Finnish shipping and technology giant Wärtsilä has opened its new technology centre, the Sustainable Technology Hub (STH), in Vaasa, Finland.
Button pushed for the official inauguration. Left to right: Håkan Agnevall, President & CEO of Wärtsilä, Mika Lintilä, Finland's Minister of Economic Affairs, and Tom Johnstone, Chair of the Board of Wärtsilä. Credit: Wärtsilä
Button pushed for the official inauguration. Left to right: Håkan Agnevall, President & CEO of Wärtsilä, Mika Lintilä, Finland's Minister of Economic Affairs, and Tom Johnstone, Chair of the Board of Wärtsilä. Credit: Wärtsilä.
The STH aims to contribute to the global decarbonisation of the marine and energy sectors through what Wärtsilä describes as the fostering of innovation and collaboration, and also the development of green tech using sustainable fuels and digital technologies.
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"The speed at which the marine and energy industries are moving to meet decarbonisation goals is accelerating. The Sustainable Technology Hub, a world-leading centre for research, innovation, engineering and manufacturing, marks the start of a new era for Wärtsilä," said Håkan Agnevall, President and CEO of Wärtsilä.
"By taking advantage of innovative technologies that already exist today, we can speed up the development of future-proof engines capable of running on sustainable fuels. We can now demonstrate that a carbon-neutral future is achievable."
Wärtsilä already has engines operating on carbon-neutral fuels. This year the company released its Wärtsilä 32 Methanol engine to the market and is planning an ammonia concept sometime in 2023. A hydrogen concept is expected in 2025.
"As we all know, Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. Now Wärtsilä is making history by having made a significant investment in Finland, and particularly in the Vaasa region, where the company has been a driving force for a long time," said Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Mika Lintilä, in his opening speech at the inauguration ceremony.
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The construction of the new €250 million centre was announced in 2018 and features a fuel laboratory, flexible technology and engine testing facilities, as well as a production system with a high level of automation.
The centre employs 1500 people and is equipped with advanced energy recovery systems that enable self-sufficiency for heat energy. With the expansion of sustainable fuels, the STH is a cornerstone for achieving the company’s 2030 target for carbon neutrality in its own operations.
The company says that innovation and the development of service solutions will be an important part of the Hub’s output, which will feature a new, modern Wärtsilä Land & Sea Academy training centre, and Customer Expertise Centres for remote operational support, predictive maintenance solutions, and the development of new digital innovations. These technologies are set to play a central role in accelerating the decarbonisation of the maritime sector.
The centre will also act as a place of collaboration where customers, partner companies and academia are invited to incubate, test and validate ideas.
Read more: On the crest of a green wave – Decarbonising the maritime sector
One major collaboration is the Wasaline ferry ‘Aurora Botnia’. Wärtsilä and Wasaline have closely cooperated to establish the vessel as one of the world’s most energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable passenger ferries. The collaboration with the vessel, which is equipped with Wärtsilä’s most advanced technology, will continue with it being used as a floating testbed for further innovations in the future.
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