Wärtsilä unveils advanced 46TS Engine

Technology leader Wärtsilä has introduced its latest innovation, the 46TS engine, designed to enhance renewable energy integration, deliver highly efficient baseload power, and support future sustainable fuels

Building on a legacy of dependable power plant engines, the Wärtsilä 46TS is an evolution of the successful Wärtsilä 50 engine platform, which has accumulated 55 million operating hours worldwide since 2008.

Balancing engines offer a more cost-effective and sustainable solution for achieving net-zero energy systems compared to relying solely on renewables. This approach, which optimises costs, reduces emissions, and minimises land use, was highlighted in Wärtsilä’s recent Crossroads to Net Zero report.

Flexible power solution

Anders Lindberg, president of Wärtsilä Energy, emphasised the need for flexibility in the energy transition, commented, “The energy transition cannot be achieved by renewable power alone – we need flexible, highly efficient engines to support wind and solar power during times of low generation. The flexible 46TS engine offers exactly that, expanding our existing technology offering to balance renewables and operate cost-effectively on baseload power. “This engine is built on our 85 years of engine expertise, incorporating everything we have learned to develop our latest and greatest solution.”

Designed for compatibility with sustainable fuels, the Wärtsilä 46TS ensures a future-proof role in 100% renewable energy systems. Key benefits include:

• Superior efficiency and performance – Achieving over 51% efficiency, reducing fuel consumption and emissions while maintaining strong performance in extreme conditions and high altitudes.
• Higher output – Delivering 23.4 MW per unit, reducing the number of engines needed for large-scale power plants.
• Enhanced flexibility – Rapid response to demand fluctuations with a two-minute ramp-up time and no operational constraints on start-up or shutdown.
• Streamlined installation – Factory-tested modular components enable faster, more cost-effective deployment.

Wärtsilä supports the 46TS with lifecycle services, ensuring long-term reliability and profitability through optimized operations, guaranteed performance, and remote monitoring.

The Wärtsilä 46TS engine will be commercially available in 2025. In a significant milestone, Kazakhstan Caspian Offshore Industries (KCOI) recently became the first customer, ordering engines for a new 120 MW power plant. This project will also mark Kazakhstan’s first hybrid power system integrating engine-based generation with wind and solar energy.