Clarke energy commissions workshop

In its renewed efforts towards contributing to the industrialization and development of the Nigerian economy as well as improve their after sales support, Clarke Energy (Nigeria) Limited, a multinational specialist in distributed power generation solutions and the authorised distributor and service provider for GE’s reciprocating gas engines in Nigeria, has opened an ultra modern workshop in their office in Lagos.

At the official opening of the facility in their Lagos Office, the General Manager of Clarke Energy (Nigeria) Limited, Engr. Patrick Nzekwe affirmed that the organisation have a real commitment to developing power generation solutions by utilizing gas as energy resource for power for the benefit of the Nigerian economy.

Re-echoing the successes recorded by the company in its over two decades of operations in Nigeria including Clarke Energy’s delivery of close to 400 MW for a wide range of applications and customers; providing support and after sales service to 190+ Jenbacher engines in sub-Saharan Africa as well as the supply of its first hybrid solution using gas and storage at OK Plast in Lagos and this solution has helped the customer to solve the challenges of low efficiency, high maintenance cost and poor reliability.

Continuing, he reiterated that the opening of the ultra modern workshop is a testament of their commitment to the development of the Nigerian economy as their locally based team has delivered –about 400MW of electrical generation capacity to many large industrial facilities across Nigeria, seeking economical, reliable captive power plants.

Clarke Energy was also able to deliver multi-engine power plants for independent power producers, and supplied one of Nigeria’s first gas-fuelled IPP facilities at Akute.

“Clarke Energy has equally installed cogeneration and trigenerational power installations for various manufacturing companies, who have been able to maximize their efficiencies by being able to generate power, heat and or cooling from a single fuel source”, he concluded.

Toyin Abegunde, Commercial Director of General Electric (GE) for sub-Saharan Africa, in her speech spoke glowingly of Clarke energy partnership with GE and equally recognized them as their biggest channel partner globally. She concluded her speech by saying that the partnership between GE and Clarke Energy has produced over 700 MWe in sub- Saharan Africa and out of this number, 400 MWe is sitting right here in Nigeria.

The highlight of the event is the introduction to My Plant, Material Streams Conversion Modification and Upgrades which enables the client to remotely control the equipment from anywhere using Android or Iphones as well as facility tour of the workshop. Conducting the customers and guests round the new ultra modern workshop, Muhammad Asim, Clarke Energy’s After Sales Product Support Manager informed all that the essence of building the workshop in Nigeria is to reduce engine down time during repairs as against taking it overseas which takes a longer time. Speaking further, he said maximizing equipment availability is the essence of building the workshop as the Turbo Charger overhaul will enhance their operational efficiency and effectiveness. “Clarke Energy has an excellent organisation and localization is a critical element of Clarke Energy’s success in Nigeria as the company employs over 100 Nigerian nationals, trained to the highest international standards with product-specific training in Europe. We operate a policy of localization by recruiting local sales and service engineers to support the company’s operations. These teams are trained at Jenbach in Austria and at Clarke Energy’s dedicated GE Jenbacher training facility in the UK” he concluded.

There was a robust customer focused interaction between the Directors of Clarke Energy and their customers. Some of the dignitaries that graced the event were Nella Hengstler, Head, Commercial Section of Austrian Embassy; Kate Rudd, West African Trade Director, Department of International Trade; David Raison, Regional Director Africa of Kholer SDMO; Alan Fletcher, Managing Director of Clarke Energy, Sub-Saharan Africa; Peter Ocheibi of General Electric (GE); Engr. Gbenga Ajuino of Electron Energy; Haydn Rees, Managing Director of Clarke Energy’s UK, Irish and Sub-Saharan African operations; John Fletcher, Projects Director at Clarke Energy and Ireoluwa Adegoke of GE.