Technology group Wärtsilä has recently launched the world’s first large-scale 100% hydrogen-ready engine power plant, to enable the net-zero power systems of tomorrow.
The IEA World Energy Outlook 20231 shows that hydrogen is an essential component of our future power systems. According to the report, the pathway to reach net zero emissions by 2050 requires 17 Mt of hydrogen to be consumed in power generation in 2030, reaching 51 Mt by 2050, says a press release.
The deployment of renewables worldwide is set to double by the end of this decade2, creating the right conditions for excess clean electricity to be used for production of hydrogen-based, carbon neutral fuels, and for enabling 100% renewable power systems.
Scaling up renewables alone, however, is not enough to reach global net zero targets. Flexible power generation solutions, like engine power plants, are needed to balance fluctuating renewable energy sources. It is crucial that these solutions are futureproof and ready to run on sustainable fuels to fully decarbonize the energy sector.
Wärtsilä is addressing this need through its new hydrogen-ready engine power plant, which can be converted to run on 100% hydrogen. The new engine power plant is a significant step beyond existing technology, which can run on natural gas and 25 vol% hydrogen blends.
