13 Wärtsilä gas engines bound for Australia to support clean energy integration

Finland-headquartered engineering company Wärtsilä has announced it will supply 13 of it’s 46TS-SG gas engines to operate a 300 MW reciprocating engine power plant, at an undisclosed location in Australia.

The company said the power plant would provide critical grid balancing and system security, with fast-starting flexible capacity that will enable greater integration of renewable energy into the power system.

“By helping to maintain a stable and reliable power system, [the engines] can facilitate the integration of increasing shares of wind and solar power while supporting secure electricity supply,” a company statement said.

The 46TS-SG generates up to 23.4 MW mechanical output per unit and reaches peak electrical efficiencies exceeding 51.3%. It also features a rapid 2-minute ramp-up time from start to full load, unlimited start/stop cycles, and zero minimum up- or down-time restrictions.

It is designed to operate on methane gas, biogas, and hydrogen blends up of to 25% by volume, with future pathways towards 100% sustainable fuels.

Wärtsilä Energy Middle East and Asia Vice President Frederic Carron said the engine technology combines the efficiency, flexibility and reliability needed to support Australia’s evolving energy system.

“The Wärtsilä 46TS engine will help strengthen power system resilience, while its innovative modular design allows the plant to be easily expanded as the share of renewable energy increases,” Carron said.

The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery in early 2029, and the plant is expected to become fully operational the following year.

Western Australia

Though not specified as the recipient of Wärtsilä’s engines, the Western Australia (WA) government is exploring a state-run, approximately $700 million (USD 485 million) 300 MW gas-fired power station proposal in Naval Base/Kwinana, 40 kilometres southwest of Perth.

To be developed by state-owned utility Synergy, the project was recently referred to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for formal assessment and has a target operational date of 2030.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific WA Lead Geoff Bice said of the project that new gas is not the solution for WA when the state has an abundance of infinite, cheap renewable energy and an ambitious battery investment plan.

“The Minister (for Energy) must keep her courage in the face of gas industry lobbying. The build-out of batteries and renewable energy has been gathering pace, and WA cannot afford to take a backward step at this crucial stage,” Bice said.