Magazine

Last edition
January-February 2025

Home › Renewable energy ›Wartsila Unveils World's First 100 Percent Hydrogen-Ready Power Plant

Wartsila Unveils World's First 100 Percent Hydrogen-Ready Power Plant

According to the International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook 2023, achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will require the consumption of 17 million tonnes of hydrogen in power generation by 2030, increasing to 51 million tonnes by 2050.

June 19, 2024. By Abha Rustagi

Wärtsilä has announced the launch of the world's first large-scale engine power plant that is fully capable of running on 100 percent hydrogen. This power plant is poised to play a key role in the transition towards net-zero power systems, addressing the urgent need for flexible and sustainable energy solutions.

The release of the Wärtsilä hydrogen-ready engine power plant comes at a crucial time. According to the International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook 2023, achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will require the consumption of 17 million tonnes of hydrogen in power generation by 2030, increasing to 51 million tonnes by 2050.

This highlights the key role hydrogen will play in the future of global power systems. The report also indicates that the deployment of renewables is expected to double by the end of this decade, creating favorable conditions for the production of hydrogen-based fuels and the realization of 100 percent renewable power systems.

However, the IEA report stresses that simply scaling up renewable energy is insufficient to meet global net-zero targets. To fully decarbonize the energy sector, flexible power generation solutions that can balance the intermittency of renewable sources are essential. These solutions must be capable of running on sustainable fuels to ensure they are future-proof.

Wärtsilä’s new hydrogen-ready engine power plant addresses this need by offering a flexible, zero-carbon power generation option that can be converted to run entirely on hydrogen. This represents an advancement over existing technologies, which are limited to using natural gas and hydrogen blends of up to 25 percent by volume.

"We will not meet global climate goals or fully decarbonize our power systems without flexible, zero-carbon power generation that can quickly ramp up and down to support intermittent wind and solar," said Anders Lindberg, President of Wärtsilä Energy.

"Our fuel-flexible engines can use natural gas today to provide the necessary flexibility and balancing for renewable power to thrive. They can then be converted to run on hydrogen as it becomes readily available, future-proofing the journey to net zero," added Lindberg.

The hydrogen-ready power plant is based on the Wärtsilä 31 engine platform, renowned as the most efficient engine of its kind globally. It can synchronize with the grid within 30 seconds of receiving a start command, ensuring energy security through its fuel flexibility, superior load-following capabilities, and high efficiency at partial loads. The Wärtsilä 31 platform has already logged over 1 million running hours and boasts over 1,000 MW of installed capacity worldwide.

The concept for the 100 percent hydrogen-ready engine power plant has been certified by TÜV SÜD, a global provider of testing, certification, and inspection services. Wärtsilä has achieved the first stage of TÜV SÜD’s H2-Readiness certification, securing a Concept Certificate for the power plant's design, which underscores the company's commitment to quality and safety. The company's 100 percent hydrogen-ready engine is expected to be available for orders in 2025, with deliveries commencing in 2026.

Tags:

Hydrogen / Fuel Cells

Wartsila

Hydrogen Project

Hydrogen in India

Hydrogen ready engine power plant

International Energy Agency