Innovation and competition in the power plant sector

On the liberalised energy market, electricity is a commodity just like ore, coal or oil. Electric power cannot, however, be supplied in various grades, since voltage and frequency are fixed. Therefore, the sole deciding factor is the price. This paper illustrates the conditions and the competitive situation power plant operators and manufacturers face as well as the technology portfolio at their disposal for responding to these demands. A detailed depiction of engineering innovations and perspectives is made using coal-fired power plants and gas turbine power plants as examples. A travers l'analyse de l'evolution des centrales thermiques au charbon et des centrales utilisant des turbines gaz, l'importance des innovations et des progres techniques sur l'evolution du marche de la production d'electricite est analysee.