Senegal’s home gas reserves shall be mainly used to produce electricity. Authorities expect that domestic gas infrastructure tasks will come online between 2025 and 2026, offered there isn’t any delay. The monetization of these vital power assets is on the basis of the government’s new gas-to-power ambitions.
In this context, the global expertise group Wärtsilä performed in-depth studies that analyse the economic impact of the various gas-to-power strategies out there to Senegal. Two very totally different applied sciences are competing to fulfill the country’s gas-to-power ambitions: Combined-cycle gas generators (CCGT) and Gas engines (ICE).
These studies have revealed very significant system price differences between the two major gas-to-power applied sciences the nation is presently contemplating. Contrary to prevailing beliefs, fuel engines are actually significantly better suited than mixed cycle gas generators to harness power from Senegal’s new fuel assets cost-effectively, the research reveals. Total value variations between the 2 applied sciences may reach as much as 480 million USD till 2035 depending on scenarios.
Two competing and very completely different technologies
The state-of-the-art vitality combine fashions developed by Wärtsilä, which builds customised vitality situations to determine the price optimal way to ship new technology capability for a selected nation, reveals that ICE and CCGT applied sciences present vital price differences for the gas-to-power newbuild program operating to 2035.
Although these two technologies are equally confirmed and reliable, they are very completely different when it comes to the profiles in which they’ll operate. CCGT is a know-how that has been developed for the interconnected European electrical energy markets, the place it could function at 90% load factor always. On the other hand, flexible ICE technology can operate effectively in all operating profiles, and seamlessly adapt itself to any other generation applied sciences that may make up the country’s power combine.
In specific our examine reveals that when operating in an electricity community of limited dimension such as Senegal’s 1GW national grid, counting on CCGTs to considerably broaden the network capability would be extraordinarily pricey in all potential eventualities.
Cost differences between the applied sciences are explained by a number of elements. First of all, scorching climates negatively influence the output of gas generators more than it does that of gas engines.
Secondly, thanks to Senegal’s anticipated entry to low cost domestic gasoline, the working prices turn out to be much less impactful than the funding costs. In different words, as a result of low fuel prices lower operating costs, it’s financially sound for the country to rely on ICE energy crops, which are inexpensive to build.
Technology modularity additionally plays a key function. Senegal is predicted to require an extra 60-80 MW of technology capability each year to find a way to meet the increasing demand. This is way decrease than the capacity of typical CCGTs crops which averages 300-400 MW that must be in-built one go, leading to unnecessary expenditure. เกจแรงดันน้ำ , however, are modular, which means they can be built precisely as and when the country wants them, and further prolonged when required.
The numbers at play are vital. The model shows that If Senegal chooses to favour CCGT vegetation on the expense of ICE-gas, it’s going to lead to as a lot as 240 million dollars of additional cost for the system by 2035. The price difference between the technologies may even improve to 350 million USD in favor of ICE expertise if Senegal also chooses to build new renewable power capability within the subsequent decade.
Risk-managing potential fuel infrastructure delays
The growth of gasoline infrastructure is a fancy and lengthy endeavour. Program delays usually are not unusual, inflicting gas provide disruptions that will have a huge financial impression on the operation of CCGT vegetation.
Nigeria knows something about that. Only last year, significant fuel supply points have brought on shutdowns at a number of the country’s largest gasoline turbine power plants. Because Gas turbines operate on a continuous combustion course of, they require a constant provide of gas and a steady dispatched load to generate consistent energy output. If the provision is disrupted, shutdowns occur, putting an excellent strain on the general system. ICE-Gas vegetation however, are designed to adjust their operational profile over time and improve system flexibility. Because of their flexible working profile, they had been in a place to keep a much greater stage of availability
The study took a deep dive to analyse the financial impact of 2 years delay in the gas infrastructure program. It demonstrates that if the country decides to invest into gas engines, the cost of fuel delay can be 550 million dollars, whereas a system dominated by CCGTs would result in a staggering 770 million dollars in further price.
Whichever way you look at it, new ICE-Gas era capacity will reduce the entire cost of electrical energy in Senegal in all attainable eventualities. If Senegal is to meet electrical energy demand growth in a cost-optimal method, at least 300 MW of recent ICE-Gas capacity shall be required by 2026.
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