SGP M2000 package encloses a 16-cylinder natural gas-fired engine modeled G16NB that has an electrical efficiency of 44.3%, the highest level in the world for a 2,000kW-class, the company said. The SGP M2000 will be released to Japan market starting April 1, 2023.

Compared to MHIET’s existing 1000 kW gas engine cogeneration system, SGP M2000’s electrical efficiency is 1.8 percentage point higher, which means CO2 emission rate involved in power generation is less. It also features compactness. As a result of an extensive effort to increase the engine output, SGP M2000 is able to give twice as much output as MHIET’s existing cogeneration system with an engine of the same displacement, which led to reducing the footprint by 40%. The compactness allows the SGP M2000 to be installed in limited spaces such as buildings in urban areas where installation of large facility has conventionally been difficult.

To date, SGP M2000 have accumulated 50,000+ running hours on multiple units in total, including one at MHIET’s private power plant in Sagamihara premises. From these units, constant performance throughout the year and adequate reliability have been verified.

G16NB was originally developed in a project supported by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)(Note2). The world’s top-class electrical efficiency for a 2,000kW natural gas engine was achieved via variety of new technological approaches such as by means of steel pistons for increased max cylinder pressure, improved fuel combustion in Miller cycle by 2-stage turbocharging system, and optimum control of ignition timing for each cylinder.

A cogeneration system is one of the Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to be further promoted towards carbon neutrality as it is energy-saving and gives less impacts on the environment. As it has superior starting performance, it can also help stabilize fluctuation in grid voltage caused by the power generated from renewable sources. In addition, it can respond to blackouts after natural disasters. Therefore the demand towards cogeneration system is expected to further grow from the viewpoint of disaster resilience.

MHIET is committed to increase the value of DER through marketing of SGP M2000 and help realize carbon-neutral world by developing technologies for use of hydrogen on natural gas engines.

1A supply system that can generate two different energy at the same time. It uses waste heat generated during power generation to further utilize it for making hot water or heating. A cogeneration system is also referred to as combined heat and power (CHP) system.