Wärtsilä engines will support modernising of Michigan State University’s power system

Wärtsilä Corporation, Press release 19 June 2019 at 15:00 UTC+2
  • Wärtsilä 34SG engine

The technology group Wärtsilä has been chosen to provide a flexible power generation solution based on three gas fueled Wärtsilä 34SG engines to ensure operational flexibility in the power generation system of Michigan State University’s (MSU) East Lansing campus in USA. The solution will help the university to achieve its energy modernisation plans and support the growing need for efficient energy on the campus.

The Engineered Equipment Delivery (EEQ) has been awarded by The Christman Company (TCC), the main contractor for a project to modernise the campus’ power generation system. The Wärtsilä 34SG engines, operating on natural gas have a total power output of 28 MW. The order with Wärtsilä was booked in March 2019.

MSU operates its own power plant to self-generate its electricity supply. The flexibility and efficiency of the medium-speed Wärtsilä34SG engines will help to modernise the campus generation system and increase its overall efficiency. This addition also accommodates the growing demand for electricity on campus. Furthermore, the fast-starting capability of the Wärtsilä engines will provide the balancing support needed to aid in the integration of intermittent solar energy into the system.

“We’re tremendously proud and excited to be working with this team of talented and experienced partners on this project under the leadership of MSU’s Infrastructure Planning and Facilities group,” said John Holmstrom, Senior Vice President and leader of the company’s Industrial and Power Group at TCC. “The deployment of the Wärtsilä engines is a next-generation technology, which will significantly increase energy efficiency and reliability, while reducing emissions and energy costs.”

“Wärtsilä’s solid reputation and strong track-record in the USA were critical factors in the award of this contract. The Wärtsilä engines will provide considerable benefits to the modernisation project including improved overall efficiency and reliability while lowering environmental impact and operational costs of the plant. We are proud and excited to work with both TCC and MSU on this project,” said Mikael Backman, Director, Solutions, Americas, Wärtsilä Energy Business.

The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery in the beginning of 2020, and the plant is expected to be fully operational by the end of that year.

Building a sustainable future for the energy industry is the basis of Wärtsilä’s Smart Energy vision, which foresees ultimately 100 percent of power generation coming from renewable energy sources. This is enabled by integrating flexible energy generating assets together with intermittent renewables, such as solar and wind. Wärtsilä engines provide the required operational flexibility to make this possible. 

Image: Wärtsilä 34SG engine

Read more about Wärtsilä engine power plants

For further information, please contact:

Joshua Klopp
Business Development Manager, Wärtsilä North America
Wärtsilä Energy Business
Mob.
+1 612 -817-0631
joshua.klopp@wartsila.com

Mirja-Maija Santala
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Wärtsilä Energy Business
Mob: +358 400 793 827
mirja-maija.santala@wartsila.com

Wärtsilä Energy Business in brief
Wärtsilä Energy Business is leading the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. As an energy system integrator, we understand, design, build and serve optimal power systems for future generations. Wärtsilä’s solutions provide the needed flexibility to integrate renewables and secure power system reliability. Our offering comprises engine-based flexible power plants – including liquid gas systems – hybrid solar power plants, energy management systems and storage and integration solutions. We support our customers over the lifecycle of their installations with services that enable increased efficiency and guaranteed performance. Wärtsilä has 70 GW of installed power plant capacity in 177 countries around the world.
www.wartsila.com/energy  

Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation, total efficiency and data analytics, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2018, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 5.2 billion with approximately 19,000 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 80 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.wartsila.com

All Wärtsilä releases are available at https://www.wartsila.com/media/news-releases and at http://news.cision.com/wartsila-corporation where also the images can be downloaded.