Rolls-Royce and INERATEC to integrate climate-neutral e-fuels into backup power systems for data centre sustainability

Rolls-Royce and INERATEC, a leading manufacturer of power-to-X systems and climate-friendly e-fuels, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at introducing INERATEC's climate-neutral e-fuels into emergency power systems for data centres

This initiative seeks to redefine the role of e-fuels in the digital era.

A new future for e-fuels in data centres

With the rapid expansion of data centres, especially driven by the surge in artificial intelligence, energy consumption in this sector is on the rise. Simultaneously, these centres, many part of critical infrastructure, require robust protection from power disruptions. This is where the collaboration between Rolls-Royce Power Systems and INERATEC comes into play. The companies intend to replace fossil diesel with INERATEC’s synthetic e-diesel, produced from green hydrogen and CO₂, in emergency generators. The first stage of the rollout will focus on data centres in Germany.

Rolls-Royce Power Systems is supporting the integration of sustainable fuels in its data centre emergency power solutions. This offers a reliable, cost-effective, and carbon-neutral approach to one of the key challenges in digital infrastructure.

“Rolls-Royce mtu emergency generators have already been approved for operation with sustainable fuels. Our critical infrastructure customers, such as data centers, who want to improve their carbon footprint, will soon also use e-fuels. Together with INERATEC, we are committed to the use of e-fuels in data centers," said Tobias Ostermaier, President Stationary Power Solutions at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

“Secure power supply to AI data centers is one of the major challenges of our time. Our e-fuels can offer a climate-neutral solution - reliable, scalable and immediately applicable. Together with Rolls-Royce, we are taking them where they are already urgently needed today," added Maximilian Backhaus, chief commercial officer at INERATEC.

The initial phase of the partnership includes a targeted market introduction in Germany. With short delivery routes from INERATEC's production site "ERA ONE" in Frankfurt, rapid deployment is feasible. INERATEC's e-fuels are derived from renewable energy sources and CO₂, complying with internationally recognised environmental certifications such as ISCC. Over time, both companies plan to expand their collaboration globally.

GeniWatt is expanding its footprint in West Africa (Image source: GeniWatt)

France-based GeniWatt has enjoyed a string of Africa successes so far in 2025, most recently completing a genset installation at a telecommunications site in Guinea Bissau

The company supplied a P22 generator set, in partnership with Synergy, for telecoms group MTN in the West African country (pictured here).

The FG Wilson P22 and P33 gensets are “perfectly suited” to telecoms towers, the company noted in a statement, citing soundproof enclosures, safety options, large tanks and telemetry, with full customisation available.

Founded in 2011 by Damien Fétis, president of Secodi, GeniWatt was specially created for the distribution of FG Wilson generators in France, but has extended its footprint deeply into Africa.

West Africa, in particular, has proved fruitful ground so far during 2025.

That includes a string of orders from Cameroon, working together with another local partner, DM Approtech.

Together, the two companies have supplied generators to various groups and associations based in Yaoundé, the nation’s capital.

It includes a 110kVA FG Wilson emergency generator for the Association pour la Promotion de la Femme building, and another emergency generator with its source inverter for the Centre de Formation Sorawell, a separate entity created by the Association pour la Promotion de la Femme.

In addition, the two companies supplied a P22 generator for a new maternity unit financed by the Compassion Sans Frontière association.

Last year, GeniWatt also played a key role in a major dam project in Cameroon, modifying an FG Wilson open P150 for installation at the Nachtigal hydroelectric plant, which sits about 65 kilometres north-east of the capital.

The project included automatic load bank and oil top-up, dual starter with dual battery sets, NFE37-312 GSS2 compliance for safety, a tank with two electric pumps and a manual pump, conducted again alongside DM Approtech, with supervision from EDF to validate the specifications.

Nachtigal is a key strategic project for Cameroon, operated by a consortium that includes energy giant EDF.

The dam’s first turbine is now operational, with full commissioning expected during 2025.

With an expected total capacity of 420 MW, it will eventually cover nearly 30% of Cameroon’s energy needs with clean, available and inexpensive electricity.

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Tunisian businesses are transitioning from HFO to gas (Image source: AfDB)

In the industrial zones of northwestern Tunisia, a quiet revolution is transforming how businesses operate and communities live

Where heavy fuel oil (HFO) once dominated the energy landscape, natural gas now flows through newly constructed pipelines, bringing cleaner air and economic opportunity to a region that has long waited for such progress.

The contrast is striking when you visit facilities like SICAM, an agri-food company specialising in canned tomatoes, which has switched its plant from HFO to natural gas.

“With gas, we have eliminated pollution, reduced production costs and increased our efficiency. We save up to 500,000 Tunisian dinars per season,” said Kamel Trabelsi, SICAM’s deputy director general.

This transformation was made possible by the Natural Gas Transport and Distribution Network Development Project in Western Tunisia, implemented by state power utility, Société Tunisienne de l'Électricité et du Gaz (STEG), with €49.39mn (US$56.5mn) in financing from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The STEG project has expanded access to natural gas in historically underserved regions, including Béja Sud and Mjez Elbeb, connecting over 1,250 households to the network so far.

Eventually, the infrastructure will serve 13,500 subscribers across 19 municipalities in Tunisia's northwest, including 2,500 additional connections by the end of this year.

The roll out is already bringing material benefits to local industries, with SICAM connecting to the gas grid in October 2024.

"Thanks to natural gas, our boilers now reach 95% capacity in record time. Efficiency is up, maintenance is easier, and pollution has dropped significantly," added Trabelsi.

According to Mehdi Khoali, AfDB chief operations officer, “one of the project's most transformative outcomes is the gradual industrialisation of the serviced zones. Around 10 new industrial units — including brickyards and cement plants — have been established thanks to the gas supply. Others have expanded their operations. This is helping create jobs and strengthen regional economic resilience."

Mohamed Riadh Hellal, lead department head at STEG, and the project's coordinator, said the initiative “not only heats homes, but also boosts local economic activity.”

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SUN Mobility secures US$135mn to launch Africa’s largest EV battery swapping network with Helios, PIDG support

Helios Climate (HC), Africa’s premier climate-focused investment platform, in partnership with the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), has announced a landmark investment in SUN Mobility, a global leader in energy infrastructure and battery swapping solutions for electric vehicles

This investment round brings SUN Mobility’s total capital raised over the past year to approximately US$135mn. The substantial funding will support the launch of Africa’s largest battery swapping network and fuel the company’s continued domestic growth.

SUN Mobility, founded in 2017 by the SUN Group and the Maini Group, currently operates more than 900 battery swapping stations and powers a fleet of over 50,000 vehicles. The company’s globally interoperable, open-architecture battery technology, developed and manufactured in India, caters to two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, and heavy electric vehicles (HEVs), and is compatible with multiple global OEM partners.

Strategic investors in SUN Mobility include Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Vitol (parent company of Vivo Energy, Africa’s largest fuel retailer), and Bosch.

Tavraj Banga, partner & co-head, Helios Climate, commented, “SUN Mobility is a global category leader with a differentiated and proven solution for the e-mobility space. Their platform’s interoperability spans multiple OEMs and vehicle types, allowing electrification at scale. Coupled with the economic and decarbonisation benefits, it is an ideal solution for emerging markets. We’re proud to support their entry into Africa and work alongside their key partners to deliver scalable, affordable, and climate-resilient mobility solutions on the continent. We look forward to working alongside the company and its shareholders, including Vitol, Indian Oil and Bosch, to realise this potential.”

Chetan Maini, co-founder & chairman, SUN Mobility, added, “We’ve built a modular, fast, and scalable battery swapping ecosystem that adapts to real-world mobility needs. With over 1.4 million monthly swaps in India and growing global interest, we’re excited to extend our proven model to emerging markets like Africa. The region’s rapid urbanization, reliance on two and three-wheelers, and need for robust HEV solutions position it perfectly to leapfrog into clean mobility.”

SUN Mobility’s innovative platform decouples battery ownership from the vehicle, lowering the upfront cost of electric vehicles and making them more affordable. Its solution addresses key challenges for fleet operators and governments aiming to cut emissions and reduce air pollution at scale.

Two- and three-wheelers currently account for nearly 5% of Africa’s CO₂ emissions, and with the market projected to exceed 1.9 million vehicles annually by 2030, the opportunity for scalable electrification is substantial.

With this investment, SUN Mobility will also support the development of the e-mobility supply chain across Africa and Southeast Asia, focusing on batteries and quick interchange stations. The initiative is expected to help reduce emissions and improve air quality through greater adoption of electric vehicles.