Technology group Wartsila has renewed its existing Operations and Maintenance (O&M) agreement with QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM), a subsidiary of the Rio Tinto group, to include a decarbonisation agreement. This addition aims to optimize energy assets in the microgrid, significantly reducing emissions and generating substantial cost savings.
The extended agreement covers QMM’s 24 MW engine power plant at its ilmenite mineral sands mine in Fort Dauphin, south-eastern Madagascar. The deal, booked by Wartsila in June 2024, continues a partnership that began in 2008.
Key elements of the agreement include the optimized dispatch of the plant’s six Wartsila 32 engines and integration of QMM’s battery energy storage and renewable energy assets, using Wartsila’s GEMS Digital Energy Platform.
The GEMS software, which leverages machine learning technology, will maximize the use of renewable energy and enhance the efficiency of multiple energy generation assets, Wartsila said.
“The efficiency of the power plant is critical to our operations. The agreement allows us to take advantage of Wartsila’s competence in power system optimisation and use renewables in the most efficient way, supporting Rio Tinto’s decarbonisation objectives and sustainable mining vision,” Jean-Francois Richer, Director of Integrated Operational Services at QMM, said.
The hybrid power plant not only powers the mine but also supplies electricity to the nearby town of Fort Dauphin.
“Our Decarbonisation Agreement is taking energy optimisation to a new level by enabling cost savings, a reduced environmental footprint, and higher efficiency. This is the way forward in making decarbonised operations a viable reality,” Christoffer Ek, Wartsila’s Director of Decarbonisation Services, said.
The partnership marks a significant step forward in sustainable mining operations, aligning with global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency, Kenneth Engblom, Vice President for Africa & Europe at Wartsila Energy, said.