Ansaldo Energia, SSE Thermal Develop Biofuel Power Plant in Ireland

Ansaldo Energia will provide a hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)-fueled turbine for Ireland’s Tarbert Next-Generation Power Station, a 300-MW facility set to run entirely on sustainable biofuel. The AE94.3A turbine will be paired with a generator to deliver fossil-free power using HVO, a diesel alternative made from waste feedstocks.

“We are grateful to SSE Thermal for the confidence it has placed in Ansaldo Energia, which once again proves to be a trusted partner for energy security and transition,” said Stefano Gianatti, Executive Vice President New Units of Ansaldo Energia.

SSE Thermal’s project aligns with the European Union’s sustainability standards as Ireland moves toward cleaner energy solutions—HVO is lower carbon than traditional fossil fuels.

Tarbert’s Impact

The simple-cycle Tarbert Power Station will support and contribute to Ireland’s electricity supply, securing electrical power and providing critical electricity to the supply system during peak demand. Also, the plant will Ireland’s expanding renewable generation capacity.

“This new project award demonstrates the Ansaldo Energia capacity to offer low-CO₂ solutions for the power generation market,” said Federico Bonzani, Chief Technology Officer of Ansaldo Energia. “Our capabilities on HVO successfully complement those on hydrogen, thus providing customers a wide choice to decarbonize their assets.”

HVO-fueled AE94.3A gas turbine; image credit: Ansaldo Energia

The AE94.3A gas turbine has been field-proven, demonstrating operational flexibility, reliability, and cost-effectiveness across 115 globally installed units with over 5 million equivalent operating hours.

Work in Ireland

In July 2024, a consortium of Ansaldo Energia and Cobra entered a contract for a new 299 MW energy security project in Dublin, Ireland. The Electricity Supply Board (ESB) will receive an AE94.3A gas turbine and associated generator. ESB selected the AE94.3A for reliability, cost-efficiency, high performance, and suitability for peak load applications.

The consortium and ESB will develop a simple-cycle power plant to strengthen the flexibility and stability of Ireland’s power system, which is thoroughly integrated with intermittent renewable energy sources. Ansaldo’s AE94.3A will leverage its rapid-response capability to manage fluctuating energy needs.

Ansaldo Energia News

In early October 2024, Ansaldo Energia announced the commercial operation of Marbach power plant, its second project within the German TSO strategic grid reserve initiative. Marbach is a 300-MW simple-cycle thermoelectric plant equipped with Ansaldo’s AE94.3A gas turbine and generator. This equipment combination can generate electricity for over 200,000 homes, boosting Germany’s energy security.

The Marbach plant can operate in gas-shortage situations by using oil and eventually green, decarbonized liquid fuels such as hydrogenated vegetable oil with NOx emissions below 50 mg/Nm³. Ansaldo’s AE94.3A gas turbine delivers high flexibility for the plant, with a ramp rate of 50 MW/min and reaching full load in 26 minutes. The company’s gas turbine fleet is capable of mix-combustion with hydrogen, with the AE94.3A turbine reaching 40% mix.

And in April, Ansaldo Energia completed the first parallel operation of a GT36 gas turbine in a new 800-MW combined-cycle unit at EP Produzione’s Tavazzano and Montanaso power plant in Italy. They parallel synchronized the gas turbine with Italy’s electricity grid, furthering the commissioning process for the unit that can provide the annual power consumption for over 1.5 million households.