ENERGY PROJECT ON LAKE KIVU, RWANDA: POWER PLANT WITH 19 GAS-ENGINED GENSETS

Lake Kivu in Rwanda is the scene of an unusual energy project. The Rwandan lake of 2,400 km2 and a depth of 490 m has methane deposits which are used for eco-friendly energy generation.

The construction of a power plant, comprising 19 MWM TCG 2032B V16 gas gensets began in 2019. Now, the go-live phase of the MWM gas engines is imminent.

These gas gensets form the core of the power plant on the shores of Lake Kivu, which has an output of 76 MW.

Methane is extracted from the depths of the lake by means of a suction system and transported to the shore through pipelines of a length of up to 17 km. At the surface, the methane is processed and ‘sweetened’ in scrubbing towers in order to improve the quality of the gas.

From July 2023, methane extracted from the lake will be used to produce energy for Rwanda. The MWM commissioning engineers are preparing the power plant for its go-live debut onsite.

The first step is a mechanical preliminary go-live, which takes five days per MWM gas genset. Among other things, this includes an endoscopy of the cylinder combustion chambers, the filling of oil, and the review of the cooling water modules and peripheral parts such as pumps and valves.

The MWM gas gensets have made a long journey from Hamburg to Rwanda. The ship voyage was followed by a trip of 1,600 km on both desert and savanna tracks from Mombasa to Rwanda.

“By means of extensive controls, we make sure that the MWM gas gensets will run perfectly when the power plant is ramped up,” explains Thomas Mattil, the project manager responsible for the plant.

In the next step, the electric switchboard will be checked and commissioned. A total of 19 MWM TCG 2032B V16 gas gensets form the core of the power plant, which has an output of 76 MW.

The central plant switchboard of the highly complex power plant is the largest ever set up at a customer by Caterpillar Energy Solutions for the MWM brand.

The plant switchboard is used for the central control of the MWM gas gensets, cooling water modules, and other components on land. By July 2023, all 19 MWM TCG 2032B V16 gas gensets will be ready to produce sustainable energy for Rwanda.

“If everything proceeds smoothly, the energy project on the shores of Lake Kivu will be one of the world’s most exciting and innovative projects for the energy supply with MWM gas gensets”, says Mattil.

An ambitious energy project Lake Kivu in Rwanda - a body of water about five times the size of Lake Constance - forms the basis for this nationwide energy supply project. The lake hosts major methane deposits which can be used for eco-friendly energy generation purposes. The methane will fuel one of Rwanda’s largest power plants, which, in turn, will supply the landlocked country with energy.

According to estimates of the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), some 300 km³ of carbon dioxide and 50 to 70 km³ of methane are dissolved in Lake Kivu.

Methane - the main component of natural gas - is a key fossil energy source.

The colourless and odourless gas in the lake can escape to the surface in an uncontrolled manner, which not only harms the environment and contributes to global warming. It also represents an acute danger for humans. Scientists and businesses want to harness the gas hazard from Lake Kivu before disaster strikesand produce power from the gas.

The MWM TCG 2032B V16 gas gensets transform the methane gas, which is harmful to the environment, into useful electrical energy. www.mwm.net

“In this way, our gas gensets greatly contribute to the reduction of climate-damaging methane gas, while at the same time producing clean energy,” explains Tim Scott, Director for MWM.

The gas-water mixture is transported up to the surface of the lake through pipes. At the surface, the methane is processed in scrubbing towers. In this way, the gas is upgraded for the energy generation, enabling the extraction of even more electrical energy. The carbon-dioxide is sent back down to the depths of the lake.

The Lake Kivu project will supply Rwanda with energy for several decades. According to the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) of the ETH, the 55 km³ of methane present can be transformed into power worth some US$20 billion, based on today’s energy prices.

“We are pleased to be able to deliver a significant contribution to this sustainable, extraordinary energy project with our MWM gas engines, thereby supporting Rwanda’s economic growth”, says Scott.