Role, results, and perspectives of the Italian partners in the European AD700 project

Coal accounts for 10% of the total Italian electricity demand. The present average efficiency of Italian oil/coal fired power plants is around 35%. Many power plants are 20 years old or more. For this reasons Italian power generation system must be surely renewed. Competitiveness and market opportunities will be the driving factors of this renewal that must be implemented following the indication of the 'Guidelines and national measures for greenhouse gas reduction' (Linee guida e misure nazionali di riduzione dei gas serra, delibera CIPE 19.09.1998). Even if all proposed scenarios award the primary role of natural gas in combined cycle gas turbines, the steam cycle will remain one of the relevant technologies of the Italian power generation system. In any case the steam cycle will have a role because of replacing the old existing oil/coal fired power plants. In this context, Italian companies joined soon the 'Advanced (700{degree}C) PF Power Plant' European project. In the first phase, started in January 1998, Ansaldo Energia (manufacturer), Centro Sviluppo Materiali (materials developer) and Enel (utility) join the project. In 2000, due to the Enel reorganisation, Cesi take over Enel activities and participate also with Enel Produzione. In 2001 the remaining activities of Ansaldo Energia have been taken over by Ansaldo Ricerche. In the second phase, started in January 2002, Italian companies strengthened their participation, implementing their role with more activities. The Italian partners that joined phase 2 are: Ansaldo Caldaie (manufacturer), Centro Sviluppo Materiali (material's developer), Cesi (services and research centre), Ansaldo Ricerche (research company) and ENEA (public research organisation). This paper will present results obtained by Italian partners in phase 1 and their role and perspectives in phase 2. 14 figs., 3 tabs.