Wärtsilä 18V50SG engines to power US data center
Finland-headed international technology group Wärtsilä Oyj has announced that it will supply 282 MW of flexible engines to operate a new data center project in Ohio, the United States. The onsite power facility, providing power directly to the data center, will operate with fifteen Wärtsilä 18V50SG engines running on natural gas.
Data centers are the backbone of today’s digital economy, driving business enablement, innovation, economic growth, job creation, and bolstering national and cyber security.
However, they face significant power challenges due to the limitations and inefficiencies of traditional supply grids. Without sufficient reliable power, data centers will struggle to support these critical business sectors.
Data center developers are facing increasing time-to-power challenges due to grid connection delays. Wärtsilä’s short lead time for engine manufacturing provides data center customers with faster power solutions than others. Plus, our modular engine design enables efficient construction and integration, allowing customers quick access to power. Quick access to power combined with high reliability, fuel efficiency and exceptional heat resilience, which enables optimal engine operation under high temperatures, make Wärtsilä engines the ideal power supply for data centers, commented Risto Paldanius, VP Americas at Wärtsilä Energy.
In addition to delivering a consistent and reliable power supply, Wärtsilä’s technology features very low water consumption.
Low water consumption is crucial for data centers to minimize environmental impact, reduce operational costs, and enhance resilience against water scarcity.
Off-grid energy solutions, such as Wärtsilä engines, are not only seen as being attractive, but also as an essential answer to meeting power needs. Furthermore, the efficiency of our engines creates lower emission levels than competing technologies, while their flexibility allows for future integration of lower carbon fuels and renewables. These advantages support the next generation of AI and high-performance computing data centers in a truly sustainable way, said Anders Lindberg, President of Wärtsilä Energy and EVP at Wärtsilä.
The Wärtsilä 18V50SG engines, the value of which has not been disclosed, will be delivered in phases, starting late 2026 and continuing into 2027.
With this project, Wärtsilä will exceed 6 GW of total delivered capacity in the United States.
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