Rolls-Royce Power Systems, the Germany-based business of renowned propulsion and power systems group Rolls-Royce, sees data centres as a significant emerging market in Africa, including South Africa. “We think the data centre boom will come to Africa,” Rolls-Royce Power Systems global mining VP and Rolls-Royce Solutions Africa MD Cobus van Schalkwyk tells Engineering News in an exclusive interview.

“Elsewhere in the world, data centres are growing very strongly,” he highlights. “What’s happening is immense. For us, the market is the provision of data centre backup power systems. The global trends indicate that there should be material growth in Africa, including South Africa, over the next five to ten years. This justifies our greater investment in South Africa.”

The group recently opened a new 6 000 m² facility in Johannesburg that houses a new regional headquarters, as well as a training centre, and also serves as a central hub for customer-facing operations, including service coordination, logistics, and spare parts storage.

Another emerging sector that is set to become significant in Africa is gas-to-power. “Great growth in this sector is expected,” he points out. “More immediately, it will be focused on using natural gas. Biogas as fuel will be more long-term – probably coming on line in ten years, but we have already secured a couple of projects.”

Meanwhile, the prospects for the company’s traditional markets in Africa – mining and power generation, as well as rail transport and commercial (and some naval) shipping – remain good.

“The mining market in Africa right now is very good. Currently we’re doing the most haul truck re-powering [replacing original engines with Rolls-Royce ones] that we’ve ever done,” he reports. “Mines operate continuously and we have a superior product. For the next 15 years, we expect solid growth.”

The power generation market is also very good for us, he added. This is true for both the diesel and natural gas segments of the market. This market embraces backup power for industry (and data centres) and the abovementioned developing gas-to-power sector.

“We’ve made the right moves, putting our customers first, listening to what they say,” he explains. “We provide training for our customers. We have full end-to-end service capability at each one of the big mines in Africa, including both skilled personnel and spares stocks.”

Because of the skills shortage across the continent, the group trains the people it recruits from scratch. And, once they are qualified, they receive continuous training. Company policy is to train people locally, here in Africa.

“Regarding technology, I am confident that we have the right solution for the next 30 years,” he affirms. “All our engines are already certified to use biofuels, hydrogen and other sustainable fuels, as well as conventional fuels.”

In addition to its new Johannesburg headquarters, Rolls-Royce Power Systems has a regional office in Nairobi, Kenya (opened two years ago) and offices in Cape Town and in Solwezi in Zambia. The business had a stand at the recent Africa Energy Forum exhibition, held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.