Finnish-headquartered marine and technology company Wärtsilä has signed an agreement with Caribbean utility Water-en Energiebedrijf Aruba (WEB Aruba), on the island of Aruba, to install a 35 MW / 70 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) as part of a broader initiative to integrate and optimize power generation assets in the tropical paradise.
The project scope includes engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the BESS, as well as a services agreement covering a Wärtsilä energy management system (EMS) and long-term energy storage maintenance. Wärtsilä said it booked the order in Q3 2026, and final handover will take place in Q2 2028.
Wärtsilä said the Aruba project is its largest energy storage project in the Caribbean to date, both in terms of power capacity (MW) and energy capacity (MWh). It didn’t specify which battery platform from its energy storage joint venture, Valo, would be used.
Wärtsilä did outline that the new BESS will be integrated with WEB Aruba’s existing power generation fleet, such as solar power, wind and engine power plants, through Wärtsilä’s EMS platform. The system’s forecasting and grid control capabilities are expected to enhance grid reliability and optimize asset dispatch.
“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,” said 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.”
The EMS will be delivered under Wärtsilä’s “As-a-Service” commercial model, which includes ongoing software and configuration updates, along with access to technical support.
This latest agreement continues the relationship between the two companies. Wärtsilä previously supplied engines and equipment for WEB Aruba power plant projects, representing a combined 230 MW of installed generation capacity.
Recently, Wärtsilä and German engineering company RCT Solutions launched Valo, a joint venture that now houses Wärtsilä’s global energy storage business and has more than 20 GWh of battery storage projects worldwide.
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