Clarke Energy, GE's authorized distributor of Jenbacher gas engines, is supplying one of GE's high-efficiency Jenbacher gas engines to Said Salim Bakhresa (Bakhresa) for a combined heat and power (CHP) plant, which will support the Azam flour mill in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The deployment of this high-efficiency, gas-fueled CHP plant will help Bakhresa reduce its yearly operating costs.
"We selected GE and Clarke Energy for our site in Dar es Salaam due to the efficiency performance of similar units in Tanzania and their service support available in the country," said Mr. Rajesh Nair, technical manager, Said Salim Bakhresa & Co ltd.
Tanzania has large domestic reserves of gas that are located in coastal waters off the southern part of the country. There have been two gas pipelines constructed in Tanzania to transport that gas from the site of production to the site of use. The first pipeline reached full capacity a number of years ago and supplied a limited number of industries with gas for self-consumption. The second gas pipeline has just been completed resulting in new supplies of gas being made available to industry.
"Bakhresa is one of the leading industrial houses in Tanzania, and this natural gas-fueled power generation has significant cost- and carbon-saving benefits," said Hugh Richmond, business development director, Clarke Energy. "As Clarke Energy’s first project in Tanzania, it will help reduce the factory’s operational costs and, in parallel, deliver reliable power."
This installation for Bakhresa will utilize the newly available gas to generate high-efficiency, reliable power in the form of electricity and heat. Clarke Energy will provide one of GE’s Jenbacher J612 gas engines capable of generating 1.82 megawatts (MW) of electrical energy. The plant will be configured as a CHP plant, with heat from the engines being fed into a steam boiler that is able to produce 1,040 kilograms per hour of steam at 6 barg. The power plant also will operate in a grid-synchronous manner. Clarke Energy is delivering an integrated solution for the CHP plant. This will incorporate both mechanical and electrical installation works along with grid connection support for the 33-kilovolt link.
"GE’s Jenbacher J612 gas engine features lower emissions and increased efficiency," said Oluwatoyin Abegunde, sub-Sahara Africa regional leader for GE’s Distributed Power business. "By combining our proven technology and Clarke Energy’s expertise, we are able to provide a highly reliable, cost-effective solution for Bakhresa’s new CHP plant and support the growth of Tanzania’s industrial base."
Bakhresa Group, one of the leading Industrial Houses in Tanzania, East Africa, started in the 1970s. The group has now emerged as one of the prominent family owned business group in the region with its operations spread in Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa. There are several companies under its umbrella, and it has investments primarily in the food and beverage sector, packaging, logistics, marine passenger services, petroleum and entertainment.