Wärtsilä engines selected to deliver reliable power for U.S. data center

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply 282MW of flexible engines to operate a new data center project in Ohio, USA. The onsite power facility, providing power directly to the data center, will operate with fifteen Wärtsilä 18V50SG engines running on natural gas. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q2 2025.

“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,” comments Risto Paldanius, Vice President, Americas at Wärtsilä Energy. "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.”

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, and without sufficient reliable power, data centers will struggle to support these critical business sectors.

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,” comments Anders Lindberg, President of Wärtsilä Energy and Executive Vice President at Wärtsilä. “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.”

The Wärtsilä equipment will be delivered in phases, starting late 2026 and continuing into 2027. With this project, Wärtsilä will exceed 6,000MW of total delivered capacity in the United States.

 
Wärtsilä Energy in brief
Wärtsilä Energy is at the forefront of the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our customers and the power sector to accelerate their decarbonisation journeys through our market-leading technologies and power system expertise. Our solutions include flexible engine power plants, energy storage and optimisation technology, and services for the whole lifecycle of our installations. Our engines are future-proof and can run on sustainable fuels. Our track record comprises 79 GW of power plant capacity and over 130 energy storage systems in 180 countries around the world. Over 30% of our operating installed base is under service agreements.
www.wartsila.com/energy
  
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasise innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 18,300 professionals in more than 230 locations in 77 countries shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. In 2024, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 6.4 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.wartsila.com