Geothermal and Solar Thermal Power Generation

By utilizing steam turbine and generator technologies developed through its experience in thermal power generation, Toshiba Group is also working to develop applications for renewable energy use, including geothermal and solar thermal power generation.

Applying Steam Turbine and Generator Technologies to Make Maximal Use of Renewable Energy

Toshiba Group provides geothermal power generation facilities and promotes geothermal power generation through the construction of new geothermal power plants, by using the most advanced technologies designed to improve facility performance and reliability, developed through our experience in thermal power generation with steam turbines and generators. We also apply our most advanced technologies to renovate steam turbines in existing power plants, thereby providing long-term stable power generation and contributing to reducing CO₂ emissions.

Geothermal power generation systems, which produce electricity by extracting hot water and steam from underground and by rotating steam turbines using the energy of the extracted hot water and steam, cause a very low level of CO₂ emissions-about 1.5% of CO₂ emissions generated by coal-fired thermal power generation (comparison on a life cycle basis). As geothermal power generation uses the stable thermal energy of the earth's magma, unlike other renewable energy sources, it can uniquely provide a stable supply of power regardless of seasonal changes or weather conditions.

As a Leading Company in Geothermal Power Generation

Since delivering turbines and generators to Japan's first commercial geothermal power plant in 1966, Toshiba Group has delivered geothermal power generation facilities to various countries around the world, including the U.S., the Philippines, Iceland and Mexico. We have also received an order for two 83-MW facilities featuring geothermal turbines and generators from New Zealand-based Contact Energy. Our current geothermal global market share is approximately 25% of the cummulative installed capacity.

We have already delivered ten high-performance, high-reliability steam turbine rotors for the renovation of systems at the Geysers Power Plant in the U.S., which has the world's largest geothermal power generation capacity. These turbines improved steam consumption efficiency by approximately 10%, demonstrating their high level of performance. Unit 11, delivered in 2002, has operated until 2010-a period of eight years-without any maintenance, such as opening the turbine casing. And further it showed almost no decline in performance, proving its high reliability.

In order to make maximal use of renewable energy, Toshiba Group is also working to apply its technologies developed for steam turbines and generators to develop solar thermal power generation systems. Toshiba Group will continue to promote geothermal and solar thermal power generation by using our high-performance, high-reliability technologies, thereby contributing to reducing CO₂ emissions.