An engine-based power plant that can run entirely on hydrogen is supplying electricity to Spain’s national grid.
Finnish technology firm Wärtsilä’s demonstration of its 31H2 hydrogen power plant, which took place at its laboratory in Bermeo, northern Spain, showed that the plant is is capable of supplying electricity to the grid.
For the company, this marks a significant step forward – from the hydrogen-ready engine power plant it first unveiled in 2024 to what it describes as a world-first demonstration of a hydrogen engine that runs on 100% hydrogen.
With the International Energy Agency forecasting that global renewable energy generation is set to grow by almost 4,600GW by 2030, there is a rising need for flexible, rapid-response solutions that can balance the grid during periods of low wind and solar output.
The 31H2 plant uses stored green hydrogen, produced from excess renewable electricity, to provide power when wind or solar generation drops, and produces no carbon dioxide at the...