The History of the Kawasaki Gas Turbines

Kawasaki Heavy Industries launched experimental operation of the first gas turbine of its own development in 1972, and brought our first commercial gas-turbine-driven power generation unit to the market in 1976. Since then, Kawasaki has developed a series of gas turbine packaged power plants and related hardware.  Since then, Kawasaki has been actively expanding its product range in various fields such as; back-up emergency power generators, co-generation systems, combined cycle systems, and mechancial drive units for marine propulsion and compressor / pump drives.

Currently, efforts continue to achieve improved efficiency, lower emissions, increased reliability, as well as other technological advances in the gas turbine industry that will be indispensable to future society.  

History of Kawasaki Gas Turbines:

1943 - Completed the first Gas Turbine engine for aircrafts in Japan
1952 - Started overhauling jet engines
1970 - Test carried out on tank, truck, and railroad car equipped with Gas Turbine
- Practical trial carried out on alternator equipped with Gas Turbine
1972 - Operation of first Kawasaki-developed KG72 Gas Turbine (220kW model for experimental use) began
1973 - Test carried out on pleasure boat equipped with KG72 Gas Turbine
1974 - Completed first S1A-01 type: 200kW Gas Turbine
1975 - Operation of M1A-01 Gas Turbine prototype (1,200kW) began
1977 - First Kawasaki Gas Turbine genset (GPS200): 200kW delivered
1978 - Operation of S2A Gas Turbine prototype (700kW) began
1979 - MGP200 Mobile Generator Set completed and first unit delivered to Hokkaido Electric Power Co. Inc.
- First unit of Primary Gas Turbine Generator for use in escort vessels delivered
- First contract with an overseas agency
- New Enterprise First export unit of Generator Facility was delivered to VicRail, Melbourne Australia
1980 - Operation of M1A-03 Gas Turbine prototype (1,500kW) began
- Operation of S3 Gas Turbine prototype (90kW) began
1981 - Ten units of MGP250 Mobile Generator Set exported for first time
- Operation of S5 Gas Turbine prototype (20kW) began
1984 - First Kawasaki Gas Turbine Co-generation system 2x1.0 MW delivered
1985 - Accumulated delivery of 1,000th set
- Operation of M1F-03 two-shaft Gas Turbine prototype (1,500kW) began
1987 - Operation of M1A-13 Gas Turbine prototype (1,500kW), the first system used full-time, began.
1988 - 1.5 MW M1A-13 type Gas Turbine introduced
- Kawasaki joined the Ceramic Gas Turbine (CGT) Project
1989 - First unit of GPC15 Co-Generation System delivered
- Operation of M1A-23 Gas Turbine prototype (2,000kW) began
1991 - Operation of M7A-01 Gas Turbine prototype (6,000kW), equipped for the first time with an axial-flow
compressor, began
- First unit of GPC20 Co-Generation System delivered
1993 - 5.5 MW M7A-01 type Gas Turbine introduced
1994 - First unit of GPC60 Co-Generation System delivered
1995 - 1.5 MW M1A-13D Dry Low NOx type Gas Turbine introduced
1996 - Operation of M7A-02 Gas Turbine prototype (7,000kW) began
1997 - First unit of GPCS80, the first Combined Cycle System, delivered
- Kawasaki joined the Super Marine Gas Turbine (SMGT) Project
1998 - Overseas sales and service affiliates were established in the U.S., Germany, and Malaysia
- Operation of S7A-01 Regenerative Cycle Gas Turbine prototype (730kW), the world's first small and
medium sized heat exchangers, began
1999 - 6.5 MW M7A-02 type Gas Turbine introduced
- 5.5 MW M7A-01D Dry Low NOx type Gas Turbine introduced
- Accumulated order of 5,000th engine
- Experimental ceramic Gas Turbine completed and achieved the world record of 42.1% simple cycle
efficiency for the 300 kW class
- Kawasaki joined the Hybrid Gas Turbine (HGT) Project
2000 - 18 MW L20A Gas Turbine completed
- Number of delivered gas turbines reached 5,000 units
- Kawasaki Machine Systems (KMS) established as hub for sales and service activity in Japan and
Far East region
- Number of overseas installations exceed the 500 unit mark
2001 - Akashi Works NO.4 Power Plant GPC180D : 17.6 MW commercial start-up
- Ultra low NOx 1.5 MW M1A-13X type Gas Turbine introduced ( XONONTM )
- First unit of GPC60 SuperPLUS (Flexible heat and power Co-generation system) delivered.
2002 - Operation of M1A-33 Gas Turbine prototype (3,000kW) began
- First unit of GPC07D Regenerative Cycle Co-generation System delivered.
2004 - First unit of GPCS500 Combined Cycle System using L20A delivered
2005 - Akashi Works Energy Center, which comprises 24.7 MW Combined Cycle and 7.8 MW Flexible Heat
and Power Gas Turbine Power Plant, start-up
2006 - 7.7 MW class M7A-03 type Gas Turbine introduced  for GPB80 packaged powre plant
2007 - Kawasaki introduces the world's most efficient 7.8 mW GAS Reciprocating Engine - 48.5% electric
generation.   First Kawasaki wood burning M1A-13 gas turbine engine tested on site - USA..