MAN Energy Solutions Unveil new power plant

The Copenhagen Research Centre recently hosted the unveiling of MAN Energy Solutions‘ latest low-speed, dual-fuel engine, a MAN B&W ME-GA type designed to run on LNG and fuel oil. The event was live streamed last month. The new engine is an Otto-cycle variant of the company’s ME-GI power plant. The ME-GA is Tier II and Tier III compliant in gas operation mode and is offered with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR).

Wayne Jones OBE, Chief Sales Officer, MAN Energy Solutions, participated in the event, which was hosted by Bjarne Foldager, Senior Vice President and Head of Two-Stroke Business, and Thomas S. Hansen, Head of Two-Stroke Promotion and Customer Support.

Jones said, “Our development of new technologies is directly influenced by the close relationships we have with our customers. We initiated this ME-GA project in late 2017 when we recognized a strong market desire for a lower-cost alternative to the ME-GI engine, driven primarily by the LNG carrier market. Crucially, this new supplement to our dual-fuel portfolio continues our mission to decarbonise shipping and further the maritime energy transition to sustainable fuels.”

MAN Energy Solutions says it plans to start testing the first commercial version of the ME-GA by the end of the year, with delivery of the first unit following in early 2022.

Foldager said, “It’s taken a team of 150 colleagues, and hundreds of tests and operational hours, to get the engine to this important stage. In doing so, we have drawn on the invaluable experience gained from developing our successful ME-GI concept. Similarly, our proprietary EGR system also plays an important role in the ME-GA set-up. Not only does it deliver NOx-compliance, it also helps maintain control of the ignition process and reduces fuel consumption by 3 and 5% in gas and fuel-oil modes, respectively.”

He added, “This is just the latest milestone in the dual-fuel strategy we have followed over the past decade, and further confirms our leadership in this critical marine segment. Our dual-fuel engines continue to act as standard bearers for environmentally friendly, reliable propulsion-technology with their seamless switching between fuels. Ultimately, we expect the ME-GA to become standard among LNG carriers.”

MAN reports that its two-stroke, dual-fuel engines have clocked up more than 1.6 million operating hours from the 155 engines it currently has in service, all of which are running on clean fuels such as LNG, LPG, ethane and methanol. With fuel markets and fuel availability in a state of flux the company says it expects more of its dual-fuel engines to be retrofitted to existing vessels.