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Toshiba and VINCI Construction to partner on construction of geothermal plants in Africa

Toshiba and VINCI Construction to partner on construction of geothermal plants in Africa From left to right, Toyoaki Fujita, Business Development Executive of Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation, Mathieu Augereau, Strategic Marketing Director of VINCI Construction, Satoshi Tsunakawa, President and Chief Operating Officer of Toshiba, Gwilym Owen, Representative for Southern Africa of VINCI Construction (source: Toshiba)
Alexander Richter 4 May 2018

Japanese Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions and global construction firm Vinci Construction have announced a cooperation on the construction of hydro and geothermal plants in Africa, including collaboration on design, engineering, manufacturing and consultancy.

In an announcement yesterday, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation, a leading supplier of integrated energy solutions, and VINCI Construction, a major global player in civil engineering design and construction, today concluded a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on exploring opportunities to develop cooperation for the construction of hydro and geothermal plants in Africa, including collaboration on design, engineering, manufacturing and consultancy.

VINCI Construction, a subsidiary of France’s VINCI, a global player and European leader, is active on five continents, with more than 70,000 employees and 700 companies generating 2017 consolidated revenue of EUR14 billion. Structured according to an integrated model, the company has the capacity to intervene over the entire life cycle of a structure (finance, design, construction maintenance) in eight sectors: buildings functional structures transport infrastructure hydraulic construction, maintenance) in eight sectors: buildings, functional structures, transport infrastructure, hydraulic infrastructure, energy, the environment, oil & gas, and mines. The company has had a presence in Africa for over 90 years, and carried out projects in over 20 countries.

Toshiba has an industry-leading record in geothermal and hydro power. The company has delivered and installed 56 geothermal turbines with a total capacity of 3,628 megawatts in plants around the world, more than any other company. It is the leading global supplier, accounting for 23%* of installed capacity. The company was also the Japanese pioneer in hydropower equipment development, and to date has supplied over 2,000 hydro-turbines worldwide, with a combined installed capacity of over 59,000 MW.

“I’m delighted to announce this cooperation with VINCI Construction, and confident that our strategic cooperation will bring stable and clean energy supply to Africa,” said Toyoaki Fujita, Business Development Executive at Toshiba. “Our established expertise and know-how in hydropower and geothermal power, combined with VINCI Construction’s wealth of global experience in construction, will supply essential generating capacity that will contribute to Africa’s continued economic development.”

Africa is maintaining high GDP growth, and demand for power is expected to increase to 632 GW by 2040. Alongside gas power, currently the main power source in Africa, there are growing expectations for renewable energy, including solar power, hydro power, and also geothermal power generation that utilizes the immense geothermal resources centered on the Great Rift Valley.

Toshiba, as a world leader in hydropower and geothermal power generation, will continue to promote a broad portfolio of renewable energy solutions, and seek to contribute to mitigation of global warming and to improve people’s lives.

*Note: Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance (Dec, 2017)

Source: Toshiba release