Cogeneration is an efficient, clean, and reliable approach to generating power and thermal energy from a single fuel source, using heat that is otherwise discarded from a conventional power generation to produce thermal energy.

This energy is used to provide cooling or heating for industrial facilities, in this case for desalination. By recycling this waste heat, cogeneration systems achieve effective electrical efficiencies.

Cogeneration''s higher efficiencies therefore reduce air emissions of nitrous oxides, sulphur dioxide, mercury, particulate matter, and carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas associated with climate change.

Alstom will supply engineering, procurement and construction services, along with an Alstom GT13E2 gas turbine with air cooled turbogenerator, a heat recovery steam generator, a distributed control system, the electrical balance of plant and all the interconnection steam pipework for the project.

The cogeneration plant will supply electricity for aluminium production, steam to boost electricity output at three other existing Alstom-built power plants located at the same site, namely Kestrel, Condor 1 and Condor 2 power plants. It will also supply steam to boost water production at DUBAL''s existing seawater desalination plant.

The project is a tailor-made industrial application, which highlights Alstom''s ability to provide integrated plant engineering services.

Earlier in 2006, Alstom had built a "CCPP 22" 430 MW gas-fired combined-cycle power plant also based on GT13E2 gas turbines and prior to that, Kestrel and Condor 1 & 2 power plants.