Siemens has initiated operations at its Clean Energy Center, which is located in Ludwigsfelde, Germany.

Developing the new burner test centre involved an investment of €100m, Siemens said.

The facility will be used to examine and validate the combustion processes in the company-manufactured gas turbines, in order to enhance their efficiency and improve their flexibility in using different liquid and gaseous fuels.

The new centre is spread over a 36,000m² area and is a part of the company’s Berlin gas turbine manufacturing facility. It is likely to play a major role in development of new gas turbines for Siemens and also for upgrading the existing ones.

Several test cells where combustion processes can be analysed and optimised under controlled conditions will feature at the facility.

Siemens power large gas turbines business head Christopher Steinwachs said: “Our highly efficient gas turbine and combined cycle power plants are marked by their high-degree of availability and flexibility and their low emissions.

“In our new Berlin test centre we can conduct more intensive research into burner technology independently of external test facilities, which enables us to be even more innovative.”

The gas turbine portfolio for the German conglomerate includes model with capacities ranging from 5MW to 400MW.