Page 23 - Energize April 2021

NEWS

How to reach 100% renewables at lowest cost

ärtsilä says that the capacity needed to balance South
Africa’s switch to grids powered by intermittent renewables
Wshould come from two key technologies: over 21 GW of energy
storage and more than 6,8 GW of flexible gas power capacity, capable
of running on future fuels. Future fuels can be produced during periods
when renewables produce more electricity than is needed.
The company says it has learned from modelling over 145
countries and that power systems with high levels of renewables need
a significant amount of flexibility, through energy storage and gas
balancing technology, to achieve the transition to 100% renewable
energy future.
To meet South Africa’s need for grid flexibility, Wärtsilä has
launched a grid balancing technology – which is capable of ramping up biogas, synthetic methane or hydrogen blends. The company is actively
to over 10 MW in two minutes – to bridge utilities to a 100% renewable developing the combustion process to allow the burning of 100%
energy future at the lowest cost. hydrogen and other future fuels.
Wärtsilä’s grid balancing technology is part of a portfolio of Alongside the power plant solution, Wärtsilä offers its fully
products designed to cost effectively accelerate the energy transition. integrated GridSolv energy storage technology, designed for ease of
The portfolio consists of power plants, energy storage and energy deployment and sustainable energy optimisation, and its GEMS Digital
management systems. The first power plant solution in the portfolio Energy Platform. GEMS dynamically optimises energy systems through
is powered by the upgraded Wärtsilä 34SG Balancer engine, optimised a broad range of applications, like frequency regulation, to create
for renewable baseload markets; an agile, fast-starting gas engine revenue streams and enhance grid/system resilience.
capable of ramping up to 10,8 MW in two minutes to seamlessly
integrate with renewables. Contact Wayne Glossop, Wärtsilä, Tel 021 511-1230,
Wärtsilä’s power plant gas engines can currently use natural gas, wayne.glossop@wartsila.com

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