Wärtsilä to Integrate and Optimise Aruba's Generating Assets for Reliable and Sustainable Energy

­Technology group Wärtsilä has signed an agreement with Water- en Energiebedrijf Aruba (WEB Aruba), the Caribbean island’s energy provider, to advance decarbonised operations through the integration, optimisation, and control of Aruba’s power generation assets. The comprehensive solution includes engineering, procurement and construction work to install a 35MW / 70MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), as well as a services agreement, including a Wärtsilä energy management system and energy storage maintenance services. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q3 2026 while the final taking over is scheduled for Q2 2028.

The integrated solutions will play a key role in strengthening the grid’s reliability, providing operation flexibility, increasing the system’s share of renewable energy, and achieving the lowest cost of energy delivered. At the time of this announcement, it is Wärtsilä’s largest energy storage project in the Caribbean region, both in terms of installed power capacity (MW) and energy capacity (MWh).

“WEB Aruba emphasises cleaner energy production, and our new agreement with Wärtsilä strongly supports this strategy. We currently generate power by utilising wind and solar energy along with our engine power plants. Wärtsilä’s well-proven technologies will allow us to optimise the overall energy system and provide the most efficient power output, while maximising our use of renewables,” says WEB CEO Alfredo Koolman.

The Wärtsilä energy management system will integrate the new battery energy storage alongside WEB Aruba’s existing power generation assets. Advanced forecasting, as well as the system’s secondary and tertiary control capabilities, will strengthen grid reliability and optimise dispatching.

The “As-a-Service” commercial model for the energy management system highlights Wärtsilä’s emphasis on driving continuous improvement beyond initial deployment. The service agreement will enable regular updating of the energy management system’s configurations and models and ensure fast access to technical support.

“With our solution, we will support WEB Aruba to improve the quality and reliability of providing power to the island as well as to reduce the cost of delivering it,” explains Risto Paldanius, Vice President, Americas at Wärtsilä Energy. “The combination of energy storage, energy management system, and services will boost efficiency and provide tangible support to WEB’s transition to greater penetration of renewables.”

Wärtsilä has earlier supplied WEB Aruba with the engines and equipment for five power plant projects, representing 230 MW of installed power capacity.