KivuWatt Power Station

KivuWatt Power Station

The KivuWatt Power Station is a 26 MW methane gas-powered thermal plant in Rwanda. It is located approximately 130 kilometres from Kigali, the capital. The project would extract power from Lake Kiwu and use the gas to generate power. The project costed $ 200 million, and is expected to generate 26 MW power, while it is expanded to 100 MW later. At present, the project is expected to help 45,000 people. Construction concluded in November 2015 and the power station was under testing from November 2015 until commissioning in June 2016. The KivuWatt power plant was inaugurated by Rwanda's president Kagame on 16 May 2016.

“Lake Kivu is probably Rwanda’s greatest natural resource but also its biggest liability, as it can spontaneously erupt carbon dioxide and methane, with disastrous effects on the local environment. KivuWatt is a unique new 100 MW power plant on the lake shore, which extracts the methane to generate electricity. At US$92 million, this is Rwanda’s first independent power project and largest single private investment, with financing arranged by the‑Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund, African Development Bank, Netherlands Development Finance Company, BIO (the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries), and Belgian Development Bank” (KPMC).

(Image credits: Power Technology) 

Kudu Gas Field

Kudu Gas Field

Namibia is considered to be one of Africa’s major developing economies. It is seen as an indicator of Africa’s growing economic clout in the world economy. To aid in its development comes the Kudu Gas Field, an offshore gas field, in Orange sub-basin. Discovered in 1974, the license to exploit these resources have been held by a number of companies including Royal Dutch Shell and Energy Africa. “The field's proven natural gas reserves are estimated at 1.3 trillion cubic feet and possible reserves at nine trillion cubic feet. The field's life is estimated to be 22 years” (Offshore technology).

“Another transformational energy development is Namibia’s Kudu Gas Field and Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) Project, which is due to open by 2018. The country’s first large-scale power plant seeks to exploit domestic resources by developing the offshore Kudu field’s estimated 1.3 trillion cubic feet of gas. The 800 MW power plant will add much needed domestic generation capacity to limit imports and tackle a‑widening energy deficit. Gas will be delivered through a 170 kilometre pipeline, enabling Namibia to become a net exporter of energy and reduce its dependence upon South Africa. National power utility Nampower selected China’s Shanghai Electric as preferred bidder to finance 49‑percent of the US$1.1 billion project as well as provide international expertise” (KPMC).

Qatar Orbital Highway Project

Qatar Orbital Highway Project

“With the 2022 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, hosts Qatar’s new Orbital Highway is one of a number of critical infrastructure projects to be delivered ahead of the event. At 200 kilometers in length and 14 lanes wide, the US$1.7 billion motorway connects the new port at the Qatari capital Doha with Ras Laffan, the gas-producing industrial city in the north of the country” (KPMC). The project is the largest of four contracts which make up the New Orbital Highway – stretching from the existing Al Mesaieed interchange to Salwa Road. The project started in 2014 and is now expected to finish in 2017. It is expected to have services such as cross road, pedestrian & bicycle paths; service structures including underpasses, retaining walls, pump stations, substations, drainage structures and tanks as well as Intelligent Traffic System, Street lighting and bridge underpass lighting works.