- Wärtsilä Corporation, a global leader in energy and marine technologies, has been a key player in Tanzania’s energy sector for over 40 years.
- The Finnish multinational will showcase its innovative strategies for sustainable energy at the East Africa Energy Cooperation Summit in Arusha, Tanzania.
- CEO Thomas Bourlier reaffirms Wärtsilä’s commitment to driving East Africa’s energy growth and regional collaboration.
For over four decades, Wärtsilä Corporation has played a pivotal role in shaping Tanzania’s energy landscape, solidifying its reputation as a global leader in innovative energy solutions.
This Finnish multinational, renowned for its expertise in energy and marine technologies, is set to make its mark at the upcoming East Africa Energy Cooperation Summit in Arusha, Tanzania.
Represented by CEO and Senior Manager Thomas Bourlier, Wärtsilä aims to spotlight its legacy and future-focused strategies for driving sustainable energy development across Africa and beyond. With operations spanning diverse global markets, the company’s participation underscores its commitment to powering East Africa’s growth and fostering regional energy collaboration.
Bourlier will be speaking in the summit’s panel discussion on Powering the Mining Sector – Understanding Current Needs. Ahead of the summit, he gave an exclusive media interview in which he shares his perspective on the summit’s significance, highlights Wärtsilä’s innovative projects, and discusses the company’s commitment to addressing East Africa’s energy needs and regional plans.
Qn: Wärtsilä has a long history in Tanzania – what current projects are you involved in?
Ans: Wartsila 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.
Qn: What are you most looking forward to at the East African Energy Cooperation Summit?
Ans: 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.
Also Read: The critical need for energy access in Africa: A roadmap to prosperity
Qn: What are your future plans in Tanzania and across the region?
Ans: 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.
Qn: What are your thoughts on how the mining and energy sectors can connect and mutually benefit each other?
Ans: 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.
Qn: What are you most looking forward to at the East African Energy Cooperation Summit?
Ans: 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.
Qn: What are you most excited about for the next year in energy?
Ans: 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.