The Norwegian BIR Avfallsenergi’s Rådalen waste-to-energy plant in Bergen takes care of the municipal waste handling and district heating delivery. The facility encompasses two complete production lines with one turbine and generator unit in each.
In 2018 BIR signed a long-term, eight-year service agreement with TGS. The undertaking includes major and minor overhauls, remote monitoring and 24-hour support.
BIR Avfallsenergi AS (BIR) is part of Norway’s second largest waste management company BIR. It is responsible for waste collection, recycling stations and waste handling in the Bergen area on Norway’s southwestern coast. BIR processes 220,000 tonnes of waste each year at its modern facility in Rådalen, Bergen, and holds a concession for more. More than 20,000 households rely on BIR’s energy production for heating, and almost 5,000 households are supplied with power. Rådalen has two boilers, each of which can incinerate up to 14 tonnes per hour. The maximum output is 60 MWe of district heating and 8 MWe of electricity in the winter. The facility encompasses two complete production lines: the line 1 turbine and generator are from ABB and the line 2 turbine is from TGM Kanis and the generator is from Converteam.
Previously, BIR had engaged TGM Kanis as the service supplier for the turbine and generator on line 2 and different service suppliers on line 1, where BKK Varme AS owns the turbine and generator. When it was time to renew the agreement, the two companies joined forces in a public procurement process.
“We wanted to find one supplier who could manage the entire chain, by that I mean servicing, maintenance and monitoring of the production lines as well as providing us with 24-hour support. Our assessment was that in the long term, a system-wide solution would be the most economic – and it would enable us to reduce the number of suppliers and contracts we have to manage. It is much simpler with just one service partner,” says Kenneth Sörsdal, Advisor at BIR AS.
One supplier is better than many
In 2018 TGS signed a long-term, eight-year service agreement with BIR Avfallsenergi AS. The undertaking includes major and minor overhauls, remote monitoring and 24-hour support. The customer’s main driver for choosing TGS as the single supplier was to save time and money. Without having to spend time on the supplier selection process, the overhaul and maintenance work can be done without delays. It is also easier to have one partner who is familiar with the equipment history. The need for repairs can be foreseen in advance, and managing the life cycle of the high-value and high-risk turbomachinery can
become a focus.
TGS is an independent service supplier with
expertise in a variety of makes of turbines and generators.
“TGS met all of the requirements we had set in the tender documentation and it had the best price. Moreover, they have their own experience with energy production,” Kenneth adds.
Instant benefits
TGS has the resources and expertise to undertake lengthy service contracts for turbines and generators, irrespective of the manufacturer. Customers represent the CHP sector and forestry, as well as the petrochemical and metal industries. TGS’s own production facilities mean that the company has a strong platform for offering service solutions for electricity production.
“We have been producing electricity for 30 years, which sets us apart from our competitors. We know the customers and their needs, and we have extensive experience with the various manufacturers gained through our own production environments, enabling us to provide service for more than ten different makes,” says Mats Rombe, General Manager at Turbine and Generator Services.
The advantages of having TGS as a supplier became abundantly apparent for BIR as early as the first planned shutdown in April 2018. It turned out that the turbine rotor was in need of repair. Together with a site manager, nine people from TGS arrived quickly on site in Bergen to solve the problem and to minimise the duration of the shutdown for the afflicted line. The major overhaul planned for the year before had been deferred, since the customer was going to invite tenders for the full system.
“It was perhaps slightly bad news for the customer that we identified the need for repair. But this is exactly our area of expertise: identifying deviations, reacting quickly and keeping lead times, together with our broad and extensive contact network,” says Mats.
“It is much simpler with
just one service partner.”Kenneth Sörsdal, Advisor at BIR AS
24/7 for the first time
BIR was the first customer to be offered year-round 24/7 support by TGS. While such agreements are common in the oil industry, they are less common in energy production and this was one of BIR’s requirements.
“Support doesn’t necessarily mean someone has to come to the site; a confirmation by phone to keep running despite the temperature not being ideal could be sufficient, for example. Round-the-clock support provides considerable peace of mind, because we have incredibly expensive equipment in our processes,” says Bjarte Iversen, Technical Manager at BIR, responsible for the turbine on line 2 and for all of line 1.
In 2020, remote monitoring will enable TGS to see what is happening in Bergen and to analyse data off site. This means TGS can conduct the initial analysis from its home base, thereby allowing the customer to avoid the cost of a call-out. If a site visit is required, decision data is already in place.
“Our circumstances mean that everything has to work all of the time, particularly district heating. I believe that online monitoring will lead to a faster and more efficient process when support is needed,” says Bjarte.
Bjarte Iversen and Kenneth Sörsdal are in agreement that the partnership with TGS is working extremely well.
“Overall, it has been easy to get hold of someone when we have needed assistance; we have received quick responses and good contact has been made between all parties.”
“It was great to win this contract. It showcases
our competence to take on a long-term service
agreement that includes both turbines and
generators.”Mats Rombe, General Manager at Turbine and Generator Services.
Service supplier with complete solutions
We have strong and broad organisation with 120 skilled employees as well as workshops in Västerås, Sweden, and Naantali, Finland. This enables customers to have a single point of contact for all turbine generator-related services.
The workshop in Naantali has the skills and tools needed for reverse engineering, in other words, 3D modelling of generators and turbines to enable the manufacture of spare parts. In Sweden, TGS can offer a complete solution with responsibility for turbines, gearboxes and generators. Västerås also has the only site in the Nordic region that can offer high-speed generator rotor balancing up to a limit of 110 tonnes as well as the equipment and expertise to conduct rotor and stator rewinding, among other services.
Last but not least, engaging TGS means that safety will always be prioritised. “We never compromise on safety,” says Mats.