– Wärtsilä is supplying Curaçao with a 25 MW/25 MWh battery energy storage system
– The system will enable the expansion of renewable energy capacity and reduce carbon emissions
– The BESS and GEMS Digital Energy Platform will provide grid stability, reliability, and help mitigate risks of blackouts
Wärtsilä will supply Curaçao with a 25 MW/25 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), enabling the expansion of renewable energy capacity and reduction of carbon emissions. The order was placed by Aqualectra, the government-owned utilities company, and will be booked by Wärtsilä in 2Q24. The BESS and GEMS Digital Energy Platform will provide grid stability, reliability, and help mitigate the risk of brownouts and blackouts. The system will support Aqualectra’s objective of providing affordable, sustainable, and reliable electricity.
Aqualectra will use the BESS system to expand their renewables’ vision and smooth the intermittency of renewables. The partnership with Wärtsilä follows a detailed modeling of the power system to determine the best way forward. Wärtsilä’s leading technologies and capabilities will support Aqualectra’s vision of a sustainable energy future. The equipment delivery is scheduled for 1Q25, with the project expected to be fully operational by the end of 2Q25.
The Caribbean has been an important region for Wärtsilä for decades, with Aqualectra as a great partner. Wärtsilä is committed to serving this market with solutions and capabilities for years to come. Aqualectra is an existing Wärtsilä customer, operating three Wärtsilä engine power plants. For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, Energy Global magazine offers insights in its latest issue.