Research and Markets: Rising Electricity Demand Drives the Steam Turbine Market in Sub-Saharan Africa

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c8cca0/the_subsahara_afr) has announced the addition of Frost & Sullivan's new report "The Sub-Sahara African Steam Turbine Market" to their offering.

The research service investigates growth in the installed capacity, number, and revenue earnings of steam turbines within Sub-Sahara African for the period 2007 to 2014, as well as the key challenges, drivers and restraints manipulating market movements. A market share and competitor profiling analysis was also conducted in order to ascertain competitor ownership and participation in the market. Conclusions and strategic outcomes with regards to future market potential and growth areas were then identified.

Research Overview This Frost & Sullivan research service titled The Sub-Sahara African Steam Turbine Market provides a comprehensive overview of the steam turbine market in Sub-Saharan Africa. This research service identifies the challenges as well as drivers and restraints for the steam turbine market and analyses the market end users in terms of the four major power pools in the region. In this research, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine the following country markets: South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Mauritius and Namibia.

Market Overview

Driven by a period of significant economic growth, the demand for electricity within Sub-Saharan Africa is rapidly increasing, boosting growth in the steam turbine market in this region. The Sub-Saharan African steam turbine market is expected to grow considerably due to the cost efficiencies in power production attained from coal-fired power plants in coal-rich countries, driven primarily by building programmes within Southern Africa. The emergence of combined cycle technologies and development of the geothermal power industry in East Africa are likely to open new market opportunities for growth in the medium and long terms. The development of coal-fired power plants in Southern Africa in order to meet the regions growing electricity demand is beneficial to national utilities due to the abundant supply of natural resources in the region and the subsequent cost efficiencies achieved in electricity production, says the analyst of this research.

In countries with an abundance of natural coal reserves, the development of coal-fired power plants is the most cost-effective means of power production. On the one hand, coal-fired power plant development is the preferred option to meet the electricity demand in these regions due to the current financial stress placed on national utilities. On the other hand, the cost efficiencies that will be achieved through coal-fired power production in the long term are uncertain due to the depletion of natural resources and potential carbon taxes or cap-and-trade mechanisms placed on industries with high carbon emissions.

Competitors to Focus on Clean Coal as well as Combined Cycle Technology R&D

Due to the high carbon emissions of coal fired power plants, and their subsequent contribution to global warming, carbon taxes or cap-and-trade mechanisms are often applied to power industries in countries, like South Africa, in order to decrease the national carbon footprint. The application of these mechanisms will decrease the cost efficiencies attained through coal-fired power production and subsequently restrain growth of the market. Nevertheless, due to the small carbon footprint of most countries in Sub-Sahara Africa, and the current high demand for electricity in the region, this is anticipated to only have a significant effect on the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa in the long term.

Competitors in the market should focus on the R&D of clean coal as well as combined cycle technologies. Furthermore, after the successful growth of the geothermal and bagasse cogeneration power industry in Kenya and Mauritius, respectively, competitors should diversify their target market to incorporate renewable energy production. There has been an influx of low-cost Chinese manufacturers, explains the analyst. Therefore, the current competitors in the market should either concentrate on the R&D of high quality, reliable products that are able to attain market leading efficiencies in power production, or implement cost price reduction strategies in order to remain competitive in the market.

Market Sectors

Expert Frost & Sullivan analysts thoroughly examine the following market sectors in this research:

By Region: