Wärtsilä Corporation continues to play a pivotal role in Italy’s drive toward renewable energy, supporting the country’s ambitious 2030 national energy plan and decarbonisation efforts. In Q4 2023, the Finnish technology company secured a major order to supply an 18.5 MW Wärtsilä 50SG gas engine to expand an existing power plant, which already operates with three of the same engines. These fast-starting engines are crucial for balancing the grid, as Italy increases its reliance on renewable energy sources like solar and wind.
In a further commitment to the Italian energy sector, Wärtsilä has signed five-year Guaranteed Asset Performance agreements for seven power plants participating in Italy’s Capacity Market. These agreements, finalized in February 2024, ensure the plants’ readiness to deliver power on demand, stabilizing the grid when renewable sources like wind and solar fluctuate. Wärtsilä’s advanced gas engines provide the quick-start capability needed to fill these gaps.
Kenneth Engblom, Wärtsilä Energy’s Vice President for Africa and Europe, highlighted the importance of flexibility in the energy market, stating, “The balancing power plants will need to deliver immediate response and quickly generate the needed power when called to do so by the transmission system operator.” He further emphasized how the agreements offer peace of mind for customers, ensuring reliable performance when natural resources like wind or sunshine diminish.
The Italian capacity market requires power plants to supply electricity on demand, ensuring a stable energy supply amidst fluctuating renewable inputs. Terna, Italy’s transmission system operator, considers the new Wärtsilä engine installation as a separate unit, which will operate up to 2,000 hours annually on standby to meet demand.
Wärtsilä’s Guaranteed Asset Performance agreements guarantee that these plants can meet the challenges of grid balancing. The seven plants covered by the agreements generate a total of 380 MW through a combination of 18 Wärtsilä 50SG and four Wärtsilä 31SG gas engines. These engines are renowned for their ability to reach full power within minutes, offering the flexibility required for modern energy grids.
With these agreements in place, Wärtsilä ensures maximum uptime, efficiency, and reliability for Italy’s power plants as the country continues its transition toward a cleaner, more renewable future.
