Volvo Penta engines power China’s national electricity grids

Chinese OEM, Shanghai Cooltech, is ordering an increasing number of engines from Volvo Penta for its generator set (genset) market. The engines range from five to 16 liters and are used to build gensets which are loaded on to trucks and sold to both of the Chinese electricity supply companies, State Grid Corporation of China (State Grid) and China Southern Power Grid (CSPG). The trucks are then used as mobile units to provide emergency power when electricity demand peaks.

“The power truck can be driven to anywhere at any time in case of power breakdown or for important occasions and significant activity requirements,” says Fjunet Zhang, Shanghai Cooltech’s general manager of marketing and sales.

“We have established a long-term reliable business relationship with State Grid and China Southern Power; we are at the top of their supplier list.”

Long-term strategic partnership
Shanghai Cooltech was established in 2002 to manufacture and service power solutions that satisfy environmental regulations as well as catering for large-scale industrial and commercial requirements. It makes canopy and container gensets, to minimize noise pollution, and utilizes functions such as remote control, auto-start and shut-down, and synchronized operation. As well as being used by the national electricity supply companies, the gensets are used in data centers and large corporation buildings.

The Chinese government-backed State Grid is the largest electricity utility company in the world and provides power to more than 1.1 billion people, covering 88 per cent of China. It also distributes power at its foreign assets. The second government-owned electricity grid supplier, CSPG, distributes power across five southern provinces of Guangdon, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou and Hainan.

Volvo Penta has been supplying engines to Shanghai Cooltech for 16 years, and numbers of units have increased in recent years. One of the most prominent models supplied is the 16-liter TWD1653GE power generation engine, which fulfills the China III emissions regulations for mobile machinery.

“We like Volvo Penta engines due to their high reliability and good performance,” says Zhang. “Pollution is a serious problem in China and their aftermarket system is the best that we use. Their people provide great support to us, and we have access to their excellent training plans and service network. “They are a good partner. Shanghai Cooltech and Volvo Penta can be a long-term strategic partnership; it is a win-win co-operation.”

Increasing the footprint
Volvo Penta’s TWD1653GE engine produces high power density with low fuel consumption. The power generation engine is designed for easy installation with low noise and vibration. The fuel injection and charging system ensure low internal losses, and it produces up to 716 kVA at 1500 rpm. Replaceable cylinder liners and valve seats also maximize the service life of the unit.

“The co-operation we have with Shanghai Cooltech is an integral part of our operation in China and the Asian continent as a whole,” says John Wang, account manager for general equipment in Volvo Penta’s East Asia region. “We’ve been working with them for some time, and I am pleased with the way the teams from both our companies are continuing to move forward to strengthen our bond. The success our relationship has led to other opportunities to increase our footprint in China and Asia.”