Global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets Wärtsilä emphasises innovation in sustainable technology and services to help its customers continuously improve their environmental and economic performance.  

The company’s energy branch – Wärtsilä Energy - leads the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future with a focus on providing energy solutions that make a positive impact on customer outputs. “Whether this is through reciprocating engines or battery storage systems for base load or balancing and security of supply in the grid or in island operation, what sets us apart from our competitors is our solutions and our regional experience, including the largest engine power plant install base in Africa,” notes Wärtsilä Energy GM for strategic relations and business in Africa Tord Johnsson.

“We have offices and/or customers in 53 African countries. Together with our clients, we understand the market and the technologies required to provide a reliable and flexible energy system,” he says. 

The Investing in African Mining Indaba exhibition has always been an important event for Wärtsilä. “We believe that this is the best and most well attended mining event in Africa for those who want to stay current with what is happening in the sector,” says Johnsson.

It also provides a great opportunity to meet up with all relevant mining stakeholders throughout the African continent.  As a result, Wärtsilä Energy is working closely together with Mining Finland, Business Finland and some fellow Finnish industries this year to showcase the technologies and capabilities they can all offer to help support the growing mining sector and the companies that operate within it.

“For Africa, we have installed 460 MW of power generation in 16 different mines in ten countries, with an installed base of 7,6 GW.  Globally, our track record comprises 79 GW of power plant capacity, of which 18 GW are under service agreements, in 180 countries around the world.”  

Further, Johnsson explains how Wärtsilä Energy is helping to shape the future of mining in Africa by sharing an example of one success story in Africa.  

“We recently signed a Decarbonisation Services deal with QIT Madagascar Minerals S.A (QMM), part of the Rio Tinto group. The deal concerns the 24 MW Wärtsilä engine power plant and connected renewable and storage assets, which power the ilmenite mine owned by Rio Tinto and the Government of Madagascar, as well as the nearby town of Fort Dauphin,” he shares.  

The key elements of the agreement include optimised dispatch of the plant’s six Wärtsilä 32 engines and QMM’s battery energy storage and renewable assets with Wärtsilä’s GEMS Digital Energy Platform. The GEMS software uses machine learning technology to optimise multiple energy generation assets and ensure maximum use of renewable energy. 

The agreement itself is a groundbreaking offering in the energy sector and allows for optimising all the assets in the microgrid, including renewable energy use, thereby not only reducing emissions but also producing notable cost savings. 

“This agreement strengthens our long-lasting partnership with QMM. We are delighted to continue to support their operations, both with our technology and our regional service network,” he says. By working in close cooperation with the customer, Wärtsilä Energy is able to ensure a reliable and sustainable power supply to the mine 

The mining and energy sectors are inherently interconnected, as reliable energy supply is crucial for mining operations. The mining sector provides a stable demand for energy producers, while mining developers require a stable energy source, as any shutdown can have significant safety and financial consequences. “When grid connections are unavailable or unreliable, gas engine power plants offer an ideal solution with fuel flexibility, high efficiency, and the ability to integrate renewable energy, thereby supporting decarbonisation

Wärtsilä Energy is committed to leading the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. “We help our partners, which includes mines, to accelerate their decarbonisation journeys through our market-leading technologies and power system modelling expertise. These cover future-fuel enabled balancing power plants, hybrid solutions, energy storage systems and optimisation technology, including the GEMS energy management platform,” Johnsson concludes.