Technology group Wärtsilä is set to expand its state-of-the-art technology centre Sustainable Technology Hub in Vaasa, Finland, with a €50 million total investment.  

Expanding the R&D testing capabilities and facilities will enhance Wärtsilä’s ability to meet the growing demand for developing and delivering sustainable technologies in marine and energy and to support fuel applications needed in the future. Wärtsilä also anticipates this investment to accelerate product development and time to market, reduce testing time and costs, cut test-related emissions, and create potential for future growth of manufacturing capacity and volumes at the Sustainable Technology Hub. The nearly 8,000 square meter extension is expected to be commissioned in 2028.  

DECISIONS BEING MADE NOW
“The widely adopted target of reaching net zero in our industries in marine and energy around 2050 is the lifespan of a single vessel or power plant away. Thus, the technology decisions for new assets are being made now. It is therefore crucial for our customers that our solutions are fuel flexible and capable of running on sustainable fuels once these become more broadly available. This new investment in the Sustainable Technology Hub and new R&D testing capabilities will strongly support us in developing engines that can flexibly run on low- and zero-carbon fuels such as ammonia, hydrogen, and methanol. These technologies and related services help our customers reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and lower costs," says Juha Kytölä, Director, R&D and Engineering, Power Supply. 

Since its opening in 2022, Wärtsilä’s Sustainable Technology Hub in Vaasa has played a pivotal role in shaping decarbonisation of the marine and energy industries. The technology centre has a unique approach to collaboration and innovation, involving Wärtsilä experts, customers, technology partners, academia, and the surrounding ecosystem. All Wärtsilä portfolio engines are manufactured in the technology centre, which also houses a training centre and one of Wärtsilä’s remote monitoring centres serving customers globally. 

The center:  

• Spanning currently a total of 90,000 square meters, the technology centre serves as a workplace for over 2,000 employees.
• The Sustainable Technology Hub welcomes around 1,000 visitors each month, including customers, partners, and influential decision-makers. 
• In June 2024, Wärtsilä announced its plans to expand the Sustainable Technology Hub with an additional office building to centralise all 3,600 Vaasa based Wärtsilians into the same location in 2026.   
• The Sustainable Technology Hub is a critical component of Wärtsilä's goal to achieve carbon neutrality in its own operations by 2030.  
• The building is designed to be energy self-sufficient, providing its own electricity and heat.

Any excess power generated is returned to the grid, while the heat produced by engine tests and other processes is captured and stored in a thermal energy storage tank to efficiently heat the building.