Henri Loubser, MD, New Energy, Sasol (centre), flanked by the project team.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA: Sasol’s R1.9 billion gas engine power plant in Sasolburg has gone live and began producing electricity, for the first time, as part of the facility’s test phase. This marks a significant step for the international energy and chemical company in boosting its own power generation capacity, while reducing its carbon emissions.
The facility will be fully commissioned and is expected to reach full capacity before the end of December 2012, one quarter ahead of schedule. The plant, using natural gas as feedstock, has an operating capacity of 140 megawatts (MW) and is the largest power plant, using gas engines, installed in South Africa.
“This is a significant milestone in terms of our energy efficiency and the way in which our utilities operate. This investment will reduce our CO2 emissions, while also easing our load on the national grid for the benefit of our communities,” said Henri Loubser, Managing Director, New Energy, Sasol.
Sasol aims to reduce its emissions intensity by 15 per cent in all its operations off a 2005 baseline by 2020, measured as CO2 equivalent per ton product. The combined heat and power facility will replace coal-fired power generation, reducing Sasol’s South African greenhouse gas emissions by approximately one million tonne per annum. It will also improve air quality through reductions in nitrogen oxide, sulphur oxide and particulate emissions. Sasol plans to increase its power generation capacity to 60 per cent by the 2013 calendar year.
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