A giant hydrogen-powered engine has successfully generated electricity for Spain’s national grid in what its manufacturer says is a world first for large-scale power generation.
The technology was developed by Finnish energy company Wärtsilä and tested at its facility in northern Spain. The engine runs entirely on hydrogen and is designed to help solve one of renewable energy’s biggest challenges: providing electricity when wind and solar power are not generating enough energy.
Company officials say hydrogen-powered engines could help balance future power grids without producing carbon emissions. Unlike hydrogen fuel cells, the system uses a large combustion engine adapted to run on pure hydrogen.
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Wärtsilä says multiple units could eventually be combined into utility-scale power plants capable of producing hundreds of megawatts of electricity.
However, experts say major hurdles remain. Large-scale use of hydrogen would require significant investment in production, storage and transport infrastructure, as well as stronger policy support.
The test comes as Spain continues to expand renewable energy, with wind and solar power accounting for a growing share of the country’s electricity generation.