The technology group Wärtsilä will supply a 38 MW power plant to a Saudi Arabian customer. The turn-key engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) order includes four Wärtsilä 32TS engines. The order is booked in the first quarter of 2017.
The Wärtsilä 32TS engine, a two-stage turbocharged version of the Wärtsilä 32 series, is optimised for extreme ambient conditions. It is designed to deliver outstanding efficiency with reduced fuel and water consumption in high altitudes and hot temperatures while complying with the World Bank’s EHS (Environment, Health and Safety) guidelines for NOx emissions. This power plant will be the first Wärtsilä 32TS installation to operate primarily on crude oil, with heavy and light fuel oils as backup fuels.
Saudi Arabia has recently launched a transformation programme related to the energy sector. Broad initiatives to improve energy efficiency, to increase the role of gas and renewables in the energy mix, and to effectively utilise the existing natural resources have been introduced throughout the country. This project is in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 programme. It demonstrates clearly that Wärtsilä’s technology can deliver valuable benefits in optimising the country’s power system, for instance through improving the efficiency of its customer operations.
"In addition to the very high efficiency, the main cornerstones of our solutions are exceptional operational flexibility, multi-fuel capability, and minimal water consumption – even in hot conditions," says Qasim Latif, Business Development Manager at Wärtsilä Energy Solutions. "Together these features, along with the ability to act as a state-of-the-art enabler of renewable energy integration, make our solutions very well-suited for the Saudi Arabian market," he continues.
Wärtsilä has been present in Saudi Arabia for more than 40 years. Upon completion of this project, Wärtsilä will have more than 1900 MW of installed capacity in the country. Globally, Wärtsilä’s installed base is over 63 GW in 176 countries.