11.05.2005

The power plant of ItalGreen Energy near Bari in southern Italy will bethe world’s largest plant running on liquid biofuel.

Wärtsilä Corporation Press Release, Trade & Technical Press 11 May, 2005

Wärtsilä has been contracted by ItalGreen Energy, part of the Casa OleariaItaliana Group (COI), a major Italian food oil producer, to extend aliquid biofuel power plant in Monopoli, Italy. A third Wärtsilä 18V32engine is to be added to the plant, which is already powered by twosimilar engines running on liquid biofuel (vegetable oil).

In 2003, ItalGreen Energy took delivery of two Wärtsilä 18V32 generatingsets in the Monopoli plant with a total power output of 16 MWe. The twosets have since August 2004 accumulated 5000 running hours in commercialoperation with an average plant availability of more than 95%. Aftercompletion of the extension with the third generating set, ordered inDecember 2004, the total combined heat and power (CHP) plant output willreach 24 MWe. The extended baseload power plant, scheduled to come onstream in summer 2005, will be the largest liquid biofuel-fired plant everbuilt.

The main purpose of the Monopoli power plant, located inside an existingvegetable oil refinery, is to generate ‘green’ electricity to be sold tothe national grid through a 150 kV connection at a fixed price. The plantalso produces steam and electrical power to meet factory process demands.Generating ‘green’ energy from liquid biofuels offers importantadvantages. Biofuels enable the simultaneous generation of electricity andheat with no sulphur emissions and no consumption of fossil fuelresources. As the biofuels are classed as renewable, no additional CO2 isemitted and they thus contribute to reducing the greenhouse effect.

The Monopoli plant is the result of successful project co-operationbetween Wärtsilä and ItalGreen Energy since the project started in 2002.The Wärtsilä 18V32 solution was selected as the best and most profitablechoice owing its high product quality, good engine performance and brandguarantee.

“The high level of knowledge and experience of the people involved, onboth the ItalGreen Energy and Wärtsilä sides, together with a good workingrelationship, have been key factors in helping us reach our targets,”comments Mr Leonardo Marseglia, President of COI. “We are happy to seethat the tough work, especially at the fuel testing stage, has been wellrewarded. All of us can be proud of this project and its results.”

Wärtsilä is responsible for the fuel tests, detailed engineering, fullgenerating set package delivery, start-up and erection supervision, whileItalGreen Energy will handle the civil works, erection and site activitiesfor the plant.

Liquid biofuel-based energy production represents one of the best ways ofensuring the economic viability of ‘green’ energy projects in Italy.Moreover, the high overall power plant performance that can be reachedusing medium-speed reciprocating engines makes ‘green’ energy anincreasingly attractive alternative to electricity generation based onliquid fossil fuels.