The technology group Wärtsilä has announced the first order of its innovative new Wärtsilä Modular Block solution for power generation to Aggreko, a global provider of mobile, modular power, temperature control and energy services.
Four Wärtsilä Modular Block enclosures, with one medium-speed Wärtsilä 32 engine in each, will provide 40MW of energy to an off-grid gold mine in Mali, West Africa.
The Wärtsilä Modular Block solution will replace the existing diesel generators currently powering the mine. Thanks to the high efficiency of the engines, the new solution will create substantial monthly savings in fuel costs. Fast-starting and load following capabilities will facilitate the integration of renewables into the mine’s energy system. The mine will be powered by a reliable, flexible and affordable solution, which will help to enhance the mine’s environmental impact.
Three Wärtsilä Modular Blocks, providing a total of 30MW of power, will be installed next to the existing power station in 2020. The fourth 10MW Modular Block will be installed in 2022.
The agreement with Aggreko includes an option to add a fifth 10MW unit to the power plant. The scalability of Wärtsilä Modular Block solution enables the mine to add additional power capacity if needed to support the future growth.
“The Wärtsilä Modular Block solution opens up exciting new opportunities, both for permanent and rental electricity generation,” said Jean Nabb, Director, Strategic Partnerships, Wärtsilä Energy Business.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Aggreko in this rapidly growing market, and this first order is encouraging for the future success of our cooperation.”
