Combined-cycle power plant

A power plant that uses two thermodynamic cycles to achieve higher overall system efficiency; e.g.: the heat from a gas-fired combustion turbine is used to generate steam for heating or to operate a steam turbine to generate additional electricity.

A power plant that uses two thermal cycles for producing electricity. The first cycle burns a fuel inside a gas turbine, and the gas turbine drives an electric generator. In the second cycle, hot exhaust gases from turn water into steam, and a steam turbine turns a second electric generator. Combined-cycle power plants are the most efficient commercial technology currently available for producing electricity. They can use a wide variety of liquid and gaseous fuels, but most plants in the United States burn natural gas.

The combination of a gas turbine and a steam turbine in an electric generation plant. The waste heat from the gas turbine provides the heat energy for the steam turbine.