Products
..... microturbines (excluding fractional kW "nanoturbines") throughout a power range that will eventually extend from a few kW to 500kW or more

Forecasts
..... of technical and market developments over the period to 2025 (2020 in the earlier report #5050 – see below) for the world and for five geographic regions

Applications
..... in pivotal markets within the electricity supply industry - industrial, commercial and residential generation - automotive and other transportation.

Introduction Outline of project scope, objectives, research methods, sources, report layout and entitlements to additional consultancy.

Microturbine Technology Definitions; operating principles; prospective power range and discussion of:

Key sub-systems: compressor & power turbine; combustor; recuperator; bearing system; alternator; power conditioning; fuel compressor; enclosure & balance of plant items. Cost breakdown and future developments.

Performance expectations in sample stationary power and automotive duties at selected ratings from 10kW to 500kW. Typical "data sheets" for launch products and developments by 2000, 2010 and 2020 for standard microturbines, for low cost and high efficiency variants, and for fuel cell/microturbine units.

Performance characteristics: operational trade-offs; parasitic loads; ceramic components, magnitude and quality of available thermal output (for cogeneration and similar duties); power quality issues (including potential for improving power quality at host site); cost of electricity and sensitivity to fuel costs, utilisation, grid charges, finance and support. Effect of externalities such as grid connection arrangements, emission taxes/credits, system benefits.

The Competition Comparative review of entrenched and emerging power technologies, with emphasis on those that will compete most directly with microturbines:

Power-by-wire (conventional power delivery, with modern central generation, transmission and distribution systems will remain the key competitor in the electric power market)

Local energy storage will offer an interesting alternative to distributed generation within our timeframe

Automotive prime movers (rapidly improving variants of present vehicular power units)

Fuel cells (eg proton exchange membrane and solid oxide FCs, including FC-GT configurations which combine high temperature fuel cell and gas turbine/microturbine technologies)

Small gas turbines (at the microturbine/gas turbine boundary)

Diesel engines and spark ignition reciprocating engines (especially gaseous fuelled)

Other competitors (Stirling engines, rotary engines etc).

Developments In The Energy Market Regional analyses and forecasts of, economic activity, energy and electricity consumption

Distributed Generation Applications Principal DG business areas – cogeneration and power - only applications (intensive, intermediate and intermittent utilisation). Factors driving and impeding DG market development. Projections of overall DG market size and structure, and its accessibility to microturbines.

Microturbine market forecasts by:

rating (up to 50kW, 50-150kW, over 150kW)

territory (North America, West Europe, Japan, Other Asia, Rest of World)

application (cogeneration, and power-only DG in three annual utilisation bands >4.5k hours; 2.5-4.5k; <2.5k)

Other Stationary Plant Applications Examination of other applications (some of which overlap with DG) with discussion and forecasts as above:

renewable energy systems/biogas applications

low utilisation standby and peaking applications

other applications (UPS/secure power supply; multi-function packages; mechanical drives and blowers etc)

Mobile/Transportable Power Sources As above for:

strategic power systems

contractors’ sets/hire plant

other applications (mobile compressors, welding sets, mobile workshops and induction heating units etc)

Transportation And Related Applications As above for

passenger cars

buses and commercial vehicles

military vehicles and auxiliary power units

other applications (marine, rail, materials handling, mining applications etc)

Microturbine Market Review Overall forecasts in capacity (MW), volume (units) and value ($) by rating, territory and sector. The principal forecasts are year-by-year to 2005 and then for 2007, 2010, 2015 and 2020.

Comparison with industry estimates and other sources

Microturbine Developers Brief notes and profiles of 50+ companies involved in the sector.

The reports present the results of one of the largest studies undertaken in the sector to date. Several hundred days have been committed to Report #5050, and project costs will approach $500,000 by the time Report #5051 is issued.

This is a totally independent study.  Those undertaking the work are not obligated to any particular technology; nor are they aligned to the interests of a particular client group. The principal authors (Frank Escombe, Pete Baldwin and Allan Rawnsley) combine many years' experience in undertaking technical and business consultancy projects relating to microturbines, together with direct involvement in the sector. They are also very familiar with the products with which microturbines will compete, where EscoVale has a multi-million dollar, 20-year track record covering fuel cells, reciprocating engines and turbomachinery for use within the energy, industrial and automotive sectors. (Click here for examples of recipients of reports prepared by EscoVale).

In-house expertise represents only part of the input. The research also involves contact with other authorities throughout the world, including the organisations concerned with microturbine development, evaluation and funding. Advice sought from many respondents involved with competing technologies provides another important input.  It is the progress in these areas that will determine the criteria against which microturbines are judged.

This wide range of source material is reflected in a pragmatic assessment of prospects for microturbines. The report discusses a range of forecasts and market conditions, but the central forecast predicts a much more hesitant start than envisaged by many developers. Although market lift-off seems likely to take longer than many expect, there are excellent prospects for medium-term growth. The #5050 analysis shows aggregate business value in the microturbine sector over the period to 2020 in the region of $80bn at factory gate prices, with an annual market in excess of $10bn at that time and with prospects for further growth in the longer term.

Prices and Ordering Details

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