Wärtsilä and energy, a business spanning the shores of the Pacific
Wärtsilä has supplied Denver-based Liberty Energy with 34SG natural gas engines for AI-driven data centres, and a 150-MW / 300-MWh BESS to Revera Energy in South Australia
Two deals see Wärtsilä engaged in supplying power generation systems in the United States and Australia. Wärtsilä will supply engines for a power plant to ensure reliable supply of energy for large-scale data center development in the U.S. The €292 million order, expected to be booked by Wärtsilä in Q3 2026, was placed by Denver-based Liberty Energy, a leading U.S. energy services company. For developers, this means faster time to power, reduced exposure to grid delays, and the ability to scale capacity in line with rapidly evolving AI workloads. The selection of Wärtsilä highlights the company’s strength in supplying power solutions for the fast-growing U.S. data center sector.
AI-driven data center projects require reliable, flexible on-site power capacity that can be rapidly deployed to offer predictable performance and availability. This capability helps mitigate risks related to grid connection delays or constrained power availability.
Natural Gas for AI-Driven Data Centers
Designed for high-performance, AI-driven data centers, Wärtsilä engines deliver the efficiency, reliability, and low water consumption needed for critical operations. Wärtsilä 34SG engines run on natural gas, a platform proven to perform in demanding, high-temperature environments. Their modular design enables phased deployment in scalable blocks of up to 1 GW and beyond, allowing developers to bring capacity online faster while keeping pace with rapidly growing AI-driven demand.
The equipment delivery to site is scheduled to begin in 2029 and continue through 2030.
In South Australia Wärtsilä provided BESS to Revera Energy
We sail over 8,000 miles to discover that the 150-megawatt (MW) / 300-megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system Wärtsilä provided to owner and operator Revera Energy (Revera) in Bungama, South Australia, has now begun commercial operations. It is Wärtsilä’s fourth energy storage project in Australia to become operational.
The Bungama project strengthens South Australia’s ability to manage record levels of renewable energy while supporting grid reliability across the National Electricity Market (NEM). It also marks a significant step in a multi-stage development programme and is built to respond to fast changes in grid variability, including solar and wind output, with precision. South Australia regularly operates with some of the world’s highest levels of variable renewable generation, making advanced storage infrastructure essential to maintaining energy stability and reliability.
The first stage of the Bungama energy storage system processed through the commissioning testing phase ahead of schedule, completing each of the three Hold Point Tests in quick succession. This enabled the project to progress smoothly from commissioning to full commercial operation under Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) requirements. Hold Point Tests are AEMO mandated commissioning approvals that allow new energy assets to move in stages from limited operation to full commercial output, confirming safe and reliable performance at each step.
At the core of the project is Wärtsilä Energy Storage’s GridSolve Quantum High Energy (HE) technology. The grid-connected site is orchestrated by Wärtsilä’s GEMS platform, which fine-tunes operations in real time and provides rapid frequency response with millisecond-level accuracy. This combination of Wärtsilä’s advanced hardware and software technology enables the facility to capture excess renewable energy and enhance grid flexibility and stability by supporting essential grid services, including frequency control ancillary services, fast frequency response, and energy arbitrage. The project will be supported by a long-term service agreement from Wärtsilä to ensure performance throughout the lifecycle of the installation.
Wärtsilä worked closely with AEMO, transmission network service provider ElectraNet, and Balance of Plant (BOP) contractor Enerven to ensure safe transport, high-quality engineering, and a streamlined commissioning process within one of the world’s most demanding grid environments. Wärtsilä’s energy storage portfolio now exceeds 6 GWh in Australia.
