Powering up solar in South Africa (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Lyra Energy has reached financial close on the 255MW Thakadu solar power project in South Africa

It has also commenced construction of the facility, located on the border of South Africa's Free State and North West provinces.

Lyra is a renewable energy partnership between Scatec, Standard Bank and Stanlib.

“This marks an important milestone for Lyra Energy and the Thakadu project,” said Scatec CEO Terje Pilskog.

“With contracted private sector offtake in place and financing secured, the project is well positioned for construction and delivery.”

The project will be built in two phases, with construction of the first phase now commencing.

The second phase is expected to start construction in the second half of 2026.

The total capital expenditure for the project is approximately ZAR 4bn (US$240mn) and will be financed by a combination of non-recourse project debt and equity from the owners, with a target leverage of 80%.

The senior lender is Standard Bank of South Africa.

Scatec will provide Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC), Asset Management (AM) and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) services for the project.

Its EPC-scope corresponds to approximately 80% of total capex.

Commercial operations date for the first phase is expected in the first half of 2027.

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David Wendt, account manager at John Deere Power Systems, at the company's stand. (Image source: Alain Charles Publishing)

At CONEXPO-CON/AGG, John Deere Power Systems debuted the latest additions to its Next Generation Engine (NGE) range, where they formed the cornerstone of a versatile lineup designed to meet the industry’s evolving demands

The upcoming JD5 and JD8 industrial engines will offer more flexible power solutions to meet the diverse needs of its OEM customers, reflecting the company’s commitment to customer choice and providing the right power for the right application. The JD5 and JD8 will enhance power options in key mid-range applications where power density and installation flexibility are critical.

The JD5 5.0L engine will offer an anticipated power range of 125–268 hp (93–200 kW), and the JD8, a 7.5L engine, will offer an anticipated power range of 250–389 hp (187–290 kW). They will be compatible with renewable diesel fuel and biodiesel blends.

The lead application for the JD8 is anticipated to be launched in 2029, followed by the JD5.

JDPS also showcased the latest in KREISEL Electric (KREISEL) batteries, an advanced battery technology designed to prioritise runtime, energy density, and seamless integration, as well as highlighting a versatile charging ecosystem to support the transition to electric, with the development of both stationary and mobile charging options with varying power outputs.

Speaking to African Review at CONEXPO-CON/AGG, David Wendt, account manager at John Deere Power Systems, underlined the company’s commitment to investing in diesel engine technology as part of a multiple-pathway approach which includes advancing next-generation diesel engines, enabling compatibility with renewable fuels, and integrating battery technology in applications where it delivers the most value — all supported by comprehensive aftermarket and customer support solutions. This strategy allows OEMs to leverage advanced diesel technology alongside emerging power solutions, providing the flexibility to thrive in an evolving landscape without compromising performance. There is no one size fits all solution.

“Over the past five years, we have introduced three new John Deere diesel engines in addition to the two we’re showcasing here,” said Wendt. “This marks a new era of power and an expanded displacement range for our engine lineup. It’s important for our customers to see John Deere’s continued commitment to investing in diesel technology.”

Wendt also highlighted a focus on serviceability and maintainability within the NGE engines. This is evidenced by extended service intervals and a design that prioritises accessible, cost-effective maintenance for common repair items — all aimed at reducing the customer’s total cost of ownership.

“What is important for customers, whether in Africa, the Middle East or anywhere around the world, is not only engine performance, but serviceability. This is something we are really focused on,” he stressed.

He explained that common design characteristics across its JD series mean that technicians are able to address issues and get machines back up and running faster. Often engines will have identical part numbers or common systems, which makes it much easier for technicians to service different engines.

“These engines were all designed to be power dense, to be electronically controlled, to meet emissions requirements and to be easy to service,” he said.

Wendt added that certain features have been designed into the NGE engines to help reduce maintenance and downtime, helping customers to keep their operations up and running. One of these is hydraulic valve lash adjustment, which allows for the elimination of a maintenance interval that usually takes place between 2,000 and 2,500 hours. It also allows for quiet operation, contributing to a better operator experience, and reduces wear and tear on the valve train, resulting in better durability and reliability. Additionally, the gear train has been moved from the front of the engine to the rear, which not only eliminates torque and torsion, but also allows for a belt-driven water pump at the front, eliminating the possibility of coolant entering the oil system should the pump fail.

“Ultimately, it is about keeping the customer’s overall experience at the forefront of everything we do,” he concluded.

Jubaili Bros completes its latest installation in Nigeria (Image source: Jubaili Bros)

Jubaili Bros has announced the delivery of three 2000kVA diesel generator sets to an undisclosed client in Nigeria

In a statement released on its social media, it reported that each unit was engineered to meet specific load requirements and site constraints, incorporating a remote radiator cooling system for efficient thermal management and installation flexibility.

“Part of our Marapco X-Series, these generator sets are designed for high-performance, mission-critical applications, delivering operational stability, optimised fuel efficiency and compliance with applicable emissions standards,” it noted.

With advanced acoustic engineering to control sound pressure levels and a configuration aligned with environmental and regulatory requirements, the genset units are designed to ensure reliable power while meeting both technical and sustainability expectations.

“This project reflects our capability to design and deliver customised, high-capacity power solutions tailored to complex operational needs,” the company added in the post.

Jubaili Bros recently completed the factory testing of new MWM gas generator sets at its Nigeria facility, the latest step in a new partnership with the global genset producer.

The company said it marked a major step forward in its journey toward high-capacity, efficient gas power solutions, delivered with the quality, precision, and OEM-backed assurance its projects demand.

It called it a proud moment for its team “and a strong signal of what’s ahead in gas power execution.”

It added that the new units are part of a larger integrated power package combining gas and diesel generation, synchronisation, and ABB transformers engineered for reliability, flexibility, and performance.

Jubaili Bros announced its collaboration with MWM last year.

MWM is a provider of sustainable gas gensets, to provide large, gas-fuelled electrical power solutions across Africa and the Middle East.

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Powering growth in Africa's data centre industry (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Mourad Younis, cloud and services provider segment leader, Schneider Electric, Middle East & Africa, explores new energy supply options for powering the continent’s data centres

Africa’s digital economy is scaling faster than its power systems. Cloud regions, artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, fintech, health platforms and government digitisation are all driving a wave of new data centres across the continent.

Yet too many of these facilities are still designed around a single assumption: when the grid fails, diesel will save the day. In an era of constrained grids, volatile fuel logistics and tightening Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) expectations, this approach is no longer fit for purpose.

The reality on the ground is familiar to every African operator. Grid instability is the rule, not the exception. Voltage sags and swells, harmonics and frequency excursions threaten both IT uptime and cooling performance. Simply adding more protection devices does not solve the problem if operators cannot ‘see’ what is happening on their networks. Power quality visibility, through advanced metering and analytics, has become as strategic as server monitoring.

At the same time, capacity constraints on medium-voltage (MV) feeders and delays to substation upgrades are slowing down expansion from 5 - 20 MW starter sites to 50-100 MW and beyond. The risk is clear: if power infrastructure cannot scale at the same pace as digital demand, the continent’s cloud ambitions will stall.

Rethinking reliability: grid-to-chip, not genset-first

If Africa wants resilient, competitive and sustainable data centres, the starting point must be a grid-to-chip architecture rather than a genset-first mentality. That means treating the entire stack, from utility interconnection down to the rack, as a digitally-orchestrated system.

On the MV side, digital switchgear with built‑in protection and automation can isolate faults in milliseconds and enable self-healing topologies, improving uptime without brute-force redundancy. SF₆‑free switchgear technologies also remove a major greenhouse gas from the reliability equation while easing permitting for large campuses.

Closer to the IT load, high-efficiency, lithium-ion UPS systems are increasingly acting as both critical protection and grid assets. When combined with static transfer switches and modular low‑voltage distribution, they support selective coordination and enable facilities to ride through short disturbances without falling back on diesel. Layered on top, power quality meters and monitoring platforms provide analytics, alarms and compliance reporting that facility managers and regulators can trust.

This is not theory. Facilities that design for end‑to‑end selectivity, maintain total harmonic distortion below 5 %, keep power factor above 0.95 and hold voltage within a tight band at critical buses see fewer nuisance trips, smoother cooling performance and more predictable SLAs.

Cutting diesel dependence with data and automation

The biggest mindset shift is moving from ‘backup at all costs’ to ‘digital energy management’. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) connected at MV level, combined with UPS ride‑through, can provide minutes to hours of autonomy for most grid events. When operators use microgrid controllers and energy management systems to orchestrate grid, PV, BESS and generators in real time, they can materially reduce fuel burn without compromising uptime.

In practice, this means:

• Using peak shaving and demand limiting to reduce generator starts and spinning reserve.

• Prioritising solar PV during the day to offset low‑voltage loads.

• Dynamically shedding non‑critical loads—such as some cooling or auxiliary systems—during severe events, using DCIM and BMS integration.

• Running UPS and power conditioning in carefully validated high‑efficiency modes while keeping power quality within strict limits.

Indicative results from such approaches show 30–60 % less generator runtime and 10–20 % reductions in energy-related OPEX, alongside substantial Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions savings. For operators courting global hyperscalers and cloud service providers, those numbers are no longer ‘nice to have’ - they are part of the investment case.

Utilities and regulators: from constraint to collaborator

None of this happens in a vacuum. Utilities and regulators sit at the centre of whether Africa’s data centre boom will deepen grid stress or strengthen grid resilience. Too often, engagement with utilities starts late and focuses narrowly on connection capacity. That needs to change.

Early interconnection studies, joint protection coordination and clear roadmaps for 10 to 50 to 100 MW expansion should be standard for strategic digital sites. Data centres are uniquely positioned to offer grid services — reactive power support, fast frequency response and demand response using their UPS and storage fleets. If tariff structures, power purchase agreements and wheeling frameworks recognise this value, both sides win.

There is also a capability dimension. Co‑developed training on power quality standards, protection philosophies and digital operations can help utilities and operators converge on a common language. That collaboration is decisive in markets where policymakers see digital infrastructure as a lever for inclusive growth, but where grid investment will take years to catch up.

Design patterns for Africa’s digital decade

What does a practical roadmap look like? For many African markets, a phased approach makes sense.

Phase 1 (5–15 MW): Focus on power quality remediation, lithium‑ion UPS, modest PV penetration and 30–60 minutes of BESS, underpinned by SCADA visibility.

Phase 2 (15–40 MW): Grow PV to 30–40 % of daytime load, extend storage to 1–2 hours, introduce sophisticated microgrid control and enable demand response.

Phase 3 (40–100 MW): Build 2–4 hours of storage, leverage PPAs and wheeling, provide ancillary services to the grid and expand MV feeders with advanced, SF₆‑free switchgear.

Across all phases, integrating cooling into the energy strategy is critical. Precision cooling with variable-speed drives, tied into building and energy management systems, can support load shifting and typically improves Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) by 0.1 to 0.2 - margins that matter in hot climates and volatile grids.

Africa’s digital decade will be defined as much by electrons as by data. Those operators, policymakers and utilities that treat power as a strategic digital enabler, not just an engineering constraint, will shape where cloud regions land, where AI runs and which economies capture the value. Moving beyond diesel dependency towards hybrid, automated, sustainable energy systems is not only possible; it is now imperative for Africa’s data‑driven future.

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