Energetica India Magazine May - June 2026

Q How does advanced system modelling help utilities and large energy users optimise their power systems? Can you share examples? Archana Bhatnagar: Advanced system modelling helps deci- sion-makers see the full picture. Instead of evaluating one technol- ogy in isolation, it shows how generation, storage, fuel, demand, transmission, and emissions interact across the whole system, hour by hour. That matters because the cheapest plant on paper is not always the lowest-cost answer for the grid. In systems with high re- newable penetration, total system cost, including balancing, trans- mission utilisation, and reliability under peak conditions, is a far more meaningful measure than per-unit generation cost alone. At Wärtsilä, we use PLEXOS modelling to identify the least-cost, lowest-emission pathway while maintaining reliability. We have completed more than 200 power system analyses globally. In Fin- land, our modelling showed that, with the current power system, electricity prices will be 30 percent higher by 2027 compared to 2023. Adding 2 GW of firm and flexible balancing power could re - duce electricity costs by 10 percent, equivalent to EUR 1.3 billion. InChile, combining renewables, storage, and balancing power could save USD 17 billion by 2045. Globally, our crossroads to net zero report found that a balanced pathway, incorporating flexible gener - ation alongside renewables and storage, is 42 percent less costly than a renewables-and-storage-only approach, translating to a saving of over EUR 65 trillion from 2025 to 2050. These cases point to the same conclusion.Without sufficient flexibil - ity, power systems tend to compensate by oversizing renewable and storage capacity, which drives up costs even when individual tech- nology tariffs are low. Modelling is what makes that visible before investment decisions are locked in. Q What innovations is Wärtsilä bringing in to enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of gas-based power plants? Archana Bhatnagar: Wärtsilä’s engine power plants are well-suit- ed to the demands of a renewable-heavy grid. They have no min- imum up or downtime, meaning they can start or stop rapidly as needed, and ramp from zero to full load in around two minutes. Unlike coal plants or combined-cycle gas turbines, enginesmaintain high efficiency at different outputs, which is critical when operating as a balancing asset. Beyond core performance, two innovations are extending what WOMAN INFLUENCER energetica INDIA- May-June_2026 35