Rolls-Royce introduces upgraded mtu Series 1600 generator sets for 50 Hertz market

Rolls-Royce is completing the launch of its upgraded mtu Series 1600 platform which boasts up to 40 percent more power than its predecessor. This final release is for the 50 Hertz version, which follows the 60 Hertz version announced at the end of 2023.

“At the heart of these gensets is the proven mtu Series 1600 engine, which we have further developed in terms of performance, flexibility, life-cycle costs and sustainability for the new generation, and with which we are setting new standards. Serving a wide variety of applications in the lower end of our power range, the Series 1600 will expand our strong position in the power generation market, as part of our growth strategy to support the world’s power needs,” said Tobias Ostermaier, President of the Stationary Power Solutions division at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

With an electrical output of 590 to 1000 kVA, the gensets are perfectly suited for a wide range of applications, including data centres, healthcare facilities, commercial buildings or any type of hybrid or microgrid installation.

A number of gensets for emergency power solutions in the US and Europe have already been ordered, covering a wide variety of applications from data centres to hospitals to entertainment venues and a ski resort. In addition to complete systems, the engines together with a Rolls-Royce supplied cooling system will also be available for purchase by independent OEMs for integration into their own genset designs.

Highest power density in its power class
Rolls-Royce has increased the power output for the 50 Hz engine by up to 40 percent to 888 kWm compared to the predecessor model (996 kWm for the 60 Hz version). This makes the 12V1600 Gx1 the engine with the highest power density in its power class. It also offers outstanding load acceptance combined with the customary robustness and reliability. The engines deliver almost full power even at high ambient temperatures, high humidity and under the most difficult environmental conditions.

Up to 90% CO2 reduction
The new mtu Series 1600 gensets are approved for synthetic diesel fuels that meet the EN 15940 standard, such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), which can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90%. In addition, this sustainable fuel has significantly better storage stability and cleaner combustion than diesel fuel, especially with regard to particulate emissions. The approved fuels can be used without restrictions and without modifications to the hardware of the fuel systems.

Engineered to meet the most demanding requirements of high-performance data centres
All new mtu Series 1600 engines meet the requirements of Performance Class G3 and even exceed the requirements of ISO 8528 Power Ratings for Emergency Standby Power (ESP) and Prime Power (PRP) with industry-leading load factors of up to 100 percent for data centres. In addition, the engines and gensets meet the strict reliability requirements for Tier III and Tier IV data centres, making them a highly attractive solution for smaller data centres in the booming edge data centre market.

Further information about the Series 1600