Southwest Research Institute STEP Demo Pilot Plant

The Department of Energy (DOE) is funding the Southwest Research Institute’s Supercritical Transformational Electric Power (STEP) pilot plant. It seeks to demonstrate the viability of technology that is more efficient and smaller than conventional thermal steam plants. In 2018, the institute (known as SwRI), broke ground on the $113 million, 10 MW demonstration plant in San Antonio. Stanley Consultants won the contract to perform a wide range of engineering services for the balance of plant design, including permit assistance, civil, structural, mechanical and electrical design of the greenfield project. Project participants include SwRI, Gas Technology Institute and General Electric Global Research. “Their efforts will help lay the groundwork for even wider deployment of supercritical CO2 power cycles – and that means a smaller footprint, higher efficiency, reduced water usage, lower CO2 emissions and less expensive power generation,” said DOE Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy Steven Winberg.