Wartsila testing hydrogen, ammonia fuels
Finnish company Wartsila said July 14 it was conducting full-engine laboratory tests to examine how they run on hydrogen and ammonia as fuels.
Wartsila said testing began at a Finnish laboratory to check the performance of its fuel-flexible combustion engines while running on alternate, carbon-free fuels. Testing is focused on engines for the maritime and power sectors. Its current engines can run on natural gas, biogas, synthetic methane or blends containing as much as 25% hydrogen.
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“These are milestone moments in Wartsila’s transition to future fuels,” Wartsila CEO Hakan Agnevall said. “Society will have to invest significant amounts into the infrastructure needed to develop green hydrogen, but those investments require market-ready engines that can run on the fuel once it is readily available.”
Green hydrogen, which uses renewable energy to power an electrolyser that splits water into oxygen and hydrogen, as well as ammonia, a chemical compound made up of hydrogen and nitrogen, contain no carbon and release no CO2 emissions.
Wartsila said it plans to have an engine and plant concept developed by 2025 for pure-hydrogen operation. An engine that can run on an ammonia blend is expected by the end of this year, with a pure-ammonia concept ready by 2023.
Wartsila, which caters to the marine and energy markets, said June 15 it supports European measures to demonstrate zero-emission solutions for all vessel types and services before 2030.