Technology group Wärtsilä has appointed Luke Witmer as Vice President of Software Engineering for its Energy Storage business. The appointment marks a significant milestone in Wärtsilä’s continued investment in software innovation and leadership.
Luke has been instrumental in Wärtsilä’s technology evolution since 2015, prior to Wärtsilä’s acquisition of Greensmith Energy. Over the past decade, Luke has helped drive the development of the industry-leading GEMS Digital Energy Platform, Wärtsilä’s proprietary software for monitoring, controlling, and optimising complex power systems. GEMS manages all assets—batteries, renewables, thermal generation, and balance of plant—boosting uptime and efficiency, forecasting and optimising energy dispatch with ancillary services, and unlocking full revenue potential across the portfolio. Under Luke’s leadership of the Data Science division, the platform’s forecasting, optimisation, and analytics capabilities have advanced significantly, enabling customers to maximise performance, succeed in complex markets, and efficiently manage diverse assets.
“Software is at the heart of today’s energy transition.” said Luke Witmer. “Energy storage is enabled by advanced software, and the renewable transition is not possible without energy storage. In an analysis of our hybrid power plants globally, every 100MWh of energy storage capacity we install enables an average of 340 GWh/year of renewable energy to enter the grid. A small amount of energy storage goes a long way, helping to keep energy affordable and reliable. The key is in the software; enabling scale, reducing risk, and optimising the operation of our customers’ assets in a world that is continuously changing.”
Luke’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for Wärtsilä Energy Storage, which became an independent reporting segment in April 2025. With over 130 projects and over 19 GWh of energy storage capacity globally, Wärtsilä is recognised as a leader in energy storage solutions. The GEMS Digital Energy Platform, now in its sixteenth year of development, is widely regarded as one of the most mature and advanced control platforms in the market.
“Luke brings deep expertise and proven leadership that will help customers optimise performance and adapt to an increasingly complex energy landscape,” said Tamara de Gruyter, President of Wärtsilä Energy Storage. “By expanding the GEMS platform and guiding its evolution with foresight into future market opportunities and challenges, Luke will position Wärtsilä and our customers for long-term success.”
Under Luke’s leadership, the software team will embrace the areas where Wärtsilä has already demonstrated industry-first innovations, while strengthening a customer-first focus that aims to deliver value at scale.
Media contact for more information on this announcement:
Amanda Young
Director, Marketing & Communications
Wärtsilä Energy Storage
amanda.young@wartsila.com
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Wärtsilä Energy Storage in brief
Wärtsilä Energy Storage is at the forefront of the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help customers accelerate global decarbonisation efforts by combining proven technologies with deep grid expertise. Our portfolio includes high-performance hardware, intelligent controls and optimisation software, and full-service lifecycle support to deliver lasting value across the project lifespan. From enhancing grid stability to unlocking flexibility and operational efficiency, our utility-scale battery energy storage solutions are built for real-world performance. Trusted by top-tier utilities, developers, and system operators, Wärtsilä Energy Storage has a global footprint across 130+ sites—delivering the scale, safety, and reliability needed to power the energy transition.
www.wartsila.com/energy/energy-storage
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasise innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 18,300 professionals in more than 230 locations in 77 countries shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. In 2024, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 6.4 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.wartsila.com
