In conversation with Ansaldo Energia’s Mauro Basano (left), service sales and marketing, VP Middle East, and Francesco Moscatelli (right), new units sales, VP sales Middle East & Latin America

Ansaldo Energia has a long history in the region. How is the Middle East energy market changing?

Ansaldo Energia’s presence in the Middle East dates back to the early 1990s. Its most recent projects such as the Mirfa independent water and power project (IWPP) in the UAE and Ibri and Sohar in Oman have characterised Ansaldo Energia’s work in the region. Its focus is continuously aimed at supporting the area’s energy demand with the best products and skills.

Over the past two decades, regional power authorities have launched tenders requiring large turbines with high efficiency and significant output capacities. The most recent tenders required a minimum of 2,000MW output, in which advanced F & H class technologies were excellent competitors. Therefore, Ansaldo Energia could export the success of the GT36 to the Middle East for future power projects.

Additionally, with the development of the green economy, improvements in photovoltaic projects with hydrogen storage, and an increasing desire to move away from sole dependency on oil and gas, the GT36’s ability to make use of stored hydrogen as a fuel makes it a cleaner, more technologically advanced option.

What opportunities are being created by the increasing capacities and efficiencies being demanded by clients?

Ansaldo Energia’s reliance on new technologies and keenness for research developments help place the company as a key partner in the Middle East – a region committed to accelerating its energy conversion from fossil to eco-friendly fuels.

Ansaldo Energia recently presented the GT36, the largest gas turbine ever built in its factories. This turbine in the 50Hz version reaches 538MW of power (ISO conditions): it can support the electricity consumption of almost 250,000 apartments. The turbine weighs 578 tons and has a length of 13.5 metres. The GT36 project, including the research and development process, took over seven years, with a commitment of more than 3.7 million hours worked. Future projects in the region could involve GCC leader countries with the GT36 playing a major role.

How are these changes in the market shaping your strategy in the region?

Ansaldo Energia’s goal is to always offer targeted solutions, tailor-made to the specific needs of each customer and market. The efforts of Ansaldo Energia to localise its activities close to the customer’s needs in the Middle East reached an important goal in late 2019 with a major enlargement of the Abu Dhabi repair workshop in Hussahafa, Abu Dhabi, branded Ansaldo Energia Gulf.

The expansion improved the technical capabilities up to F-class gas turbines technology, and confirmed Ansaldo Energia Gulf as a “One Stop Repair Facility”, delivering all needed repair activities from A to Z.

This makes Ansaldo Energia Gulf a high-tech reality localised in the UAE and a market leader in the repair business. Furthermore, The Middle East Service Hub MESH in the Emirates Free Zone provides a fast reaction intervention unit to support maintenance and urgent needs across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) and Far East regions.

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