Wärtsilä plans to establish the joint venture with German company RCT Solutions and discontinue energy storage as a separate reporting segment. The ownership structure of the joint venture will be 50% RCT Solutions and 50% Wärtsilä.
The joint venture would include Wärtsilä’s Energy Storage business has been the smallest segment within the group which would transfer net assets representing less than 5% of Wärtsilä’s total net assets into the joint venture.
Wärtsilä’s energy storage business currently delivers utility-scale integrated battery energy storage systems (BESS) and optimisation solutions. The portfolio includes high-performance hardware, intelligent controls and optimisation software, and full-service lifecycle support. RCT Solutions GmbH is an engineering company, founded in 2012, that majors in solar and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Closing of the transaction is expected in the third quarter of 2026 subject to regulatory and other customary conditions and approvals as well as arrangement of a financing package. As a result of the agreement, in the second quarter of 2026 Energy Storage will cease to be a separate reporting segment, the financial targets for the business will no longer apply, and demand guidance will be suspended. The transaction is expected to have no material profit and loss impact at closing.
The joint venture will carry the project guarantees already issued by Wärtsilä regarding ongoing projects. It is expected to be loss-making in 2026, owing to recent low order intake as well as costs related to transformation actions, consisting mainly of write-down of capitalised R&D. The impact on Wärtsilä’s full year 2026 operating result is estimated to be € -40 to -50 million. The JV is expected to generate positive results towards the end of 2027.
