Technology company Wärtsilä has launched a new large scale 100% hydrogen-ready engine power plant, aiming to support future power systems focused on achieving net zero emissions.
According to the IEA World Energy Outlook 2023, hydrogen is projected to play a crucial role in global efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, with significant increases expected in hydrogen consumption for power generation.
As global deployment of renewable energy is anticipated to double by the end of the decade, the integration of flexible power generation solutions remains essential to balance intermittent renewable sources.
Wärtsilä’s hydrogen-ready engine power plant addresses this need by offering the capability to transition to 100% hydrogen, alongside its current operation on natural gas and hydrogen blends.
Anders Lindberg, President, Wärtsilä Energy, said: “We will not meet global climate goals or fully decarbonise our power systems without flexible, zero-carbon power generation, which can quickly ramp up and down to support intermittent wind and solar.
“We must be realistic that natural gas will play a part in our power systems for years to come. Our fuel flexible engines can use natural gas today to provide flexibility and balancing, enabling renewable power to thrive.
“They can then be converted to run on hydrogen when it becomes readily available: future-proofing the journey to net zero.”
