Globally Unique Energy Project on Lake Kivu, Rwanda: Go-Live of Power Plant with 19 MWM Gas Engines Imminent
Mannheim, March 30, 2023
Lake Kivu in Rwanda is the scene of an unusual energy project. The Rwandan lake of 2400 km2 and a depth of 490 m has methane deposits that are used for eco-friendly energy generation. The construction of a power plant comprising 19 MWM TCG 2023B V16 gas engines started in 2019. Now, the go-live of the MWM gas engines is imminent.
MWM Gas Engines Generate Energy for Rwanda
The 19 MWM TCG 2032B V16 gas engines form the core of the power plant on the shores of Lake Kivu, which has an output of 76 MW. Methane is extracted from the depths of the lake by means of a suction system and transported to the shore through pipelines of a length of up to 17 km. At the surface, the methane is processed and “sweetened” in scrubbing towers in order to improve the quality of the gas.
The MWM service engineers are preparing the power plant go-live on site. The first step is a mechanical preliminary go-live, which takes five days per MWM gas engines. Among other things, this includes an endoscopy of the cylinder combustion chambers, the filling of oil, and the review of the cooling water modules and peripheral parts such as pumps and valves.
Extensive Checks for a Smooth Go-Live of the Power Plants
The MWM gas engines have made a long journey from Hamburg to Rwanda. The ship voyage was followed by a trip of 1,600 km on desert and steppe tracks from Mombasa to Rwanda. “By means of extensive controls, we make sure that the MWM gas engines will run perfectly when the power plant is ramped up”, explains Thomas Mattil, the project manager responsible for the plant. In the next step, the electric switchboard will be checked and commissioned.
The central plant switchboard of the highly complex power plant is the largest ever set up at a customer by Caterpillar Energy Solutions for the MWM brand. The plant switchboard is used for the central control of the MWM gas engines, cooling water modules, and other components on land. By July 2023, all 19 MWM TCG 2032B V16 gas engines are to be ready to produce sustainable energy for Rwanda. “If everything proceeds smoothly, the energy project on the shores of Lake Kivu will be one of the world’s most exciting and innovative projects for the energy supply with MWM gas engines”, says Mattil.
