OREANDA-NEWS. GE’s Distributed Power business (NYSE: GE) today announced U.K.-based Clarke Energy, GE’s authorized distributor of Jenbacher gas engines in Algeria, has been selected by the Cevital Group to supply two on-site power plants with a combined output of 37.6 megawatts (MW). The power plants will support the expansions of the group’s Brandt household electronic appliances factory in the city of Setif and its Laminoir factory in the city of Oran.

The natural gas-fueled stations will utilize four of GE’s 4.4-MW, J624 Jenbacher gas engines and five 4-MW J624 units to support the planned factory expansions. The projects represent the largest gas engine order for GE’s Distributed Power business and Clarke Energy in North Africa. Cevital, Algeria’s largest industrial conglomerate, covers a range of industries including food processing, automotive and electronic goods manufacturing and distribution.

GE’s Jenbacher J624 gas engines were selected for their durability and flexibility, which will be crucial since the Brandt factory is located at more than 1,000 meters above sea level. GE’s JenbacherJ624 units can maintain their efficient performance due to their twin-turbo charger technology, with no de-rating up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

The Jenbacher gas engines are scheduled to be commissioned in the summer of 2016.

“GE’s Jenbacher gas engine technology represents a great solution to maintain excellent performance at high altitudes and also when operating in island mode. This is Clarke Energy’s largest project in North Africa to date and is an important milestone for us as a company,” said Ali Hjaiej, business development director for Clarke Energy. “Clarke Energy’s solution uses GE’s highly efficient Jenbacher gas engine technology. With Algeria’s continued industrial expansion, the deployment of high-efficiency distributed generation capacity will play a key role in meeting the country’s increased energy demands.”

“We would like to thank Cevital for selecting Clarke Energy as their chosen partner,” said Clarke Energy’s Didier Lartigue. “Their engineering teams are highly qualified and professional. We look forward to working on this, and further projects, converting a short-term win to a long term strategic relationship. Our aftersales support in Algeria will enable Cevital to achieve the highest levels of equipment availability. This project will be delivered under a compressed program, from order to operation targeted to be achieved in a period of less than one year.”

“We are pleased to collaborate with Clarke Energy to support Cevital’s on-site power needs with our  reliable and high-efficiency Jenbacher J624 gas engine technology,” said Leon van Vuuren, regional sales leader for Europe, North Africa, Turkey and India for GE’s Distributed Power business. “This project illustrates the enhanced energy security benefits that our gas engine technologies offer to help industrial operators around the world meet their production and environmental requirements.”

Clarke Energy is a leader in the engineering design, installation and long term maintenance of gas engine-based power plants. The company is authorized sales and service provider for GE’s Jenbacher gas engines in 17 countries. Clarke Energy employs over 1,040 staff and has over 5.000 MW of Jenbacher generation equipment operating in its operational areas.

GE’s Jenbacher gas engines have been distributed by Clarke Energy in North Africa since 2008 when it started operation in Tunisia. In 2011 the company commenced operations in Algeria. There are currently 60MW of GE’s Jenbacher gas engines across Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco on a range of applications including captive power for industry, flare gas and biogas from waste, sewage and landfill sites. Clarke Energy’s growing North African team employs over 22 people.