The new optimized units reduce the specific CO₂ emissions from 1.32 metric tons/MWh—typical for an old lignite-fired power plant with 30% efficiency—to the level of 0.92 metric tons/MWh with the advanced lignite-fired power station with 43% efficiency. Combined with the shutdown of older lignite plants, the new optimized BoA 2&3 units will raise the average efficiency of RWE lignite-fired power stations from 33% to around 36% in 2013.

RWE is one of Europe’s five leading electricity and gas companies and is the Nº 1 power producer in Germany, Nº 2 in the Netherlands and Nº 3 in the UK.

At the commissioning ceremony, Premier of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia Hannelore Kraft, Federal Minister for the Environment Peter Altmaier and RWE CEO Peter Terium demonstrated the plant’s flexibility.

Instead of the usual start signal, they gave the order for a rapid reduction in electricity production. Within five minutes, the output of one unit was reduced by more than 150 MW, and then equally rapidly restored, demonstrating the power station’s ability to offset intermittency of renewables.

The energy industry transformation decided upon last year [the shuttering of nuclear power and shift to renewables] is a huge challenge for all areas of society. To make it a success, everyone needs to pull together: the Federal Government, the states and the municipalities, but also the energy utilities and companies. The aim is to generate all electricity from renewable sources. On the path to achieving this, we also need power plants fired by fossil fuels. This includes highly efficient lignite-fired power plants. But lignite firing must become more environmentally friendly. Therefore, commissioning the BoA 2&3 power plant is the right step at the right time as damaging emissions will be avoided and at the same time an important contribution to security of supply will be made.

—Premier Kraft

RWE is doing exactly what the transformation of the German energy industry is all about. We are investing heavily in renewables and in the distribution systems. We are doing much to improve energy efficiency and develop new concepts for grid integration of renewables. And we are modernizing our conventional power plant portfolio.

BoA 2&3 is an important element of our strategy, for modern coal and gas-fired power stations are indispensable. Unlike wind and solar sources, they are highly flexible and capable of producing electricity 24/7, which makes them the trump card of energy industry transformation.

—Peter Terium

RWE placed great emphasis on the rapid responsiveness of the plant. Each unit can modify its output by 500 MW in just 15 minutes; with a total capacity of 1,000 MW at its disposal, it produces more than 400 wind turbines can, and at a speed that rivals the very latest gas-fired power plants. BoA 2&3 is capable of producing around 16 billion kilowatts of electricity annually—enough to meet the needs of more than 3.4 million households.