The technology group Wärtsilä will supply three gas engine power plants with a combined output of 150 MW to Brazil. The contract award came as a result of a Reserve Capacity Auction organized by the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy in October. The plants will be delivered on a fast-track basis and are scheduled to be operational in Q2, 2022. The orders were placed by companies held by funds managed by BTG Pactual Asset Management, and they are included in Wärtsilä’s order intake in Q4, 2021.

The electricity produced by the thermal balancing power plants will be fed to the national grid assuring system reliability, for instance, during times of adverse weather conditions. The contracts include altogether 16 fast-starting and flexible Wärtsilä 20V34SG gas engine generating sets. The projects will be delivered on an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) basis to existing power plant sites UTE Luiz Oscar Rodrigues de Melo and UTE Viana 1, as well as a new power plant UTE Povoação 1, all located in Espírito Santo, a state in Southeast Region of Brazil.

Wärtsilä gas power plants operate on natural gas, the cleanest fossil fuel available. They feature high efficiency at any load, providing plant efficiency levels of up to 50 percent in simple cycle, and up to 54 percent in combined cycle mode. Their unmatched flexibility is highlighted by the fact that they can reach full output power within minutes of the start signal, which is an essential benefit in systems that wish to integrate higher levels of renewable energy.

Flexible Wärtsilä gas engine power plants can utilize natural gas, LPG, synthetic fuels, and various biogas fuels. Power plants that initially run on natural gas, can switch to operate on sustainable decarbonized fuels as and when these sources become available. This future-proofing feature alleviates the risk of investments made today becoming stranded assets later.

“Our presence in Brazil is long and solid. With these projects, we are approaching the important milestone of 3 GW of the installed base in the country and continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers. We offer the best-in-class technology for power optimization. The high efficiency of the Wärtsilä engines, with their quick power ramp-ups, in a matter of minutes rather than hours or days, provide the flexibility and reliability needed in today’s energy market, which is trending increasingly towards renewable energy,“ says Håkan Agnevall, President and CEO, Wärtsilä Corporation.

Wärtsilä is acknowledged for its capabilities in providing fast-track EPC projects and the demands for EPC deliveries are growing fast in South America. The demand for regulatory compliance is accelerating, as well as concern for the environment and the well-being of local communities, and Wärtsilä has decades of experience in addressing these requirements.

Wärtsilä Brazil was established in 1990 and has operations in Rio de Janeiro and Manaus with a complete offering covering the total range of Wärtsilä’s equipment portfolio. To date, Wärtsilä has delivered 2.7 GW of power plant capacity in Brazil, of which 739 MW are currently covered by Wärtsilä long-term service agreements. Wärtsilä has also converted 275 MW of oil-fuelled capacity to run on natural gas in Brazil.

The Brazilian Reserve Capacity Auction results will assure, by contracting reserve energy, the system reliability for the upcoming years

Wärtsilä Energy in brief

Wärtsilä Energy leads the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our customers in decarbonization by developing market-leading technologies. These cover future-fuel-enabled balancing power plants, hybrid solutions, energy storage, and optimization technology, including the GEMS energy management platform. Wärtsilä Energy’s lifecycle services are designed to increase efficiency, promote reliability and guarantee operational performance. Our track record comprises 74 GW of power plant capacity and more than 80 energy storage systems delivered to 180 countries around the world.

Wärtsilä in brief

Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasize innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 17,500 professionals in 200 locations in more than 70 countries shape the decarbonization transformation of our industries across the globe. In 2020 Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 4.6 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.

About BTG Pactual

BTG Pactual (BPAC11) is the biggest investment bank from Latin America, operating in Investment Banking, Corporate Lending, Sales & Trading, Wealth Management, and Asset Management. Since its inception, in 1983, the Bank has been run based on a meritocratic partnership culture, focused on clients, excellence, and a long-term vision. We have cemented our status as one of the most innovative sector players and have won numerous national and international awards. We currently have more than 4,000 employees in offices across Brazil, as well as in Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, the US, Portugal, and England. For more information go to http://www.btgpactual.com