This presentation provides a description of gas turbines in electric power generation service, including peak load, intermediate and base load power demand. The size of these gas turbines ranges from microturbines under 1 Megawatt output to large gas turbine / steam turbine combined cycles over 400 MW.

Gas turbines are typically either aeroderivatives (derived directly from an aircraft engine) or frame type (designed only for land based applications). Although the primary fuel for gas turbines in power generation service is natural gas, gas turbines are also the cleanest and most efficient way of using coal, via coal gasification. This and other aspects of environmental performance of gas turbines will be discussed.

Development of advanced gas turbines will be discussed, principally as a result of development programs funded by the U.S. Department of Energy – the Advanced Turbine Systems program in 1992-2001 and the Next Generation Turbine program which started in 2000 and is planned to continue through 2008.

This page updated July 10, 2001