In Finland, Wärtsilä said it has partnered with Brazilian energy company Energetica Suape II S.A, majority owned by Grupo Econômico 4M, to conduct a clean energy trial, which will see ethanol used to generate clean power. Taking place at the Suape II power station in Recife, Brazil, the trial will test the world’s-first ethanol-fuelled engine for large-scale electricity generation. The ethanol demonstration upgrade project was booked by Wärtsilä in the first quarter of 2025.
As part of the agreement, Wärtsilä will operate up to 4,000 hours of tests on the Wärtsilä 32M engine over two years from April 2026, to ensure the most reliable and efficient operation.
“Brazil is a world leader in ethanol production, but its potential use in electricity generation has up to now been overlooked. This project aims to change that by delivering thousands of hours of testing, which we hope will demonstrate the role that ethanol could play in Brazil’s future power system. It has been made possible thanks to our strong partnership with Wärtsilä and the important backing of Business Finland”, said José Faustino Cândido, Chief Technology Officer at Energetica Suape II S.A.
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