GE’s Distributed Power business announced that UK-based Clarke Energy, GE’s new authorized distributor of Jenbacher gas engines in Cameroon, is supplying a 1.4-MW J420 Jenbacher gas engine to Flour Mill SCTB s.a. (Societe Camerounaise de Transformation du Blé S.A.) to provide more reliable, cost-effective, on-site power for the company’s mills in the city of Douala. The project marks the first Jenbacher gas engine order in Cameroon for Clarke Energy.
The Jenbacher unit will permanently replace existing rented gas generators at the site, giving SCTB a more cost-effective, permanent, on-site power solution that will enable the company to save more than $200,000 annually in fuel costs. The system is scheduled to enter commercial service in the Q2.
“Changing from a rental power plant to a permanent installation provided by Clarke Energy and using GE’s Jenbacher gas engine technology will enable us to save in excess of $200,000 per year in fuel costs,” said Fofou Gregoire, project manager of SCTB. “Installing a permanent on-site power solution also will help us improve our mill’s availability so we can meet our production targets.”
Clarke Energy worked with SCTB to develop a technical solution to deliver a permanent supply of reliable electricity from pipeline-sourced natural gas. The projected savings in fuel costs was a significant driver for the gas engine’s installation. The project marks the first Jenbacher engine that Clarke Energy has supplied to SCTB.
“GE’s gas engine technology has been proven to be an attractive technical and commercial solution for Cameroon. This installation will be our first in Cameroon and will immediately start to deliver cost savings and reliable energy to our customer SCTB,” said Ali Hjaiej, business development director— Africa, Clarke Energy.
By increasing its gas-to-power efficiency rate and reducing diesel fuel consumption, SCTB also will be able to reduce carbon emissions at its mills.
“We are pleased to provide our first Jenbacher gas engine in Cameroon as part of our new distributor agreement with Clarke Energy. The J420 gas engine will enable SCTB to save on fuel while accessing reliable power for its operations,” said Oluwatoyin Abegunde, sub-Saharan region leader for GE’s Distributed Power business. “The project illustrates how GE’s technology is able to support Cameroon’s needs for a more sustainable supply of electricity.”
With Cameroon’s unstable grid causing local power outages, industrial operators have experienced unplanned downtime for their factories, resulting in losses from reduced production levels. As a result, a number of factory owners first turned to diesel generators to produce on-site power. SCTB decided to switch from diesel engines to gas-fired reciprocating engines to prove the feasibility of natural gas-fueled generation in Cameroon. Based on the rental units’ success, SCTB chose to install a new permanent Jenbacher gas engine solution to provide a reliable supply of electricity supply to the flour mills.
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