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    Wärtsilä Energy in Africa

Taking Africa to its Energy Future

Africa is ready to provide enough energy to achieve the most ambitious of goals, and it can do it while maintaining all environmental targets.

We believe careful planning of power systems towards more sustainable and diversified energy supply portfolios can save billions and rapidly reduce CO2 emissions. We create value through our extensive power system knowledge and experience from integrating different generating assets.

On this page, you may find our best materials and proceedings in energising and decarbonising the continent of Africa.

References in Africa

7.6 GW

of engine power plant capacity installed

46

African countries with active customers

600+

Wärtsilä engines installed across the continent

180+

customers across the continent

  • Flexicycle Power Plant
    Powering Africa with Wärtsilä's Flexible Engine Technology

    Wärtsilä engines are the best choice to provide flexible, efficient and decarbonised energy to the continent

Wärtsilä's industry firsts in Africa

With more than 650 employees and service hubs located in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Senegal, Wärtsilä is proud to have contributed to many industry firsts. These include Africa’s largest gas engine power plant on the Kribi coast of Cameroon with 216MW capacity, as well as Africa’s highest installation, the 175 MW power plant in Sasolburg, South Africa, sitting at 1,700 meters above sea level. 

Another first, the KivuWatt power plant in Rwanda, is the first ever power plant to use the naturally occurring methane from lake Kivu to generate electricity and reduce the environmental risks associated with such high concentrations of gas. Today’s power output is 25 MW but future planned expansions to this project will increase capacity by an additional 75 MW. 

Wärtsilä Energy references in Europe_map

Our references from across the continent

  • Paras Energy, Nigeria

    Since deciding in 2009 that its three new power plants would operate with Wärtsilä gas engines rather than gas turbines, the conventional choice at that time in Nigeria, Paras Energy has continued to benefit from that decision.

    Read more
    Engineer working in Paras Energy power plant.
  • Geita Gold Mine, Tanzania

    Reliable power generation in a remote off-grid location in Tanzania.

    Read more
    Image of Geita gold mine power plant
  • B2Gold Fekola Mine, Mali

    Our GEMS Digital Energy Platform together with energy storage solutions were the key players in helping the Fekola gold mine in Mali to reduce their dependency on expensive fuel, lower their carbon emissions and optimise their mining operations.

    Read more
    Energy Storage in Mali
  • Pointe Monnier, Mauritius

    The Central Electricity Board (CEB) of Mauritius improved the performance as well as reduced the operating costs of their power plant by having a turbocharger retrofit.

    Read more
    Pointe Monnier, Mauritius
  • Essakane Solar SAS, Burkina Faso

    The Essakane gold mine in Burkina Faso receives its needed power from Africa’s largest engine-solar PV hybrid power plant delivered by Wärtsilä. Benefits for the mine include reduced fuel costs and a smaller carbon footprint. The capability to control and optimise the usage of the solar PV power and engines enables the gold mine to reduce its fuel consumption by an estimated 6 million litres per year and its annual CO2 emissions by 18,500 tons.

    Read more
    Essakane Solar SAS - Burkina Faso
  • Kaloum 5, Republic of Guinea

    Power plant overhaul boosts availability and grid stability.

    Read more
    Kaloum 5 - Republic of Guinea
  • Malicounda, Senegal

    With 450 MW of installed capacity in Senegal, Wärtsilä is the country’s leading provider of power generation equipment. The Matelec company placed an order for the delivery of an energy efficient 130 MW Flexicycle™ power plant. This investment will enable Senegal to achieve its goal of reducing consumer electricity pricing.

    Read more
    Malicounda, Senegal
  • Grande Côte, Senegal

    The Grande Côte Mineral Sands Project aims to extract valuable zircon and titanium dioxide from sandy deposits along the Senegalese coast from 2014 for at least the next 20 years.

    Read more
    Grande Cote Power Plant - Senegal
  • Sasolburg, South Africa

    "Our old generating equipment was replaced with more efficient units. New power plant technology is used to meet increased demand for electricity. Gas-engine technology allows us to reduce our carbon footprint by more than 40%."

    Read more
    Sasolburg operations
  • Lake Kivu, Rwanda

    This power plant utilises naturally occurring methane gas from Lake Kivu to generate electricity via Wärtsilä 34SG engines. Total output will be 25 MW. By reducing gas levels in the lake while, at the same time, providing additional power generating capacity, both environmental and economic targets can be met. This is the first time that Lake Kivu’s methane gas will be used to fuel a power plant of this size.

    Read more
    Lake Kivu

Recent Country White Papers

Opinions

  • Kenya: East Africa’s Power House
    The energy loom: Crafting Africa's green transition with precision

    The call for a green revolution is no longer a distant echo; it's the resounding demand of the present. Much like an artisan weaver poised before a complex loom, the world faces the task of crafting a grand tapestry of sustainability.

    Read the Opinion
  • Stable and transparent policymaking is essential to reach Nigeria’s electrification targets

    Developing a culture of stability in Nigeria’s energy policymaking will be key to unlocking the massive foreign investments needed to achieve its 2060 carbon neutrality goals.

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • South Africa Slide Image
    Power System Operators: A Balancing Act

    Imagine a power system operator in South Africa as the head of a diverse family, trying to maintain a harmonious household of electricity supply.

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • Renewable energy will save west africa hundreds of millions of dollars

    Paired with energy storage and flexible engine power plants, renewable energy will reduce emissions by 30% by 2030 and generate savings of $700 million dollars by 2035.

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • South Africa Slide Image
    Gas Power Solution for South Africa

    Wärtsilä also believes that there are at least ten short to medium term <400MW gas power opportunities to be realised across the country, which would bring much needed flexibility across the grid

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • Nigeria’s industry is rising to twin challenges

    In most places in Africa, the development of renewable energy capacity is a very competitive solution that industrials can adopt to lower their environmental impact and energy costs. But things aren’t as clear-cut in Nigeria.

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • Africa Image for slides
    Africa’s energy leapfrogging reality

    In-depth studies have demonstrated that with the adequate support of flexible power technologies, ambitious renewable energy objectives in Africa are achievable

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • South Africa Slide Image
    Thank you Gas for my cup of tea

    Our modelling reveals that gas plays an important role in maintaining a reliable supply under numerous “real world” events.

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • Africa Image for slides
    Africa can adopt renewable energy on a massive scale

    Countries across Africa want to make good on their objective of building huge amounts of new generation capacity to anticipate on vast increases in energy demand.

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • South Africa Slide Image
    Optimising energy storage and thermal balancing: the case for South Africa

    With increasing power outages and the ongoing threat of loadshedding, the need for sustainable energy production in the country is becoming more apparent.

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • South Africa Slide Image
    SA ‘faces a decade of load-shedding without gas’

    The country needs to install 9,000 megawatts of gas-fired power at a cost of as much as $8bn to ease the transition from coal to renewable energy

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • Accelerating Nigeria’s 30-30-30 vision

    Our modelling shows that the country requires more aggressive capacity additions than the current situation, referred to as the business-as-usual scenario, in order to achieve the country’s stated 30-30-30 vision.

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • South Africa Slide Image
    Wärtsilä Modelling Proves the Flexibility of Gas in SA’s Energy Transition

    Finnish technology group Wärtsilä presented its latest findings and rigorous analysis that was undertaken on the South African power system, amidst the current energy crisis.

    Read the Opinion Piece
  • The cheapest way to meet Mozambique’s new electricity demand

    A recent study carried out by Wärtsilä shows that investing in a combination of renewables and gas would save $2 billion and 25 million tons of CO2 by 2032

    Read the Opinion Piece

Africa related videos

 

Articles

Energy solutions for mining
26 Apr 2022 · Article
5 min read
Renewables, energy storage and flexible gas power plants can drive industry in South Africa on road to decarbonisation
One of the major challenges...
From Texas to Nigeria: engine power plants provide the flexibility to mitigate gas supply issues and support growth in renewables
13 Oct 2021 · Article
5 min read
From Texas to Nigeria: engine power plants provide the flexibility to mitigate gas supply issues and support growth in renewables
In North America...
Ambitious About Africa Insights article banner
11 Aug 2021 · Article
5 min read
Ambitious about Africa
There is currently a desperate need for more equal opportunities and better integration between companies and the communities...
Cowley_0674
Wärtsilä Energy Storage and Optimisation

Wärtsilä Energy Storage & Optimisation offers unrivalled solutions to the most pressing energy challenges, including the integration of more renewables.

Recent press releases

Wärtsilä introduces Quantum3: A complete, high-density AC block energy storage system with industry-leading features and controls

Sep 4, 2024, 08:00 by Wärtsilä Corporation

Technology group Wärtsilä has launched Quantum3, an intelligent cutting-edge battery energy storage system (BESS) with new safety, cybersecurity, energy density, and sustainability design features. Quantum3 is the latest addition to Wärtsilä’s Quantum battery energy storage product portfolio supporting a global decarbonised future. Quantum3 addresses the evolving needs of grid-scale energy storage customers and the markets in which Wärtsilä systems are deployed.

“Time and again, our customers choose Wärtsilä as their BESS partner because of our delivery record and ability to build solutions that are adaptable to their sites and project requirements. Quantum3 is the evolution of that promise, which addresses our customers’ primary concerns of safety, efficiency, security, cost, and time,” says Andrew Tang, Vice President of Energy Storage & Optimisation at Wärtsilä Energy.

Quantum3 is a complete AC block solution, with fully integrated and internalised batteries and string-based power conversion systems (PCS). String inverters enable decentralised control to considerably enhance the availability, efficiency, and reliability of the system across its lifespan. Quantum3 also contains Wärtsilä’s proprietary Battery Management System (BMS), designed and engineered in the United States. Wärtsilä’s BMS offers efficient cell balancing, adaptable system management, and enhanced cybersecurity, informed by Wärtsilä’s deep understanding of battery performance and on-site system operations.

Housed in a 20-foot ISO container with single-side access, Quantum3 is strategically sized for global shipping and efficient on-site deployment and back-to-back configuration. It is designed to achieve an optimal balance between energy density and weight. Quantum3’s sustainable design, including low noise levels and a low global warming potential (GWP) cooling system, makes it a groundbreaking offering for meeting customers’ environmental and decarbonisation goals. Quantum3’s enhanced fire safety features also go beyond the requirements of current global regulations to ensure that customer facilities are both fire-proof and future-proof.

“These are features we have worked extremely hard on and are very proud of. We have a proven track record of safe and reliable delivery worldwide. Quantum3 will help to further strengthen confidence among customers, local communities, and first responders that Wärtsilä’s systems will stand the test of time,” Tang comments.

Additionally, Quantum3 is powered by the GEMS Digital Energy Platform, Wärtsilä’s sophisticated Energy Management System (EMS). GEMS, in combination with string inverters, provides comprehensive visibility and control from the battery to the fleet level, increasing the availability of energy storage facilities for the highest possible return on investment. With GEMS’s machine learning and optimisation power, Quantum3 can intelligently leverage energy supply during times of high energy cost to significantly reduce operating costs and meet ancillary service demands for customers. GEMS also streamlines the system’s controls from BMS to EMS, ensuring high data fidelity and increased data access to enhance performance and reduce downtime.

In summary, Quantum3’s features include:

  • Fully integrated AC block for high system availability and optimised rack-level control to maximise system performance
  • Industry-leading fire safety and cybersecurity features
  • Increased energy density and back-to-back layout for optimum land use and efficient on-site deployment and configuration
  • Standard 20-foot ISO container with a convenient weight for global shipment
  • Sustainable design and cooling system with low GWP
  • Advanced monitoring, control, and optimisation from battery to fleet with Wärtsilä’s GEMS Digital Energy Platform

Wärtsilä is committed to sourcing Quantum3 components from a geographically diverse set of suppliers, with manufacturing capacity across different regions of North America, Asia, and Europe. This allows Wärtsilä’s customers to take advantage of local tax incentives, alleviate tariffs, and meet the most stringent cybersecurity requirements.

Learn more:

Wärtsilä Energy Storage & Optimisation Technology

Media contact for more information on this release:

Katri Pehkonen
Communications Manager
Wärtsilä Energy
Mob: +358 50 591 6180
katri.pehkonen@wartsila.com  

Image caption: Wärtsilä’s Quantum3, a fully integrated AC block energy storage system for high system availability and optimised rack-level control.
© Wärtsilä Corporation

All Wärtsilä releases are available at www.wartsila.com/media/news-releases and at news.cision.com/wartsila-corporation where also the images can be downloaded. Use of the image(s) is allowed only in connection with the contents of this press release. Wärtsilä images are available at www.wartsila.com/media/image-bank.

Wärtsilä Energy in brief
Wärtsilä Energy is at the forefront of the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our customers and the power sector to accelerate their decarbonisation journeys through our market-leading technologies and power system expertise. Our solutions include flexible engine power plants, energy storage and optimisation technology, and services for the whole lifecycle of our installations. Our engines are future-proof and can run on sustainable fuels. Our track record comprises 79 GW of power plant capacity, of which 18 GW are under service agreements, and over 125 energy storage systems, in 180 countries around the world.
www.wartsila.com/energy

Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasise innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 17,800 professionals in more than 280 locations in 79 countries shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. In 2023, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 6.0 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.wartsila.com

Wärtsilä Energy. Let's connect.

Africa local offices

    South Africa

    4 Powerful Street, 
    Paarden Eiland
    7405, 
    Cape Town
    Tel. +27 21 5111 230

    Nigeria

    Wärtsilä Marine and Power Services Nigeria
    23 Oba Akinjobi Street
    Ikeja GRA, Lagos
    Nigeria
    Tel. +234 907 808 0936 - Marine enquiry
            +234 8057217049 - New Builds enquiry
            +234 708 624 3992 - After Sales enquiry
    E-mail: Sales/Services equiries WNG@Wartsila.com

    Kenya

    ABC Towers - 7A, ABC Place
    Waiyaki Way
    Nairobi
    Tel. +254 20 7602 400 (Pilot)
    E-mail: info.wea@wartsila.com

    Senegal

    Wärtsilä West Africa
    Immeuble Le Thiargane 7ème étage, Mermoz Place OMVS
    B.P. 21861 Dakar-Ponty, Dakar - Senegal
    Tel + 221 33 865 41 00
    Fax + 221 33 864 42 72
    E-mail: West.africa@wartsila.com

    Madagascar

    Fort Dauphin (Taolagnaro)
    QMM Madena, Fort Dauphin, 614
    Madagascar
    Tel. +261 20 224 3267
    Fax: +261 20 224 3253

    Cameroon

    Wärtsilä Central Africa
    Wärtsilä Base, Essengue
    Douala, Cameroon
    Tel +237 33 50 54 00
    Fax +237 33 50 54 99
    wcm@wartsila.com for general information
    wcmsales@wartsila.com for commercial issues