Wärtsilä awarded prestigious recognition by

HOUSTON, April 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Technology group Wärtsilä has received the Top Project of the Year Award for the Energy Innovation category in the Environment+Energy Leader Awards program for its leadership and participation in the AJ Mihm hydrogen fuel plant testing.

Wärtsilä, in collaboration with WEC Energy Group, the Electric Research Power Institute (EPRI) and Burns & McDonnell, carried out a hydrogen fuel demonstration project at WEC’s AJ Mihm Generating Station. The tests, completed in October 2022, marked the world’s first hydrogen power test of a grid-connected reciprocating engine generator, and the largest internal combustion engine ever to operate continuously on a hydrogen fuel mixture. The project, which included 25% hydrogen fuel by volume, was carried out in support of WEC’s goal to reduce CO2 emissions from its electric generation fleet by 60% by the end of 2025; by 80% by the end of 2030 compared to 2005 levels; and to be net carbon neutral by 2050. The project was also carried out to demonstrate that power plants with combustion engines have a key role to play in stabilizing an increasing amount of intermittent renewable energy used to generate electricity.

The hydrogen fuel tests were carried out using an unmodified 18 MW Wärtsilä 18V50SG gas-fired piston engine. The parties involved tested fuel blends of up to 25 vol.% hydrogen mixed with natural gas, demonstrating the plant’s ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining reliability. Throughout the test period, the Wärtsilä 50SG engine continued to supply power to the grid, reaching 95% load with a 25 vol% hydrogen mixture, improving engine efficiency by up to 0.75% at lower loads and greenhouse gas emissions was reduced by 9.1% while complying with NOx emissions. Further tests showed that an engine load of 100% was achievable with a mixture of 17 vol% H2.

“This recognition on Earth Day underlines Wärtsilä’s commitment to reducing CO2 emissions and working towards a 100% renewable energy future. It shows that energy companies can convert existing gas-fired power stations to run on cleaner, more sustainable fuels, reducing CO2 emissions and providing a bridge for energy companies to continue to provide reliable, affordable energy,” said Jon Rodriguez, business director, energy, Wärtsilä North America.

In his 12^e Since the year of the awards program, Environment+Energy Leader’s anonymous judging process has involved juries made up of industry executives working in the energy and environment fields. Entries will be judged on a numerical basis with a sum of the judges’ scores.

The AJ Mihm power plant hydrogen fuel test project stood out to the jury for its exceptional contribution to energy innovation, setting a benchmark for innovation and sustainability in its category.

Some words of praise from the jury include:

“This project is an example of innovation, practicality and environmental awareness and sets a precedent for a greener energy landscape.”

“Wärtsilä’s efforts are paving the way for a more sustainable energy landscape, where innovation, safety and compliance intersect. This project advances hydrogen technology and underlines the feasibility of integrating hydrogen into existing power plants.”

“The data presented is significant because it examines higher concentration H2 mixtures, looks at quantifying emissions and uses an unmodified engine. The last of these criteria is the most important. Additional points or considering engine load compatibility with different gas mixture levels.

“Testing and retesting in the real world to get concrete data rather than theorizing how it could be interesting is appreciated. Experimenting with unmodified equipment is daring and will encourage others to be less resistant to change.”

“This is a good way to convert existing electricity generation from fossil fuels into options with low to no CO2 emissions.”

“Great project. We have to do this. The impact of the pilot is that it paves the way for expansion. Impressive efficiency improvement. Not a panacea, but if we can use this as a rapid transition for the existing infrastructure, it can play an important role.”

Wärtsilä plans to continue testing its engines with hydrogen blends until 2024 and is currently developing an engine and powerplant concept capable of running on 100% pure hydrogen, which is expected to be available in 2026.

View the eBook for the winners of the 2024 E+E Leader Award here.

Media contacts for more information about this release:

Molly Wright
General Manager Marketing & Communications
Wärtsilä Energy
Mafia: 346-277-8180
[email protected]

Elena Brennan
Wärtsila North America
Mafia: 269-377-4983
[email protected]

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Wärtsilä Energy in short
Wärtsilä Energy is leading the transition to a future of 100% sustainable energy. We help our partners accelerate their journey to a low-carbon economy through our market-leading technologies and energy system modeling expertise. These include decarbonization services, balancing power stations running on future fuels, hybrid solutions, energy storage and optimization technology, including the GEMS Digital Energy Platform. Wärtsilä Energy’s lifecycle services are designed to increase efficiency, promote reliability and ensure operational performance. Our track record includes 79 GW of power plant capacity and 125 energy storage systems delivered to 180 countries around the world.
www.wartsila.com/energy

Wärtsilä in short
Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the maritime and energy markets. We emphasize innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 17,800 professionals in more than 280 locations in 79 countries are shaping the low-carbon transformation of our industries around the world. In 2023, Wärtsilä’s net sales amounted to 6.0 billion euros. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.wartsila.com

About the Environment+Energy Leader Awards
For over a decade, the Environment+Energy Leader Awards program has celebrated the exceptional progress made in the areas of the environment, sustainability and energy management. The awards recognize those who contribute and set new standards in the industry, setting a high standard for others to follow. The awards winners are recognized as leaders in environmental initiatives and energy management, with their achievements serving as a benchmark for excellence around the world.

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