Wärtsilä launches grid balancing technology
Research reveals G20 needs over 3,500 GW of flexibility to enable 100% renewable electricity, as Wärtsilä launches grid balancing technology
How to deliver energy, stably and quickly? Wärtsilä did it, launching grid balancing technology, capable of ramping up to 10+ MW in two minutes, to bridge utilities to a 100% renewable energy future at the lowest cost. According to the Finnish company, “the launch comes as Wärtsilä has highlighted a striking need to scale up flexibility worldwide, with G20 countries requiring 3,526 GW of flexible assets, in the form of energy storage and flexible gas technology, to enable their energy systems to run on 100% renewable electricity.The capacity needed to balance the G20’s switch to grids powered by intermittent renewables must come from two key technologies: 2,594 GW of energy storage and 933 GW of flexible gas power capacity, capable of running on future fuels. Future fuels can be produced during periods when renewables produce more electricity than is needed.”
Wärtsilä emphasized grid balancing technology. The President said
Sushil Purohit, President, Wärtsilä Energy, said: «Last month’s UN climate report gives a clear message for G20 leaders: to decarbonise at the lowest cost, high levels of renewable energy must be scaled up by 2030. What we have learned from modelling over 145 countries and regions in our Atlas of 100% Renewable Energy is that power systems with high levels of renewables need a significant amount of flexibility, through energy storage and gas balancing technology, to achieve the transition to 100% renewable energy future.»
“To meet the clear global need for grid flexibility, Wärtsilä’s grid balancing technology is part of a portfolio of products designed to cost effectively accelerate the energy transition. The portfolio consists of power plants, energy storage and energy management systems. The first power plant solution in the portfolio is powered by the upgraded Wärtsilä 34SG Balancer engine, optimised for renewable baseload markets; an agile, fast-starting gas engine capable of ramping up to 10.8 MW in two minutes to seamlessly integrate with renewables.
All the available features
The power plant solution is based on lean design, and it can be equipped with features such as unmanned standby, remote control capabilities, 24/7 data streaming and dynamic power management. Optimised performance and reliability is supported by Wärtsilä Lifecycle solutions. Wärtsilä’s power plant gas engines can currently run on natural gas, biogas, synthetic methane or hydrogen blends. The company is actively developing the combustion process to allow the burning of 100% hydrogen and other future fuels. Wärtsilä has a long track record of successful fuel conversions for the global installed engine base.
WÄRTSILÄ TO IMPROVE SUSTAINABILITY
Alongside the power plant solution, Wärtsilä offers its fully integrated GridSolv energy storage technology, designed for ease of deployment and sustainable energy optimisation, and its GEMS Digital Energy Platform. GEMS dynamically optimises energy systems through a broad range of applications, like frequency regulation, to create revenue streams and enhance grid/system resilience.”
