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The revolutionary Wärtsilä 31 engine now generates clean, renewable energy. See how this technology can stabilize renewable energy networks with hydrogen
One of the largest engines in the world has been transformed into a clean energy generator. Originally designed to burn diesel, dual fuel or gasoline for tankers and container ships, the Wärtsilä 31 marine engine has a new lease of life generating renewable electricity and clean.
Engine Efficiency and Clean Energy Production
The Wärtsilä 31 engine is in the Guinness Book of Records for being the most efficient 4-stroke marine engine ever manufactured in its class. It also holds the highest horsepower per cylinder in engines of equivalent bore. It can be configured with 8 to 16 cylinders and with an output power that varies between 4,6 MW and 10,4 MW at 720 and 750 rpm, generating a huge amount of energy.
This Finnish company is best known for manufacturing the largest combustion engines in the world, notably the RTA96-C, measuring 27 meters high, 13 meters long and producing 82.028 kW of power. The Wärtsilä 31 engine is considerably smaller, at a maximum of 4,7 meters high and 8,7 meters long, and running on fossil fuel, can generate up to 9.800 kW of power.
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The cylinder bore and stroke (31 x 43 cm) may seem huge to those in the automotive world, but compared to some of the company's larger engines, which have cylinders big enough to walk around in, they are relatively compact.
Transition to Clean Hydrogen Power Generation
Converted into a generator, the hydrogen-ready version 31SG-H2 can run on natural gas, or a mixture of natural gas and 25% hydrogen, or can be upgraded to run on 100% hydrogen, promoting clean energy generation. There is also a fuel-flexible version, the 31H2, designed to run natively on pure hydrogen, but also accepts natural gas or blended fuels.
Both promise to be the world's largest hydrogen generators when launched, assuming there is enough hydrogen available to operate them.
The hydrogen power plant is designed to stabilize a renewable energy grid by rapidly increasing or decreasing its production to support intermittent clean energy sources such as solar and wind. All this with no minimum activation or deactivation time and with the ability to synchronize with the power grid in just 30 seconds with the simple press of a button. By using hydrogen, Wärtsilä can generate 100% carbon-free electricity.
The Role of Natural Gas in the Energy Transition
“We must be realistic that natural gas will play a role in our energy systems for years to come. Our fuel-flexible engines can use natural gas today to provide flexibility and balance, allowing renewable energy to thrive. They can then be converted to run on hydrogen when it becomes available, future-proofing us on the path to carbon neutrality.”
- Anders Lindberg, President of Wärtsilä Energy
Hydrogen Plant Certification and Reliability
Wärtsilä's power plant concept has been certified in phase 1 by TÜV SÜD, an organization focused on protecting people and the environment and ensuring regulatory compliance. It must pass two more certifications before construction can begin. Its hydrogen-ready engines are expected to be available for delivery in 2026.
With over a million hours of operation and over 1.000 MW of installations to date, Wärtsilä has a proven track record of reliability. We're interested in what kind of efficiency this colossal machine can achieve and how it might compare in terms of long-term savings on an industrial scale versus a large fuel cell operation, which could convert hydrogen directly back into electricity and water. .
Via www.wartsila.com
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