Name and Location
Trigeneration power plant, Roodepoort, Gauteng, South Africa.

Project Description
The project involved the construction of a 2-MW methane-driven trigeneration power plant. The facility is the first of its kind to be unveiled on the African continent. It powers MTN's new building housing a data centre and a test switch centre, at its head office campus in Fairlands, in Johannesburg.

The unit produces electricity from methane gas and, through a second lithium bromide absorption chiller cycle using waste heat, generates water for the air-conditioning systems of the company's buildings. The chilled water is then supplied to the airhandling units, which supply the cooled air for electronic equipment in the new building, which houses both the data and test switch centres.

The methane gas used is a clean-burning, sustainable gas that is reliable and offers a consistent supply. Its' journey to the MTN campus, cover a 874-km distance from the Mozambique coast, through Secunda to Sasol's Egoli Gas. A grid at the MTN campus is connected to Egoli Gas to transport the gas down a pipeline to the trigeneration plant.

The plant is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the electricity consumption at MTN's headquarters, resulting also in a reduction of coal-based electricity generation and its associated environmental consequences.

By generating its own power, MTN is in a position to plan its own grid to roll-out its services to areas where they are needed. As a spin-off, the plant produces an estimated 800 kW of cooling for free, resulting in further savings in the building's air conditioning processes.

MTN envisages that the development of the plant will result in moderate reduction in its carbon footprint, and will increase its focus on sustaining its ‘Greening MTN 14th Avenue' initiative. The company has registered the initiative, as a carbon credit project with the United Nations, to offset the costs associated with purchasing the gas and the trigeneration plant.

Value
R22-million.

Duration
Construction of the plant has been completed.

Client
MTN group.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Qinisa Construction (construction).

Latest Developments
On August 2, 2010, the plant was officially unveiled at MTN's 14th Avenue campus.

On Budget and on Time?
The plant is fully operational.

Contact Details for Project Information
MTN media contact Pearl Majola, tel +27 11 912 3000 or email majola_p@mtn.co.za.
Qinisa Construction, tel +27 11 805 7622, fax +27 11 805 76 73 or email info@qinisaholdings.co.za.