Change
Location

Currently Using The English Site.

Press Release
Resources, Energy & Environment

- Effective utilization of the “unused energy” of lignite coal - IHI acquires Steinmüller Engineering GmbH - Accelerating the development of lignite coal fired boilers for an early market entry -

In June 2014, IHI Corporation (“IHI”, Headquarters: Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan, President and CEO: Tamotsu Saito) acquired all the shares in Steinmüller Engineering GmbH (“SE”, :Headquarters: Gummersbach, Germany), a German engineering company, from Siemens AG. By the acquisition of SE with its great expertise in thermal power generation boilers fueled by lignite coal(*1), IHI aims to accelerate the development of lignite coal fired boilers in order to enter the market.

Among fossil fuels, coal as a stable energy source with large recoverable reserves is expected to play a role as a major primary energy also in the future. Due to rich reserves and low prices, among all types of coal, global expectations are put especially in the effective utilization of lignite coal, which has a high content of water and belongs to the low rank coals. SE has an important position in the lignite coal fired boiler market in lignite-rich Europe and great expertise in the field of lignite coal fired boilers.

While IHI has been advancing the efficiency of coal fired power boilers fueled by high rank coals such as bituminous coal, IHI is also conducting research and development into the effective utilization of lignite coal, for instance, developing double column gasification furnaces using lignite coal to produce fuel for power generation and chemical fertilizers, or facilities using pre-dried lignite coal in order to efficiently utilize lignite coal, which has a high content of water and is highly pyrophoric. The acquisition of SE enables IHI to accelerate the development of technologies for an effective utilization of lignite coal, as well as to offer coal fired power generation facilities making use of broader characteristics of coal.

IHI will continue to work on global environment and energy issues by its efforts to develop technologies for the effective utilization of the unused energy of lignite coal and by active expansion of business in the fields of resources, energy and environment, including further optimization of efficiency in coal fired power generation facilities as well as development of CO2 capture technologies.

(*1) Lignite coal:
  One of the low rank coals, which accounts for almost half of the coal recoverable reserves in the world. There are large deposits in Southeast-Asia, Europe and Australia, and the price is low. However, as it has a low calorific value due to high content of water and is highly pyrophoric, the application is limited. Hence, lignite coal is called “Unused Energy”.

【Reference】

<Overview of Steinmüller Engineering GmbH>
Company Name Steinmüller Engineering GmbH
Location Fabrikstrasse 5, Gummersbach, Germany
Capital 100,000 Euro
Foundation 2003
Number of Employees Number of Employees: approx. 90
Business Description  (1) consulting business, (2) engineering business and (3) periodic
inspection and modification business related to boilers, combustion facilities and environmental equipment.

 

<Coal proved recoverable reserves>



<Image related to lignite coal fired boilers>


<Image of IHI boiler>


Boiler housed in Lünen, Germany
Boiler housed in Lünen, Germany

News Top