Wärtsilä is to establish a new centralised environmental products know-how unit. Termed Delivery Centre Ecotech (DC Ecotech), the unit will focus on developing and delivering environmental technologies, as well as products for emissions reduction and efficiency improvement. By combining the broad and outstanding know-how within the company, Wärtsilä will strengthen its global leadership position in offering environmental technologies for power solutions.
DC Ecotech will be a global unit within Wärtsilä and it is to be headed by Mr Juha Kytölä, President of Wärtsilä Finland, and currently also Vice President, Delivery Centre Vaasa, Finland. The new unit will be fully operational from January 2009.
In explaining the reasoning behind this initiative, Mr Kytölä commented: “Wärtsilä has many years of experience in delivering emissions reducing equipment for the exhaust stream of its engines, both in land based power plants and ship installations. Common to all these deliveries is the fact that they are tailor made for each specific installation. DC Ecotech will focus on both the further development of these technologies, as well as a portfolio of products that can be produced in volume.”
DC Ecotech will act as Wärtsilä’s centre for proactively developing environmental technologies. Furthermore, in promoting and providing legislation know-how, the unit will help customers to comply with environmental rules and regulations as they become increasingly stringent.
New tighter emission regulations
Tighter emissions legislation is impacting both the shipping and power plant sectors. For example, the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Tier II requirements stipulate a 20% reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from current levels, while the Tier III requirements, which come into force in 2016, ask for an 80% reduction from today’s levels in selected areas. Sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions are also to be significantly reduced. Similarly, legislation requirements for power plants with similar emissions components are becoming increasingly stringent. There is also an increasing global focus on lowering CO2 emissions, and discussions regarding limitations in this area have already started.
In tackling these environmental challenges, Wärtsilä’s DC Ecotech unit will continue and expand the company’s ongoing new product research. This includes work on the development of a new selective catalytic reactor (SCR) unit system for gas engines as well as the validation and design optimisation of the recently launched NOR (Nitrogen Oxides Reducers) SCR unit. Developmental work also continues on a combined marine scrubber and exhaust gas module, a waste heat recovery concept and carbon dioxide capture and storage technology.
For more information please contact:
Mr Juha Kytölä
Vice President, Delivery Centre Ecotech
President, Wärtsilä Finland
Tel: +358 40 500 2936
Tel: +358 10 709 2650
juha.kytola@wartsila.com
Mr Atte Palomäki
Group Vice President, Communications
Wärtsilä Corporation
Tel: +358 40 547 6390
Tel: +358 10 709 5599
atte.palomaki@wartsila.com
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä enhances the business of its customers by providing them with complete lifecycle power solutions. When creating better and environmentally compatible technologies, Wärtsilä focuses on the marine and energy markets with products and solutions as well as services. Through innovative products and services, Wärtsilä sets out to be the most valued business partner of all its customers. This is achieved by the dedication of over 18,000 professionals manning 160 locations in 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on the Nordic Exchange in Helsinki, Finland. www.wartsila.com
