Wärtsilä, a leading supplier of flexible power plants and services to the decentralized power generation market, has been contracted to supply the engineering and equipment for a new bio-fuelled power plant being built in Gorizia, in northern Italy. The 34 MWe power plant will generate baseload electricity for the national grid, as well as heat to be supplied to a steam turbine for further electricity production.
This order, when delivered, will bring the total output of electricity in Italy generated by Wärtsilä equipment to more than 1300 MW. Some 800 MW of this output is running on liquid biofuel, which represents a considerable contribution towards reducing the country’s reliance on fossil fuels.
“Our presence in Italy is already substantial, and this latest contract is a continuation of this success,” comments Marco Gollinelli, Vice President, Wärtsilä Power Plants in Italy in announcing this order.
Wärtsilä has many years of experience in using biofuels in its engines. Wärtsilä first began testing the use of liquid biofuels in 1995, using rapeseed oil as the fuel source. Since that time tests have continued and expanded, with the first commercial operation for Wärtsilä engines running on liquid biofuel taking place in 2003 in Italy.
Today, Wärtsilä has a market share of more than 95 per cent for power generation from liquid biofuels in Italy.
Delivery of all equipment to the Gorizia power plant is scheduled for May 2010, and the plant is expected to be in full operation by next autumn. The order was placed in September by Energia Pulita S.p.A of Italy, and comprises two Wärtsilä 18V46 engines running on liquid biofuel, as well as liquid biofuel auxiliaries, the control system and radiators.
Energia Pulita is a member of the Italian Setramar Group, a company active in a number of industry segments including energy production. Wärtsilä has enjoyed good co-operation and strong ties with the company, and was involved at a very early stage in the planning for the Gorizia power plant project.
Wärtsilä Power Plants can operate on several types of liquid biofuels
Today, Wärtsilä power plants can operate on vegetable oils such as palm oil and oil from the jatropha plant, a non-edible, high energy fruit grown on semi-arid or marginal land in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Earlier this year, the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland successfully conducted tests demonstrating the ability of Wärtsilä engines to operate on animal, as well as vegetable-based, oils. In particular, fish oil and chicken oil were found to be particularly suitable as sources of renewable energy. With fuel supply infrastructures for vegetable and animal-based fuels being developed at an increasing pace, Wärtsilä’s technology for using these new fuels demonstrates clearly that the chain from source to fuel exists.
For further information, please contact:
Marco Golinelli,
Vice President, Power Plants
Wärtsilä Italy
Direct tel: +39 335 608 4876
e-mail: marco.golinelli@wartsila.com
Maria Nystrand
Publicity Manager,
Wärtsilä Power Plants
Direct tel: +358 10 709 1456
e-mail: maria.nystrand@wartsila.com
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising technological innovation and total efficiency, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers.
In 2008, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 4.6 billion with 19,000 employees. The company has operations in 160 locations in 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, Finland.
