GE and Harbin Electric Co have signed a memorandum of understanding by which HE agreed to purchase GE’s newest gas turbine featuring its FlexEfficiency* technology. As part of the MOU, HE plans to purchase four 9FB gas turbines from GE before the end of 2013, including two that will incorporate FlexEfficiency technology. The purchases are contingent on HE’s being awarded suitable projects, most likely for district heating applications in China.

“China is installing more wind turbines than any other country in the world and has plans to rapidly expand natural gas power generation. This creates an ideal environment for our new FlexEfficiency technology. We are developing partnerships around the world to help us bring our new FlexEfficiency technology to customers across the globe. GE is excited to expand our partnership with Harbin Electric by adding to our already established relationships to bring wind turbine and gas turbine technology excellence to China,” said Paul Browning, president and CEO, thermal products, for GE Power & Water.

With its capacity to rapidly ramp up and down in response to fluctuations in wind and solar power changes, GE’s FlexEfficiency technology is engineered to deliver a combination of flexibility and efficiency. The technology should enable the integration of more renewable resources into the power grid. The high performance of the 9FB gas turbines offers great potential for meeting cogeneration needs in China as well as simple cycle applications.

Harbin has been teaming with GE since 2003 to provide heavy duty gas turbines for projects in China, including the Gas Turbine Power Plants Construction Project, a centrepiece of the country’s efforts to meet its growing power requirements. In 2010, GE and HE expanded their relationship, forming a joint venture to serve China’s wind energy industry.