Innomotics is market leader for turbine replacement technology

Nuremberg, March 2026 – Innomotics, a globally leading supplier of electric motor and large drive systems, has won several major orders for turbine replacement projects on nearly every continent. The total volume for all orders is in the higher double-digit million EUR range.

With increased electrification of industrial applications, significant operational cost efficiency and CO₂ reduction can be gained by changing existing turbines with an electric drive system, the so-called Turbine Replacement Technology. This can be used for high-speed pump applications (centrifugal pumps) as well as for high-power compressor systems in refineries, petrochemicals, or oil and gas.

Especially the need for supplying large-scale turbine driven boiler feed pump applications in power plants with high voltage motors becomes increasingly important, as it significantly saves energy consumption, CO₂ and operational costs.

The transition to electric drive technology for rotating equipment is an important part of the overall plant electrification and decarbonization pathway, reducing the use of costly and environmentally harmful carbon fuels.

By sourcing the power from a renewable source such as wind, solar or hydro, CO₂ emissions can be practically eliminated. This is especially relevant for energy-intensive industries and industrial applications. Beyond ecological aspects, the use of high-speed motor systems offers significant benefits to customers, such as increasing efficiency, reducing operational costs and maintenance requirements as well as easy construction and start-up.

“Replacing existing gas and steam turbines with electrical motor and drive systems is a complex task. Thanks to our highly motivated and skilled team, Innomotics is thought leader and pace setter for turbine replacement technology for more than 25 years now and with more than 70 Turbine Replacement projects globally realized. Our outstanding portfolio sets standards: The reliability and availability of our advanced High-speed High Voltage Motor system technology is unrivaled in the field, due to our unique rotor design. Additionally, our Medium Voltage Drive technology includes extended redundancy measures such as cell by-pass systems for maximum uptime”, says Michael Reichle, CEO of Innomotics.

Operators of turbine-driven systems currently face high operational costs, which can be significantly reduced or even eliminated through turbine replacement technology. For example, in a project with Repsol in Spain, Innomotics helped avoid 68,000 tons of CO₂ emissions per year and reduce energy consumption by around 25 percent.

Recently awarded Turbine Replacement Projects

Electric Drive Upgrade for INA Refinery in Croatia:
INA is modernizing its refinery in Rijeka to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. As part of this transformation, steam turbines used to operate compressors are being replaced with electric drive systems. This reduces reliance on fossil fuels, lowers maintenance requirements, and increases overall energy efficiency.

To implement this upgrade within an operating refinery, INA partnered with Innomotics and Siemens Energy. The project includes four electric drive train systems, combining HV and HS-Modyn motors ranging from 1.8 MW to 6 MW with Innomotics Perfect Harmony GH180 variable frequency drives.

The solution ensures high reliability through redundant system design and enables fast installation on existing foundations with minimal construction effort. As a result, INA reduced significantly CO₂ emissions by 96,000 tons, reduced operating costs, total high-pressure steam production reduced by around 25%, and improved availability.

Turbine Replacement Technology for Repsol Industrial Complex in Spain:
Repsol has electrified a gas compressor at its Puertollano Industrial Complex by replacing a steam turbine with an electric motor solution from Innomotics. This upgrade improves energy efficiency by 25 percent and reduces CO₂ emissions by approximately 68,000 tons per year. The solution includes a High Voltage Motor combined with a Perfect Harmony GH180 Medium Voltage Drive, delivering 8.25 MW at 5,800 rpm. Designed for high reliability and continuous operation, the system enables maintenance intervals of up to five years. With this electrification project, Repsol strengthens its commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 while significantly improving operational efficiency and system availability.

Turbine Replacement Technology for Chemicals Park in the Netherlands:

The owner and operator of a chemicals park in the Netherlands aims to accelerate the energy transition of the Dutch chemical industry. One of their three major goals is to achieve net zero emissions within ten years. Therefore, Innomotics was awarded for a turbine replacement project in a propylene plant. The order amounts a considerable value for Innomotics and includes a 25MW as well as an 8.6MW high-speed induction motor together with two Innomotics Medium Voltage GH150 drives. The order also includes comprehensive services.

Turbine Replacement Technology for Power Plants in Republic of Korea:

A Korean energy producer and provider awarded Innomotics an order to replace the previous turbine technology with a 12.5MW electric Innomotics High-speed High Voltage Motor and Medium Voltage Drives. With that replacement the company benefits from higher energy efficiency of at least 20 percent and the associated energy savings as well as reduced CO₂ emissions. The Innomotics solution therefore contributes directly to the customer's net zero carbon strategy. The parallel operation of three Medium Voltage Drives ensures a particularly uninterrupted and stable power supply.

Turbine Replacement for a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant in Spain:

At the top of its agenda, a German chemicals and plastics giant, has placed the motto: “Net Zero Emissions by 2050”. One measure the company takes accordingly is replacing steam production at co-generation plants with heat pumps and e-driven compressors. Therefore, the Spanish site, has started a turbine replacement project in their propylene production at a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant. The order for Innomotics amounts to a double digit million Euros and includes a 23.3MW High-speed High Voltage induction motor, together with a Medium Voltage Drives and a converter transformer.

Turbine Replacement for Indian natural gas company:

Furthermore, Innomotics has won a pilot order to replace one out of eight installed gas turbines for a state-owned energy corporation in the state of Madhya Pradesh (India). This order creates a new benchmark in the gas turbine replacement market to the extent that the proposed solution will consist of an Innomotics High Voltage HV-M Motor, together with a gearbox and an Innomotics Medium Voltage Drive instead of a High-speed High Voltage Motor system.

Additional Turbine Replacement materials:

Whitepaper on Turbine Replacement

Expert Video concerning Turbine Replacement

Operational savings calculator, reference projects and success stories

Podcast episode on Spotify

Explore the 3D visualization in our virtual world: Innomotics Electrosphere

For more information, visit https://www.innomotics.com/hub/en/applications/turbine-replacement