With a 40-year history in Tanzania, EnergyNet spoke to Thomas Bourliere, Senior Manager, Market and Project Development, Energy Business - Africa & Europe, Wärtsilä, about the upcoming East Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (EA-ECS) and the company's projects and plans in the region.

 

Wärtsilä has a long history in Tanzania – what current projects are you involved in?

Wärtsilä has been a key player in Tanzania's energy sector for over 40 years. Currently, we are involved in projects that enhance the country's power infrastructure through our engine power plant solutions, which have been running continuously for the past 20 years.

We are also supporting a leading player in the mining industry by ensuring reliable power for their operations.

Our focus is on providing flexible and efficient power generation to meet Tanzania's growing energy demands, which includes both new installations and optimizing existing power plants for improved performance and reliability.

What are your future plans in Tanzania and across the region?

Our future plans in Tanzania and the broader East African region involve expanding our presence by leveraging our expertise in engine power plants.

We aim to support the region's energy transition by offering solutions that deliver reliable and efficient power generation with unmatched fuel flexibility.

Our focus will be on collaborating with local stakeholders to develop projects that align with national energy strategies and contribute to economic growth and development.

The key strengths of our engine power plants are the ability to deploy faster than grid connections, serve areas that are not connected, and provide balancing technologies for renewable energy penetration at a localized level – all needs that are very common across Tanzania and the East African region.

We'd love your thoughts on how the mining and energy sectors can connect and mutually benefit each other.

The mining and energy sectors are inherently interconnected, as reliable energy supply is crucial for mining operations, while the mining sector provides a stable demand for energy producers.

Mining developers require a stable energy source, as any shutdown can have significant safety and financial consequences. When grid connections are unavailable or unreliable, engine power plants offer an ideal solution with fuel flexibility, high efficiency, and the ability to integrate renewable energy, thereby supporting decarbonization efforts.

What are you most looking forward to at the East African Energy Cooperation Summit?

I am eager to engage with industry leaders and stakeholders at the East African Energy Cooperation Summit to discuss the future of energy in the region.

This summit is an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas, learn about the latest innovations, and explore potential collaborations.

I am particularly interested in discussions on how flexible power generation can address the challenges of energy access and sustainability in East Africa, and I look forward to exploring development opportunities in the sub-region.

 

What are you most excited about for the next year in energy?

In the coming year, I am excited about the concerted efforts across the region to enhance energy access and advance new developments.

Energy access should be a priority, as it is the backbone of economic development and will lead to stability and growth on the continent.

Wärtsilä is thrilled to contribute to this journey by providing flexible solutions capable of running on various fuels now and in the future, while offering dynamic capabilities that enable the smooth integration of renewable energy to support the region's sustainability goals.

Another area of development for the countries of East Africa is the creation of settlement windows for electricity in the sub-15 minute space, which will enable them to uncover costly inefficiencies much faster and structure their power purchase agreements in a mutually beneficial way that lowers system costs.

 

Thomas will be speaking in the panel discussion: Powering the Mining Sector – Understanding Current Needs, on Thursday 30th January. Download the full agenda here.