S07 ATR April 2022 Power News_ATR - New Master Template 2016 30/03/2022 06:43 Page 26
GENERATORS | REPORT
Gensets market primed for growth and evolution While change is now a constant in Africa’s energy market as the transition to cleaner technologies gathers momentum, demand for modern genset power systems appears as robust as ever. n a continent where reliable power is not taken for granted, gensets have long filled a gap, providing crucial energy and peace of mind for industrial sites, hospitals, residential users, and many others. These gensets power, or provide back-up, to some of Africa’s most vital industries, ranging from remote mining sites to offshore oil platforms. As times have changed, so too has the technology behind these portable power stations, as they become increasingly energy-efficient. The range of fuels has broadened out from traditional diesel and heavy fuel oil (HFO) to natural gas, while many sites also now embrace ‘hybrid’ models that may incorporate renewable and alternative technologies, such as wind or solar power. That is a key trend as businesses around the globe tackle issues surrounding climate change. “I think the most talked about topic when it comes to gensets and power generation in general is the need to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions,” said Kara Neale, business development manager at Clarke Energy, a part of the Kohler group, a leading supplier of gensets and engines to Africa. “Multiple sectors – mining, industrial, commercial property – are moving away from grid power
Image Credit: Rolls-Royce plc
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Image Credit: Rolls-Royce plc
One of the two 1,000kVA diesel generators that power the residential skyscrapers at Azuri Towers in Nigeria.
An ever-changing market
Rolls-Royce mtu 16V4000L32 natural gas gensets installed at IPP producing electricity in 2016 for a food factory in Nigeria.
as their main/sole supply to either full self-generation with hybrid systems, or adding partial generation to use during peak periods, or times of load shedding etc.
I think the most talked about topic when it comes to gensets and power generation in general is the need to reduce GHG emissions.” KARA NEALE, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT CLARKE ENERGY 26
plant in the initial phase of the project, which will be upscaled to 10MW in a later phase. Nigeria is one of Africa’s biggest LNG producers and exporters and sits on vast natural gas reserves. At the end of last year, Clarke Energy also relocated to a new regional office in Tunisia, a move that will bolster its Francophone Africa hub, based in Tunis. The new site is equipped with a spare parts warehouse of the gas engine manufacturer INNIO Jenbacher. It also reflects the company’s belief in the investment climate in Tunisia. Clarke Energy took the opportunity to celebrate the signing of a global partnership agreement with Rose Blanche Group, a Tunisian agrifoods company, to ensure the optimal energy efficiency of its plants for a total capacity of 11MWe.
AFRICAN REVIEW OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY | APRIL 2022
“From our perspective, we see gas as being the transition fuel, moving away from coal, HFO and diesel, and in doing so halving the GHG emissions. The next stage would be the move to renewable fuels such as biogases and hydrogen when these are viable.”
Clarke Energy expands Illustrating the breadth of fuels now available, one recent project in Nigeria is currently utilising liquefied natural gas (LNG) to power the operations of Aspira Nigeria Ltd, part of Lee Group of Companies, the second-highest employer in Kano after the state government. Clarke Energy installed plant a 4MW power
Another company that is beefing up its presence in Africa is Rolls-Royce Power Systems. It is providing energy for a wide range of applications on the continent, including mtu power solutions for data centres, hospitals, airports, shopping malls and other infrastructure, as well as backup for the grid network in some countries. From its headquarters in South Africa, the company plans to strengthen its presence in eastern and western African markets offering the complete Rolls-Royce product portfolio for power generation. This includes mtu diesel and gas gensets, UPS systems, battery containers and complete decentralised energy systems. Rolls-Royce’s autonomous energy systems can combine heat and power plants, diesel and gas gensets, and renewable sources with batteries. All elements are linked together in an
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