Wärtsilä flexible generation will support the transition to renewable energy in Latin America
Wärtsilä Corporation, Press release, 27 January 2023 at 11:00 EET
The technology group Wärtsilä will supply the engines for a large power plant to be installed in Latin America. Initially, the plant will provide baseload power to the grid, but the rapid start-up flexibility of the engines will enable it to take on a grid balancing role as the system’s share of renewable energy increases. The order, valued at more than EUR 100 million, was placed by a major EPC contractor, and was booked in Wärtsilä’s order intake in November 2022.
The plant will operate with 18 Wärtsilä 50SG gas engines, which in simple cycle deliver an output of 339 MW. In combined cycle mode, the heat from the stacks will be recovered to provide more than 350 MW. The combined cycle will be developed by the customer on a configuration of three steam turbines, which further improves the plant’s flexibility and will operate at maximum efficiency even at part loads. The high overall efficiency level of the plant will reduce emissions, while the ability of the Wärtsilä engines to accept future sustainable fuels as they become available, provides future-proof sustainability for the plant.
Wärtsilä’s gas engines are designed to act as a bridging technology; by providing baseload power now, before optimally switching to provide balancing power to support the build-out of renewable energy technologies.
“Wärtsilä is a leader in shaping the decarbonisation of the energy industry and this order is an example of how the sector can achieve this goal in the long term. Flexible engines like the Wärtsilä 50SG can be started and stopped within a matter of minutes, which is essential for balancing the fluctuating supply from renewables. Optimising power systems and operational flexibility will continue to grow in importance as we increase the level of renewable energy. The Wärtsilä engines meet all the requirements, not only for current needs but for future developments as well,” said Risto Paldanius, Vice President, Americas, Wärtsilä Energy.
The Wärtsilä equipment is being delivered on a fast-track basis and is scheduled to be on site early in 2023. The plant is expected to commence commercial operations in August 2024.
Wärtsilä is dedicated to supporting the transition to renewable power throughout the whole of Latin America. To date Wärtsilä has approximately 10.6 GW of installed capacity in 254 power plants with 1,060 engines in seventeen Latin American countries. 2.7 GW of this capacity is covered by Wärtsilä long-term service agreements.
Wärtsilä has conducted power system modelling in more than 190 regions around the world, from Chile to California, which has consistently shown that renewable technologies can reliably meet demand when they are deployed alongside flexible capacity, provided by a combination of balancing engines and energy storage.
Learn more about Wärtsilä’s balancing solutions.
Wärtsilä’s latest Latin America-related press release: Wärtsilä awarded two major contracts with a combined value of approximately 480 MEUR for power plant deliveries to Latin America
Media contact for more information on this release:
Jost Ehrnrooth
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Wärtsilä Energy
Mob: +358400 988622
jost.ehrnrooth@wartsila.com
Image: Wärtsilä 50SG engine generating sets in the factory © Wärtsilä
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Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasise innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve their environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 17,000 professionals in more than 200 locations in 68 countries shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. In 2021, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 4.8 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
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Wärtsilä Energy in brief
Wärtsilä Energy leads the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our partners to accelerate their decarbonisation journeys through our market-leading technologies and power system modelling expertise. These cover decarbonisation services, future-fuel enabled balancing power plants, hybrid solutions, energy storage and optimisation technology, including the GEMS Digital Energy Management Platform. Wärtsilä Energy’s lifecycle services are designed to increase efficiency, promote reliability and guarantee operational performance. Our track record comprises 76 GW of power plant capacity and 110 energy storage systems delivered to 180 countries around the world.
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