In this exclusive ESI Africa article with Future Market Insights, we consider silent generators as a tool to drive industrialisation in Africa.

In today’s times, with the fast-paced industrialisation taking place in almost every region of the world, the demand for silent generators has increased. This is owed to the belief that growth in numerous end-use industries including mining, power generation, and construction is powered by silent generators. Soundproof Generator

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Market research and consulting firm, Future Market Insights, projects the global silent generators market is projected to grow with a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% during the forecast period, reaching nearly $5.5 Billion by 2032. 

Over the years, there has been an increase in the number of industrial activities across the African region, especially oil and gas exploration, railways and mining. Statistics suggest that East Africa is estimated to have more than 10 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves and roughly 11 barrels per day of proven oil reserves. Therefore, the demand for heavy-duty silent generators is also on the rise in the region as they are preferred for heavy-duty operations. Furthermore, rising applications in various verticals heighten the scope of industrialisation in the region. 

Have you read? Silent Solution to power outages

In this rapidly changing world, electricity supply has become the fundamental service for the functioning of society and the economy. The periodic power cuts in South Africa have increased in the last few years. According to a Future Market Insights analyst, due to frequent power cuts with a decreasing level of power generating resources, silent generator sales have increased substantially in the past decade. The country’s electricity system is loaded, leading to a depletion of coal resources at various thermal power generation plants. 

More than 30 African countries experience regular outages and loadshedding, with opportunity costs amounting to as much as 2% of their GDP. Power shortages are substantial, pushing industrial plants to resort to expensive diesel generators as a secondary source. One in two plants in sub-Saharan Africa considers electricity supply a major constraint

To cater to this, in March 2022, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger, Ltd. (MHIET), a part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, launched a new MGS-R Series of diesel generator sets. Developed to support the growing needs of the digital economy, primarily targeting data centres across Asian and Middle Eastern markets, the new series also serves as a reliable backup power solution for commercial facilities such as shopping malls and office buildings.

With the recent modifications to turbocharger specifications and the improvement of the fuel system and exhaust system to the engine, all models in the series boast a 10-second start. Newly adopting MHIET-made compact and high-power 12-cylinder engine on the 1,500kVA rating for 50Hz, the best-seller in the offerings, has made its installation area the smallest-in-class. Furthermore, overhaul interval has been extended to more than double by examining how generator sets are operated at sites.

Considering the aforementioned factors, silent generators have taken over the African marketplaces and have emerged as a suitable alternative to dealing with power cuts as they offer uninterrupted electricity. Also, owing to the rapidly expanding urban settlements, the demand for silent generators is growing exponentially, favouring the market for silent diesel generators in the region. 

Have you read? Analysis of why the power generators market lags in Africa

Industrialisation has long been a reliable path to fast-track countries into middle- and high-income economies. Researchers suggest that industrialisation-driven structural transformation should be at the forefront of policy strategies for Sub-Saharan African countries. It has further led to a rapid transformation of the various sectors in the region. 

The demand for energy is set to grow exponentially over the coming decades. Industrialisation is widely recognised as one of the key factors in economic growth because of the fact that, by importing generators in African countries, the issues of reliable electricity and energy will be resolved. Not to forget the fact that the process of industrialisation makes for intensive electronic equipment and machinery. 

To name a few projects, Cummins 220kVA Silent Diesel Generator delivery to Zimbabwe is one of the leading projects. The generator was installed at a food factory to provide backup power which ensures less downtime and greater rates of production for the business. Another important project is the supplying of Cummins 110kVA Silent Diesel Generator to a factory in Nigeria. The Cummins C110D5 is a silent diesel generator, which makes it ideal for a range of applications. When used for something where it might be close to people’s homes, a generator can’t make too much noise. The generator prevents this problem and ensures that the sound made by a generator is kept to a minimum. 

In addition to this, the East African Community (EAC) countries have been trying to promote industrialisation by offering incentives such as zero ratings of various raw materials, and various other manufacturing incentive schemes. This is further expected to boost the demand for silent generators, as the existing grid-supplied power may prove inadequate to improve infrastructure. Therefore, such projects along with supportive government policies will boost industrial activities in the region is expected to drive the silent generator market.  

From our archives: Diesel generator sets to power Bangui in Central African Republic

According to the reports, Africa remains the world’s least industrialised region, with only one country on the entire continent, South Africa, currently categorised as industrialised. There is a huge potential in the region to fundamentally move towards industrialisation, keeping in view the use of silent generators. Africa holds immense opportunities to prioritise and fully commit to an industrial transformation.  

In addition, considering the noise produced by conventional diesel generators, the sales of silent petrol generators for homesteads, hospitals and other small commercial units are projected to be on a rise. Looking forward, the advancements in the production of super silent generators will further augment the market with a rising demand for silent inverter generators to be used in individual home appliances. ESI

Find out more about the Future Market Insights report on the global silent generators market.

About the author: Aditi Basu is the Marketing Head at Future Market Insights (FMI), an ESOMAR-certified market research and consulting Market Research Company.

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