Energy Focus July 2023

Join the Renewable Energy Revolution!

Make an impact and profit from the energy transition with Southern Cross Britannia's large and material, exclusively owned Lithium Project

100% Ownership

Vast Mineral Property Package: Spanning 600 km2.

Prime Location: Situated in the Hombre Muerto Basin, renowned for the highest lithium concentration brines in Argentina.

Proven prospectivity: Hosted within the same structurally controlled NW-SE elongate basin as Galan Lithium’s Candelas project.

Abundant Fresh Water: Our project benefits from an abundant supply of accessible freshwater resources.

Join us as we shape the renewable energy landscape, contributing to a sustainable future.

Southern Cross Britannia is offering equity in this material lithium opportunity. info@southerncrossbritannia.com

EDITOR Joe Forshaw

 joe@energy-focus.net

PROJECT MANAGER Tommy Atkinson

 tommy@energy-focus.net

PROJECT MANAGER David Hill

 david@energy-focus.net

PROJECT MANAGER Chris Bolderstone

 chris@energy-focus.net

PROJECT MANAGER Terry Hanley

 terry@energy-focus.net

PROJECT MANAGER Ekwa Bikaka

 ekwa@energy-focus.net

FINANCE MANAGER Isabel Murphy

 isabel@energy-focus.net

LEAD DESIGNER Aaron Protheroe

 aaron@energy-focus.net

CONTRIBUTOR Manelesi Dumasi

CONTRIBUTOR Karl Pietersen

CONTRIBUTOR David Napier

CONTRIBUTOR Timothy Reeder

CONTRIBUTOR Benjamin Southwold

CONTRIBUTOR William Denstone

Sustainability was the buzzword in June within the European energy sector, with Brussels hosting European Sustainable Energy Week 2023. Important topics such as addressing skills challenges in the renewables sector and ensuring inclusivity in the clean energy transition were covered in depth during a fascinating hybrid event. There was a forum for young people to share their vision for the energy future across the continent, and leading innovators recognised in an awards segment – notably the Alqueva Floating Solar Farm being awarded the European Sustainable Energy Award 2023 in the Innovation category for bringing together solar energy, hydropower and battery storage in innovative scalable technology to reduce emissions and protect nature simultaneously.

This month’s edition looks at several industry pioneers helping to transform various aspects of the energy market. Our front cover story explores the innovation on display at SIG Building Solutions, part of the SIG Group, and their development of Solar Canopy Support Structures helping the construction industry respond to the climate emergency and rising energy costs.

Leading player in survival technology and PPE since the 1970’s, Survitec tell a story of inclusion and innovation having recently won an award from Shell for the work they are doing to ensure women have access to comfortable and appropriate resources in a traditionally male dominated offshore environment. We look at what this means for their plans for further growth and expansion.

We revisit the remarkable story of the Forze Hydrogen Racing team, comprised entirely of students on a voluntary basis aiming to utilise hydrogen fuel cell technology in a competitive racing environment, as they “aim for race-winning performance at a level that has never been reached before”.

Coming up very soon of course is ADIPEC 2023 – stay tuned for exciting and exclusive content that we are producing for the event. Are you planning to attend or exhibit? We are and we would love to meet you and help to tell your story. It’ll be a busy few weeks, so let us know where you will be! We’re on LinkedIn.

Published by

Chris Bolderstone – General Manager

E. chris@cmb-multimedia.co.uk

Fuel Studios, Kiln House, Pottergate, Norwich NR2 1DX +44 (0) 1603 855 161 www.cmb-media.co.uk

CMB Media Group does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher.

© CMB Media Group Ltd 2023

44 50 54 60 66

SEAGREEN WIND ENERGY

Seagreen Set to Power Majority of Scottish Homes

VITA GROUP

Energy-Aware Environments Where People Can Thrive

SNAM

Three Ds Build Secure, Sustainable Energy System

DELTATEK GLOBAL

Access to Global Footprint Accelerates International Ambitions

HELLENIQ ENERGY

Solar Beacon of Complete Commitment to Change

SIG BUILDING SOLUTIONS

Guiding You On Your Solar Journey

PRODUCTION: David Hill

A group of manufacturing businesses trading separately for well over a decade, SIG Building Solutions represents the customer-facing brand bringing this wealth of experience and expertise together under a single umbrella to deliver true innovation in the solar canopy space.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: MANUFACTURING

//SIG Building Solutions offers a wealth of products and solutions, commensurate with the breadth of its talent and expertise. A wide range of Zed, Cee and Eaves Beam sections and accessories are manufactured to customer requirements, while its single skin steel cladding is suitable for a wide range of buildings and situations, from warehousing and industrial applications to agricultural and home outbuilding uses.

Furthermore, twin skin steel cladding roof and wall systems offer rapid coverage and swift completion of a weatherproof building envelope, to produce a high-performance building, and insulated composite panels are self-supporting making them ideal for building roofing and cladding.

SIG Building Solutions also manufactures bespoke architectural

fabrications and flashings in aluminium, steel and other metals to specific designs, as well as a comprehensive range of accessories and components such as rooflights, gutters and flashings to furnish any building with its finishing touches. “Fabrications are not limited to use in building and construction only,” the company clarifies, “if it can be fabricated from metal, we can make it.”

NIMBLE DIVISION

SIG Building Solutions resides within the Specialist Markets Division of SIG plc, who are the leading supplier of specialist insulation, roofing materials and sustainable building products to customers across Europe known for its expertise, quality service and reliability.

A group of specialist distribution businesses, SIG works in partnership with the construction industry via an extensive branch network of over

440 sites across seven European countries - in the UK alone, SIG has well in excess of 3,000 employees and close to 200 trading sites.

Inspired, rather than overshadowed, by its association with the major multinational, it is clear that SIG Building Solutions is a relatively unique part of the wider group, playing to their manufacturing strengths and working within their own clear identity and philosophies.

“SIG Building Solutions combines the powerhouse capabilities of SIG with a relationship-driven, solutions- focused dynamic,” is how Guy Chilvers, Business Development Manager for Solar Canopy Structures, best describes the relationship.

“We are a single-point communication solution, removing complexity for customers while increasing efficiency and adding value.”

What SIG Building Solutions offers is a bespoke service, with decades of manufacturing experience and expertise, backed by the robust supply chain and extensive capabilities of a major PLC with 6,700 employees across 425 sites, Chilvers unpacks.

“One of the great things about SIG Building Solutions is that it does

exactly what the name suggests,” he says. “We actually manufacture, in-house, and we have access to three factories within this division, the main one of which is in Carlisle and which we use to make all of the structures.

“We represent a nimble little group within a much bigger PLC, and we really pride ourselves on that; we are very close to our customers, and ultimately we like to think of ourselves as incredible flexible,” adds Samantha Jones, Commercial Development Director. “The fact that our products are both designed and manufactured in the UK is also huge, as are our rapid response times compared to those of our competitors.

“Even the site at which we produce our solar canopies has over 100 years’ experience of manufacturing products into the construction sector,” Jones continues. “These products then lend

themselves perfectly to their solar applications, and it is to these solutions that we are dedicating much of our thinking and investment at present.”

SOLAR SOLUTIONS

As countries around the world plan to ban the sale of fossil-fuelled vehicles in the years to come, and reductions in carbon emissions used around the Paris Agreement become ever-more pressing, the development by SIG Building Solutions of its Solar Canopy Support Structures starts to look more intuitive and adept by the day.

“As the construction industry responds to the climate emergency and rising energy costs, we are accelerating our own response and partnering with suppliers to ensure sustainability is at the forefront of our industry,” Jones states. “Using our Solar Canopy Support Structures will help improve the

// AS THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY RESPONDS TO THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY AND RISING ENERGY COSTS WE ARE ACCELERATING OUR OWN RESPONSE //

INDUSTRY FOCUS: MANUFACTURING

sustainability of any organisation and, in turn, build a better planet for everyone.

“Using our insight and specialist know-how, we are supporting our customers and manufacturers to make tangible steps towards a greener future.” Jones and Chilvers jointly bring a vast amount of experience in their respective sectors, we learn, crucial to SIG Building Solutions’ ability to bring this offering to market. “Guy joining our team last year is what has made the difference for us,” Jones opines. “Of course, we have always had the

manufacturing capability, but Guy has brought the experience and industry knowledge - and contacts - to enable us to bring this offering to market.

“My background is in traditional construction, I have worked in and around the industry for 25 years; Guy, supported by our trusted supply partners and design team, are the ones who bring the experience in this particular sector.”

Maximising routes to market is high on the agenda for SIG Building Solutions at the current moment, Jones explains,

// AS THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY RESPONDS TO THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY AND RISING ENERGY COSTS WE ARE ACCELERATING OUR OWN RESPONSE

and finding ways to link in with the SIG businesses throughout Europe, which is partially exciting when it comes to solar. “You only have to look at France, for example, where a new ruling stipulates that all car parks must henceforth have these canopies,” Chilvers informs, “and I have already priced up hundreds of thousands of car parking spaces for big automotive groups.

“Through SIG we already have subsidiaries in France, as well as in the likes of Poland and Germany,

and our cold-rolled steel sections lend themselves well to being manufactured here in the UK and despatched throughout Europe. Currently there are companies in Spain and Denmark sending canopies to the UK; there is no reason why we cannot expand into Europe.”

Solar car parks are going to be one of the main drivers for SIG Building Solutions moving forward, Jones opines, with the move to electric mobility necessitating infrastructure for EV chargers around the world to keep customers and employees on the move. “Generally, when putting up these canopies, clients are thinking in terms of EV charge points underneath them,” she details. “That entails digging up the carpark, putting trenches and plinths, and then adding barriers.

“What we have done is to integrate what we call an EVB,” Jones resolves. “With this solution a steel beam runs across the underside of the canopy, onto which the EV

charge point is mounted, and then all the cabling is housed within the canopy. The initial feedback that we have had has been resoundingly positive, and this is something that nobody else has ever offered.

“Utilising the new customerfacing SIG Building Solutions brand has opened up so many new sectors for us,” adds Jones. “It has allowed us to take a really credible offer to market in a way that we never could before, and facilitates our being able to operate in ways that would until now have been beyond us.

“Nothing embodies that more than the solar structures package solution, which brings together all of the elements in which we have excelled for so many years, and presents it in a fresh way to a new market.”

// WE ARE SUPPORTING OUR CUSTOMERS AND MANUFACTURERS TO MAKE TANGIBLE STEPS TOWARDS A GREENER FUTURE //

INDUSTRY FOCUS: MANUFACTURING

HELICAL PILE SOLUTIONS: QUALITY. SERVICE. EXPERTISE

Helical Pile Solutions is built on solid foundations and can provide your project with the same lasting strength. Operations Director Peter Farr explains how the company work with SIG to achieve lasting success onsite for a blue chip client.

Steel helical pile foundations are both strong, in terms of long-term durability, and flexible in terms of application. Steel shafts with helical flights, these foundations can anchor the heaviest topside without fear of movement or deterioration – when done right.

Helical Pile Solutions Ltd (HPS), the company of industry veterans Peter Farr and Nic Brooker is growing quickly to become the leading authority on the correct usage and delivery of helical piles, and Peter Farr is keen on promoting the benefits that can be achieved when using this alternative to traditional, laborious concrete foundations.

“It’s about getting engineers on board and changing their approach on how they build things,” he says.

Using helical piles is fast and easy, quiet, cost effective, versatile, and requires no heavy machinery. They can be installed in all weather conditions as well as sites with poor ground conditions.

A recent project completed in Milton Keynes, UK alongside SIG Building Solutions saw HPS install 140no. specially designed foundations for a 1Mw solar carport onsite for a major international automotive manufacturer. Steel structures sit on HPS foundations, safely holding solar panels that keep cars in shade, while generating significant energy resources at the same time. This is becoming a major focus area for HPS, and Peter Farr is enthusiastic about the potential.

“In the UK, there is potential for the energy market to grow for helical foundations to approximately £20 million per year should the UK adopt the same approach as Europe. In Europe, taking France as an example, we know that the requirement is huge given the recent change in legislation. We are working to expand HPS into the European markets, offering our services alongside what we currently do here in the UK. Although we are not currently focussing on solar arrays due to standard solutions (not in our portfolio), we plan to venture into this market as the business grows. We currently specialise in Solar Carports, Wind Turbines and Overhead Transmission Line upgrades. Energy has been a game-changer for helical piling over the years. I personally have carried out numerous projects on substation upgrades over the last 15 years, we are excited to demonstrate how we can improve current standards whilst leading the industry using our live data monitoring systems (Intelli-tork) in partnership with Pro-Dig Europe, which we together have integrated into the UK market since 2021 to mitigate manual logging of data.”

The HPS Founder and Director has been an advocate for helical piling after learning the industry top to bottom for the past two decades.

“We offer full knowledge from soil information, installation of helical piles and their versatility, through to design packages and in-house creation of fully bespoke products. Our business benefits from my extensive experience having worked in every role from the ground up to build a pioneering business, with clear vision to better and expand the helical piling industry.”

The company’s portfolio is large, including design, in-house manufacture in our 50,000sq ft facility, supply, and installation of bespoke helical pile foundation solutions. “We work closely with clients, offering services that are tailored to their needs to make sure everything works for them,” says Peter Farr.

The deep and solid foundations within the business make for a reliable partner that stands strong, withstanding the test of time. “We’re a small business but we deliver for big projects with our 40 years of manufacturing and 20 years of helical piling experience, providing the attention to detail and ongoing support that every client deserves to ensure the project runs smoothly,” states Peter Farr.

Contact HPS today to learn more about helical piling and how it can improve and elevate your projects. www.helicalpilesolutions.co.uk | 01223 652155

Trusted, Safe, Secure –Growing Survitec Open to new Partnerships

Trusted to Protect Lives is the strapline at Survitec. A culture of innovation developed over a century in business has helped the business become a global industry leader. Survitec is now expanding in the renewable energy space with exciting new products. Energy Focus recently spoke with Survitec to learn more about the opportunities for this laser-focused company.

PRODUCTION: David Hill

INDUSTRY FOCUS: SAFETY

the MK50 and latterly, the new Survitec Halo Lifejacket systems, which are supporting offshore transportation in the Americas, Middle East, and APAC regions.

The new Halo lifejacket is a ‘constant wear’ lifejacket designed and approved for use on helicopters operating to or from helidecks located in a hostile sea area. With its sculpted bladder, ergonomic Fusion 3D shape and compact EBS - which provides 80% more breathable air than the minimum standard - the Halo provides operators with an enhanced level of safety, comfort and in-water performance not currently available in the energy aviation sector. Post-certification and introduction in 2020, the Halo lifejacket and EBS system is meeting growing demand, with over 6,000 units safely supporting offshore training and over 1 million passenger movements annually.

The North Sea is, without a doubt, a harsh operating and working environment which requires trusted, high-performance PPE technology to ensure the safety of our customer’s offshore workforce.

Survitec has supported the oil & gas sector in the North Sea since the 1970s with immersion suits and lifejackets for offshore helicopter transportation, offshore emergency abandonment and offshore work requirements. At Survitec, survival suits, lifejackets, and PPE products have evolved over this time in relation to new fabric, component and design technology and further reacting to new legislation and certification demands.

Survitec were the first manufacturer to introduce a CA-EBS lifejacket system

for the UK North Sea in 2014; the MK50 lifejacket met with the UK CAA CAP 1034 demand for an integrated lifejacket system c/w compressed air emergency breathing system.

Post the strategic acquisition of Hansen Protection in 2021, Survitec command a market-leading position supporting the offshore helicopter transportation sector throughout the North Sea in Norway, the UK, Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany.

Besides the North Sea, Survitec supports operations in cold water regions such as Canada, Azerbaijan, Argentina, and Italy (seasonal).

Survitec also supports other operating environments throughout the global energy sector with helicopter passenger and crew lifejacket systems,

Within Survitec are the marketleading brands Hansen Protection, Crewsaver, Survitec HeliPPE, SurvivalOne and the Survitec brand itself, amongst others. The company boasts some of the best products available with these four brands. Lifejackets, protective suits, liferafts, fire protection, servicing and maintenance, and a range of related services – are available to purchase or hire.

As the global energy sector transitions into the renewable energy market, Survitec has remained at the forefront of PPE design technology and certification demands. While complimenting the Survitec offer, the Hansen Protection acquisition provided access to a market-leading range of immersion suits designed to meet customer, market, and legislative demands within the Offshore Wind sector. The SeaWind II, SeaWind III and SeaBreeze suit ranges are designed to meet the crossover usage demand for helicopter and crew vessel transfer. The SeaWind suits are tri-approved to ETSO, SOLAS and ISO 15027 standards.

Survitec provides PPE product and rental support to the offshore wind sector in the UK, Europe, the

Isabel George, Marketing Manager Credit: Julia Mills

// SURVITEC SET OUT TO IMPROVE THE IMMERSION SUIT EXPERIENCE FOR ALL. THE SOLUTION INVOLVED THOROUGHLY REVIEWING THE PHYSICAL PRODUCT AND THE PROCESSES SURROUNDING RECEIVING AN IMMERSION SUIT //

USA and Taiwan. Survitec recently celebrated the opening of a new service and logistics site in Providence, Rhode Island, USA, to target the offshore wind market in the US.

AWARD-WINNING

Significant success has been achieved recently in adapting widely-used immersion suits, including the 1000 series passenger suit, to comfortably fit more shapes, sizes, and forms as the offshore energy workforce of tomorrow changes in nature.

“We are working with Ørsted to support their efforts to achieve a 40% female workforce and foster an environment where women can thrive. We have been engaging with our inhouse expert team to discuss the insights we’ve collected from our survey to date on “women working offshore.” We’re positive to see how the responses we’ve received so far will shape the future of offshore personal protective equipment (PPE). Our mission is to make the offshore industry a safer and more inclusive space for women”, said Jim Cook, Head

of Business Development at Survitec. Already proven in this area, Survitec won an award in March 23 alongside Shell, who conducted an insights survey in 2022 to better understand the current immersion suit experience for those travelling offshore. This followed anecdotal comments about the fit of immersion suits and what this meant in practice for women in a male-dominated and male-created environment. The challenge addressed the immersion suit fit issue for all genders and body types.

With women being 27% more likely to experience this. The most common area of improvement, as reported by 25% of respondents, was finding a suit with suitably fitting neck and wrist seals that also fit the body in terms of height and width. Survitec set out to improve the immersion suit experience for all. The solution involved thoroughly reviewing the physical product and the processes surrounding receiving an immersion suit.

Richard Gordon, Sales Manager at Survitec, said, “The key outcomes included adjustments of the sizing

and seals, increasing readily available sizes by 30%. This modular design means any size of a suit can be fitted with any size of wrist and neck seals. In addition, pre-flight fitting is offered as standard. This is perfect for those who have not travelled offshore before or for anyone with a physical disability who may need a bespoke alteration. These bespoke suits are stored for the individual when not in use and issued like all other suits at the heliport.

“It reduces the time spent on finding and fitting the right immersion suits, ultimately leading to fewer delays and a smoother, more comfortable journey offshore. This translates into a more productive use of time, enabling colleagues to focus on the jobs they’re there to do”.

GLOBAL PARTNER

Survitec was established in 1920 and has ever since been inventing and innovating to provide critical survival and safety solutions. Floatation bags were the initial idea, and with the addition of new brands through merger

Image: Christopher Heaney

INDUSTRY FOCUS: SAFETY

and acquisition over the past century, Survitec is today a global partner.

“We are over 3,000 people located in 96 countries around the world, with 2,000 ports covered through servicing – our offering is truly global,” states Gordon.

Even with suggestions that the North Sea could be facing the end of oil and gas production in the mediumterm future, with more offshore wind energy coming online, there is no slowdown for Survitec. In fact, as the global focus on safety increases, there is an opportunity galore for offshore transfer and operation. The company’s Energy Solutions division is one receiving increased focus as these markets grow in national importance, with energy security high on the agenda for most.

“We have suits specifically designed for helicopter transfer, CTV transfer, a full customer range for whoever they are, however, they are transferring, and wherever they might be. For example, the Survitec immersion suit ranges cover all operating extremities, our suits

are designed to offer alternate levels of thermal protection appropriate to the operating and sea temperature environment” highlights Gordon.

“We remain very active and busy with UK clients,” adds Jim Cook. “We are working closely with our mature Energy clients as they consider or have already commenced their energy transition journey. We are further embedded within the Offshore Wind supply chain supporting wind farm owner, developer, vessel operator and O&M customers. The recent Hansen Protection acquisition provided strategic access to the Survitec HeliPPE business who specialise in the rental of an extensive range of transportation and working at height PPE equipment, providing for leading market position in this sector.

Estimates suggest that the world’s big six energy majors (ExxonMobil, hevron, Shell, BP, Eni and TotalEnergies) are now in control of around 30% of total global offshore wind energy production, with output increasing by 715% from 2009 – 2020.

For Survitec, a diverse and widespread client portfolio is key to managing through the transition. The products need no introduction, and the company’s brand clout is powerful. Ensuring quality and end-user satisfaction while achieving volume is the key to future success.

Alongside Maritime, Defence & Government, and Aerospace, Energy Solutions is a critical market. “We have an industry-leading team and are attending more and more events that are energy related to showcasing our offering,” says Cook, speaking of recent displays at OTC, Wind Europe, Global Offshore Wind and an upcoming placement at Offshore Europe.

GLOBAL GROWTH

Our existing presence worldwide provides for expansion opportunities with major international clients, offering global contracting initiatives. Quickly, freely, and effectively, the company can provide world-class products for offshore wind, oil and gas, or any of its key sectors. Areas of growth right now include the UK, Europe, America, Taiwan and Japan, where offshore wind growth continues to flourish or is expected to boom in the coming years.

“We are looking to grow into new markets,” confirms Cook. “We have strong, stable markets where we are leading, for example, Norway, because of Hansen Protection and their heritage in this market. Looking to the USA, we recently built a new location in Rhode Island to support our business operations, we are further working with the global GWO training providers including in Japan with a training centre there following the launch of the first offshore wind farm. Global growth is a strategic target for Survitec, given our worldwide footprint. We have so many in-house products and can truly offer a global solution. In September, one of our messages at Offshore Europe will be around our total coverage of offshore immersion suits globally.”

Headline products like the Halo

Image: Christopher Heaney

lifejacket and 1000 series passenger suit are easier to market because of their well-proven international status. But the complete range on offer sets Survitec apart from others who are often single-line suppliers and do not offer the same flexibility and scale.

In addition to our leading range of PPE equipment, Survitec provide a wide range of leading products and inspection services to the O&G and Offshore Wind sectors, including Lifeboat, Life Raft, MES, Firefighting equipment and prevention systems

Buying patterns changed after the pandemic and global shutdowns, and only those able to operate with agility could meet new demands. Here, Survitec promoted its rental contracts to ensure clients could access the best safety technology anywhere in the world without significant initial capex.

“People are purchasing differently, but we see so many opportunities simultaneously,” added Gordon. “We offer a package as much as possible to provide the full circle. We are wellknown for our suits and lifejackets

because we have advanced technology; for example, the industry-leading Halo lifejacket. We are committed to continuous service improvement and product innovation and offer a service-return contract to ensure that there isn’t massive investment required to help energy customers thrive.”

“We have a brand – Crewsaver –which is a lifejacket specialist. They are continuously innovating and investing in new designs for jackets,” explains Isabel George, a Survitec Marketing Manager. “We have a range that came from ocean racing which was then adapted into a military jacket, and it has now been adapted into a wind jacket as it offers harnessing and more. The official launch will happen in September, and it has gone through years of planning and development. It recently gained its SOLAS approval certificate, making it one of the most advanced life jackets in the industry – it is an incredible product,” George says.

Life can be dangerous in the challenging but necessary offshore wind and energy industries, where

people work hard on 12-hour shifts for many consecutive days. Conditions are unpredictable, and when safety and protection are a must, it pays to partner with the best. Survitec is trusted to protect lives.

“It is a very competitive market,” admits George, “but we have the biggest footprint because of our brand portfolio.”

As safety culture has been embedded in oil and gas, and project owners have carried that culture into wind, Survitec continues to stand as a pillar of strength and reliability as a world-leading manufacturer and supplier of life rafts, Marine Evacuation Systems (MES) and offshore rental PPE. For now, George and the team are happy with the progress in the UK market and excited about expanding elsewhere. “It would be a dream ambition to one day have every person transferred offshore in a Survitec lifejacket or immersion suit.”

Content sponsored by Survitec

Image: Christopher Heaney

LEVIDIAN

LOOP to Power Circular Economy and Decarbonisation

PRODUCTION: David Hill

UK climate technology business, Levidian, is growing quickly thanks to strong fundraising and an unrelenting focus on innovation. Technology that cracks methane into hydrogen while locking carbon into high-quality green graphene is helping Levidian build a brand that is in demand around the world. Marketing Director Rebecca Zeitlin talks to Energy Focus about success growth.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: CLIMATE TECH

In May, at Innovation Zero - the UK’s premier climate tech conference – in London, the changemakers and disruptors of technology, energy, and policy came together to demonstrate intention, invention and thought-leadership as the UK looks to take a front seat in the journey towards Net Zero.

Cambridge-based Levidian led the conversation around decarbonisation and production and use of ‘miracle material’ graphene and hydrogen. Levidian is the sciencebased company behind LOOP, a containerised engineering system that fuels decarbonisation of methane.

At the Working Group on decarbonisation, Levidian CEO, John

Hartley chaired a discussion titled: “Scaling Up: Unlocking Cement and Concrete Innovation and Deployment”. He said that financing and cross sector collaboration are key in driving progress.

Marketing Director Rebecca Zeitlin agrees, saying that Levidian has done everything required to make itself appealing to partners, growing aggressively in the process.

“We have two advantages,” she states. “On graphene, our internal expertise and our track record of producing high-quality, consistent material makes us easy to work with for companies who want to explore graphene. We still have a hurdle to get people to want to explore graphene, but when we get over that we have the best

available team to deliver good results.

“With LOOP,” she adds, “our technology is so unique that a lot of companies are very interested in how they can have it. We have spoken to a lot of companies about LOOP, and in many cases they need to process a lot of gas. We’re working to be able to deliver that scale.”

Scale is the immediate challenge, and Levidian is building quickly.

LOOP, GRAPHENE, HYDROGEN

Operating since 2012, the initial focus of the company was to complete research projects around the commercial application of graphene. Graphene is prized because of its strength and flexibility. 200 times stronger than steel but a million times thinner than a human hair, it is a brilliant conductor of heat and electricity, and can be made water resistant. The possibilities are endless for this relatively new material, with some expectations of

// WITH LOOP, OUR TECHNOLOGY IS SO UNIQUE THAT A LOT OF COMPANIES ARE VERY INTERESTED IN HOW THEY CAN HAVE IT //

a market worth €550m by 2025.

Levidian produces graphene and hydrogen through its LOOP technology, which was previously not presented in the deployable, convenient form that it is today. A proven method, developed inhouse, helps Levidian to create graphene at scale. The only required input is electricity and methane .

“We put methane gas in one end, we blast it with microwaves to ‘break it’, and you end up with pure carbon atoms that are reformed to be graphene,” explains Zeitlin. “Some methane remains, and you get hydrogen - rich blend - gas which is 70% hydrogen by volume. It’s an efficient way of making hydrogen at point of use and if you’re using waste methane – in Luxembourg we will use methane from anaerobic digestion from food waste – you are producing decarbonised energy from a waste source. By using LOOP in the middle, you are producing much less CO2 and you are getting solid carbon as a benefit which can be sold or utilised.

“It is carbon capture but before combustion,” she adds, highlighting LOOP as an intervention technology, stripping carbon out of methane and reducing the amount of CO2 that enters the atmosphere. “It provides a significant decrease in the end amount of carbon being emitted,” she furthers, “and the technology is relatively uncomplicated, unintensive, and unassuming, and you can literally plug it into the wall.”

CONTAINERISED

Installation of LOOP can help businesses to reduce CO2 potential of their natural gas by up to 40% instantly by replacing it with hydrogen which, when produced sustainably, is much more ecological. The technology is housed in a standard-size container (not essential) and runs without disturbance. Zeitlin says that it’s no more intrusive than a ‘slightly noisy air conditioner’ and because of this, interest is growing.

“It provides a degree of flexibility that other technologies don’t have,”

Zeitlin highlights. “Essentially, any place that you would want to deploy it would already have the methane source and probably electricity, and that is all it needs. It doesn’t use water, and it only needs a very small amount of argon gas for maintenance which is included in the container. You don’t need major infrastructure overhaul – especially for the smaller units.

“We have one in Abu Dhabi. We have several on site in Cambridge, and we have one imminent in Scotland. We have another booked in the UAE, and another in Luxembourg.”

With major clients, including water treatment companies and other big utilities, Levidian is looking at the potential of unboxing the technology and installing ‘large warehouses full

of LOOPs’ to process the large amount of gases that are produced in these operations. It is simply inefficient to have a whole field full of containers and a single large system would provide significant space saving. However, most clients are industrial scale but SMME in size, meaning a containerised unit is perfect.

Zeitlin gives credit to the company’s new shareholders for the vision around selling LOOP technology for use on site with clients. When Chairman Jamie Edmiston acquired Levidian in 2020 – against an unpredictable economic backdrop – he identified a need to redefine the company’s longer-term strategy, becoming a climate technology business.

“With that came a refocusing

Rebecca Zeitlin, Marketing Director

INDUSTRY FOCUS: CLIMATE TECH

remains the same – it’s what we have proven over a decade. We have just slightly shifted what it will do in the world. The executive team is new and brings experience from energy businesses. We are rapidly expanding our senior management team to cover everything from supply chain to project management across all of the elements required to fully commercialise. We recently renovated the office as we ran out of room to put people.”

VERY POSITIVE PEOPLE

and the realisation that the LOOP technology on its own is really useful even without the graphene. Our whole business since then has been pivoting towards a broader overarching theme of decarbonisation,” she says.

Today, the company is home to more than 50 of the best minds in climate tech, with one of the original founders, Professor Krzysztof Koziol, still holding the position of Chief Science Officer.

“We have an applied technology team that does R&D projects with customers to develop uses for graphene, and we also have an entire R&D team scaling up the LOOP technology so that it can process more gas more quickly. We are deploying LOOPs around the world to do decarbonisation jobs as well as producing graphene,” details Zeitlin, adding that the team continues to grow as companies reach out to partner.

“The DNA of the company

The vision of Levidian is to contribute to a circular economy by converting greenhouse gases into innovative solutions and materials. To do this, people must advance the knowledge that is already held and create new solutions. Levidian is very much a people business, and the values of the business reflect the people within: Science led, innovative, smart, and collaborative.

Zeitlin says that within this fastgrowth environment, people have

always been at the core of problem solving. “Every time we identify a challenge, we take quick action to address it through people - that is central to our strategy. We know the technology is good, but for us to make it work as a commercial enterprise, we have to have the right people in the right roles. We have made some incredible hires with people with amazing experience. That is the exciting bit – you go from a few guys in a room to having ISO accreditation and achieving the mass that works.”

Right now, focus remains on the two key offerings: graphene and LOOP. Advancing R&D with both, and understanding more about potential applications alongside clients is at the heart of every action as the company accelerates towards its goals.

“On the graphene side, there are different challenges. The material has been around for a long time but commercialising it is challenging. We are focused on finding the early adopters at volume. We are going to be producing huge amounts of graphene when we have all of the LOOPs deployed, and we need to find homes for it all,” says Zeitlin.

Concrete is just one of six areas currently under the microscope at Levidian. Graphene can be added to mortars and cement to increase strength and reduce cost. Battery and energy transfer technology, paints and coatings, composites, thermoplastics, and rubber are also key focus areas, where the addition of graphene can have big benefits, already proven in early tests.

“On the LOOP side, the more in the field the better. Internally, we are heavily focused on R&D to make LOOP bigger and able to process larger gas volume – that is critical to our success as a business,” Zeitlin highlights.

This is why the business is quickly building its outreach, to ensure it meets as many people as possible – individuals, scientists, researchers, companies, corporates, governments, investors etc – to build partnerships and collaborate as it moves forward into the unknown. Zeitlin is confident and buoyant going forward as Levidian proves its strength through innovation.

“Overall, the feeling is very positive and driven to meet our ambitions. Every week feels like a new discovery is being made, and the speed at which our R&D teams are delivering is very fast – that is thrilling,” she concludes.

Content sponsored by Levidian WWW.LEVIDIAN.COM

// EVERY WEEK FEELS LIKE A NEW DISCOVERY IS BEING MADE, AND THE SPEED AT WHICH OUR R&D TEAMS ARE DELIVERING IS VERY FAST //

Innovating for Sustainable Present and Future

Innovation, efficiency, and sustainability are built into the DNA of Copeland. The company’s central promise is around developing inventive new solutions that advance client offerings across commercial and residential heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration. Sandro Matic, President of Copeland Europe, tells Energy Focus more about the company’s ongoing growth.

PRODUCTION: David Hill

INDUSTRY FOCUS: ENGINEERING

//With estimates suggesting that around one third of all greenhouse gas emissions and 40% of global energy consumption come from the built environment (homes and commercial property), the sector is under pressure to change. While much has been modernised, the systems used in the industry remain traditional. Heating systems feed off fossil fuels, construction is emissions intensive, materials are the same as they have been for decades and centuries. With so much innovation and adoption of technology happening across all industry sectors, the time for the built environment to adjust is now as its importance sits atop the priority list for most.

There isn’t a single answer or individual invention that can provide complete overnight overhaul, but every step is essential in the wider journey towards net zero.

At Copeland, the focus is first and foremost around modern equipment that can have a real impact on the footprint of a building. The company

works in the commercial and residential space, and is a recognised innovator in technology for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR).

Matic tells Energy Focus that the company is growing to become a complete solutions provider with a product and knowledge base that is leading the industry across each of its HVACR units.

“We are designing sustainable solutions for the HVACR industry ranging from market segments including air conditioning, heating, refrigeration, where we can deliver any compression technology - for example, compressors, variable speed drives, underlying electronics, and flow controls,” he says. “We see ourselves as a true solutions company by optimizing all of these components to give our customers plug-and-play solutions that allow them to manage their entire system for a more sustainable world. Energy efficiency is so crucial now, not just for OEMs but also for end users, especially in times of very high energy pricing. What we are doing is optimising

components, creating best solutions, and driving energy efficiency.”

AT THE CENTRE OF IT

Copeland boasts an international workforce of 18,000. Researching, refining, developing, manufacturing, and installing, the company’s influence covers major industries including building and construction, facilities management and maintenance, food retail, food service and hospitality, and transportation and shipping. Asked about the importance of sustainability and energy transition in strategy and planning, Matic is clear: “We are at the centre of it.”

Essential work around the technology within air source hydronic heat pumps is beginning to come to fruition as the European public is encouraged to make the switch from traditional boilers. Hydronic heat pumps take heat from air and transfer it to water which is used to warm radiators or underfloor heating, and even hot water cylinders. Greener and with minimal emissions, some reports

suggest that heat pumps can save around 23 tonnes of CO2 over a decade.

“We are a leading provider of compression technology which eventually goes into heat pumps. In any heat pump, you need a refrigeration circuit, and we supply everything for this. Currently, it is an exciting period for us and our employees because you can clearly see the upturn. If you look at the overall market for hydronic heating systems, every year six to seven million households must decide what sort of heating system they want to use in their new build home or as a replacement. Two years ago, it was assumed that one million of those six million would choose a heat pump. This number is growing at a fast pace. By 2026, all studies predict that more than three million homes will be equipped with heat pumps. This is a high growth sector and a great opportunity for us to create added value,” explains Matic.

The company is completely dedicated to efficiency and is taking heat pump performance, across all metrics, to the next level through

innovation. Typically, these systems use refrigerant gases such as R407C, R32, R410A, R417A and more recently R290. All must be handled and used with care.

“Refrigeration is a mature market where we are working with the industry to see how we can move to other products. However, the picture is different for residential heating in Europe, accelerating at pace as the switch from oil and gas boilers to heat pumps is in full swing, ” says

Matic, emphasising the need for consistent knowledge and upskilling to stay abreast of developments.

REFRIGERANT REPLACEMENT

The current focus in refrigeration is around CO2 as a refrigerant replacement. Gas is used as a heat transfer medium, with a very low boiling point, compressed into a super-heated state by a Copeland compressor. CO2 now allows for

INDUSTRY FOCUS: ENGINEERING

efficiency at higher temperatures and provides improvements in the Global Warming Potential (GWP) numbers. Propane is another great option because of its promise for efficient use across different conditions.

“We don’t just use sustainability as a buzzword - if you look at our business, we are influencing many things in all the sectors we serve,” Matic says. “Heat pumps are an obvious and straightforward example. We are enabling the industry in the transition from fossil fuel boilers to sustainable, green heat pumps. We are helping the industry shift to environmentally friendly refrigerants. The industry measures refrigerants, and therefore this transition, with a value called GWP. Back in 2015, the average GWP in the industry was 2500. Copeland is developing compression technology which uses natural refrigerants such as CO2 or propane – that lowers our GWP to about 4. That is something we are proud of as it shows we are clearly making a difference. Efficiency is crucial

for us, and a constant driver for us. We are always working to improve, it’s in our DNA and we never stop.”

LOW SOUND TECH

Detailing an example of recent success in product development, Matic highlights the launch of a new low sound compressor for use in heat pumps. With all the environmental and energy saving benefits that come with a system, there is also a noise pollution issue. Typically fixed close to property (or neighbouring property), any reduction in volume is welcomed. The Copeland™ low sound scroll compressors enable exceptionally quiet operation, particularly important for heat pump applications in high density environments.

“In the technology area, we make sure that we are always innovative. We constantly look at our customers’ pain points, identify them together and develop solutions to solve these problems. That’s what our business is about, and that’s what

we will continue to drive,” he says.

“We are launching a lot of exciting products, and recently we introduced our low sound compressor. It’s an outstanding unit which has 10 dBA less than the ones already on the market, and that is a 75% sound reduction. When thinking about heat pumps, sound and efficiency are the big pain points. The sound aspect is getting more important if you think about residential building in Europe. Here in Germany, typically the homeowner’s piece of land is relatively small and you have to think carefully about where you put your heat pump. With this offering, we believe we are tackling a pain point and we are particularly proud to launch this product.”

The all-new portfolio consists of four compressors with capacities ranging from 29 cc (5 kW) to 94 cc (20 kW) but without the need for costly, elaborate noise insulation to be added by OEMs. By excelling in the sound aspect, the company has not compromised in other areas - the

low sound scroll compressors achieve best-in-class efficiency with an A+++ rating at a reference temperature of 55° C. Also, because of the use of either R290 or R454C refrigerants with a GWP below 150, compliance with the F-Gas regulation is guaranteed, future proofing the product.

EVOLVING AND GROWING

Copeland recently emerged from the Emerson Group’s decision to sell a majority stake in its Climate Technologies division to US investment and asset management company Blackstone, turning Copeland into a standalone business and setting it up for a fresh growth stage. The company’s offering was highlighted with sustainable tech as the flagship element. In fact, “We are engineered for Sustainability” is the Copeland brand promise.

“My key pillars of success are efficiency, sustainability, and technology – that is who we are and what we build our achievements on,” says Matic.

“For me, we are working in an environmental segment that has a clear purpose. This technology contributes to a sustainable future . I am fulfilled by that, and I think it is for this reason that many of our employees are highly engaged and passionate to work in this segment.”

He adds that there is a lot of activity underway in the business and long-term strategies are helping to meet ever-increasing demand.

“There is a lot of investment and expansion happening. We are

adding capacity at factories in Europe, and we have two major projects underway. This is essential to be able to meet any demand in the future.

“We as Copeland are active in air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration – this is where we are strongly positioned. There are a lot of interesting sub-trends and our focus is on making sure we continue to lead in those segments. We are constantly screening adjacent markets and the opportunities there, but first and foremost we want to continue to be the leading partner in our core segments,” he explains.

Leadership will come in the form of market share authority as well as advancement of environmental goals. Success in efficiency will come from innovation around core products. As the heat pump market grows and as the need from OEMs for a simple but comprehensive

solution becomes time critical, Matic is confident of the company’s ability to meet challenges head on.

“I see us as a company that is developing solutions,” he concludes. “We are not a component supplier. We develop solutions which enable OEMs to lead the industry towards a bright future characterised by efficiency and sustainability - this is what gives purpose to anyone who is involved in our business.”

Growing, changing, and adapting, Copeland is a constant force of progress in its chosen markets and will continue to thrive as the built environment seeks a new, more sustainable way forward.

Content sponsored by Copeland

// THERE IS A LOT INVESTMENT AND EXPANSION HAPPENING. WE ARE ADDING CAPACITY AT FACTORIES IN EUROPE, AND WE HAVE TWO BIG PROJECTS UNDERWAY //

FORZE HYDROGEN RACING

The Future of Motorsports Is Green

Forze Hydrogen Racing (Forze) designs, builds, and races hydrogen-powered race cars, pushing the limits of all that is possible for hydrogen in motorsports, mobility and beyond. Having built the world’s first hydrogen electric race car eight more have since followed with each outstripping its predecessor, and now the ninth stands poised to dominate on the competitive track.

PRODUCTION: Tommy Atkinson

INDUSTRY FOCUS: HYDROGEN

//Named after the Formula Zero competition, Forze was founded in 2007 by Edgar van Os. Now, some 16 years later, Forze has grown remarkably quickly from building go-karts to Le Mans Prototype racing cars performing in official competitions. Its growth is made even more startling considering that Forze is a team comprised entirely of students - 60 of them, to be precise - lending their passion and talents honed at Delft University of Technology, Holland’s oldest and largest public technical university.

“The goal of the team is to promote the use of hydrogen technology in motorsports, and beyond. We try to accelerate developments in sustainable fields in general, not only in motorsports.” Thomas Noordzij, Public Relations & Marketing Manager, informs. “Over the course of Forze’s 15 year existence, nine race cars have been built, each one quicker than the previous.”

“Something as extraordinary as this is only possible with real dedication, which the students at Forze have proven year after year; they and their ambitious goals have made Forze what it is today.”

“All our team members decided to join Forze to work voluntarily with their passion for sustainability, technology, and hydrogen.”

RARE PROPOSITION

Historically, multiple types of fuels have been used to power vehicles, and today petrol, diesel, bio-fuels, natural gas, electricity and hydrogen are some of the most noteworthy. New, potentially more sustainable systems have been developed over the years, among which the hydrogen fuel cell is arguably the most promising.

Team XVI

Leading car manufacturers like Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, and Hyundai are all developing fuel cell cars and many more on top are investigating the technology, bidding to bring fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) to the market with increasing fervour. Following suit are increasing numbers of European countries, investing in hydrogen filling station networks to accommodate these imminent new cars.

Still, though, hydrogen fuel cell race cars are extremely rare, and Forze’s remains proudly the only student team working with high-power automotive

fuel cells worldwide. “At Forze, we stand for a sustainable future for mobility,” affirms Noordzij. “Together with battery electric vehicles we want to compete against petrol-powered cars. “

To make this a reality, a team of hard-working and ambitious people is necessary, he continues, and this team’s passion, enthusiasm and determination

is what makes Forze a success, backed by the many years of knowledge and growth that Forze has seen so far.

It is difficult to picture more ideal, productive work experience, with Noordzij revealing that the entire team changes each August; it effectively constitutes a one-year break from the students’ studies,

// OVER THE COURSE OF FORZE’S 15 YEAR EXISTENCE NINE RACE CARS HAVE BEEN BUILT, EACH ONE QUICKER THAN THE PREVIOUS //

INDUSTRY FOCUS: HYDROGEN

FIRMLY ON TRACK

usually between bachelor and masters degrees, which they spend at the epicentre of this pulsating sport.

“Every year a new team of students is chosen to continue the work, which also comes with its challenges,” he describes. “It is important to have an efficient transfer of knowledge between two teams, but at the same time it is comforting for new teams to

know that they have the knowledge and support of their predecessors.”

“We have a number of people who partner with us for recruitment purposes,” Noordzij addends, “because they are well aware that we have some of the best engineers in the area; as a result, many students end up finding an internship or indeed a full-on position at one of these partners.”

Speaking with Energy Focus last year, Forze revealed that its ninth car, the aptly named Forze IX, was well into the testing and assembly phase; its design launch came in January last year , Noordzij happily updates. “The initial feedback has been incredibly positive, and we have also garnered a lot of media attention, pleasing, too, given our overall goal of vaunting hydrogen technology in our own unique way - by building a race car.”

“A future of racing without emissions is our dream,” he enthuses. “We want to promote hydrogen as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels by showing that it can compete

// ALL OUR TEAM MEMBERS DECIDED TO JOIN FORZE TO WORK VOLUNTARILY WITH THEIR PASSION FOR SUSTAINABILITY, TECHNOLOGY, AND HYDROGEN //

with conventional petrol-powered cars on track.” The Forze Hydrogen Racing team has already more than adequately proven itself by building competitive zero-emission racing cars; in 2019, its eight iterations achieved a podium place in an official race in the Netherlands.

“Ever since launch, we have been pushing to actually produce a car and test and drive it, as this is the point at which we will be able to really practice what we preach and show how well the technology can work and the feasibility of racing with it,” Noordzij outlines.

“We have been focusing almost solely on this over the past year, thinking out things on a deeper level and then producing, assembling and testing, not only on the hydrogen fuel cell but also all of the subsystems of the car, like the drive train, gear

box, motors and electronics.”

Forze is in the final stages of testing of all these various subsystems, Noordzij says, soon to incorporate these within the car itself. “We aim to have a driving car by the end of 2023,” he reveals, “and participate in the first race in 2024.”

Faster, with more power and zero emissions; Forze IX represents yet another breakthrough in sustainable racing, and is surely well on its way to triumphing in its inaugural race - likely to be in the Netherlands’s Supercar Challenge, a semi-professional series with an open class into which Forze IX would slot, according to Noordzij. “Ultimately we aim to compete in the GT Class, the fastest racing division of the series,” he adds, “but because we want to enter a race as soon as possible and the car

will not be at its peak performance we will begin a class below.”

“We aim for race-winning performance at a level that has never been reached before,” is Noordzij’s impressive ambition. “Over the past three years, we have been working on the design of this revolutionary race car. Our engineers have designed the most innovative components and solutions for the Forze IX in order to ensure big achievements in the future.”

“The Forze IX is built to keep growing and innovating, and in the future, it is Forze’s goal to shift towards endurance racing. We believe that is where the power of hydrogen lies.”

TRADING LINE

Transforming the Shipping Industry Through Waves of Innovation

Established in 2012 with Romanian-Dutch joint venture private capital, Trading Line’s river transport activities are most keenly focused on the stretch between Regensburg and Constantza. The company is charged with the efficient expediting of premium cargo along the breadth of the Danube, Europe’s second largest river and the lifeblood of river-based trade across Southeastern Europe.

PRODUCTION: Chris Bolderstone

INDUSTRY FOCUS: LOGISTICS

Since early history, the Danube has been a principal trading route in Europe, an important source of energy and drinking water as well as being a unique habitat for wildlife and a recreational area. Rising in the Black Forest in Germany the Danube eventually empties into the Black Sea in Romania and Ukraine, 2,415 km of its 2,845 km length navigable, connecting ten riparian countries.

Built in 2008, Romanian-Dutch river carrier Trading Line operates the youngest and arguably most important fleet on the Danube, boasting modern transport units in top condition with a market value of €123 million. “Young and enthusiastic staff offer professional and prompt services, integrating state of the art technology into one of the most traditional means of transportation,” the company sets out

of its unmatched service offering.

“Trading Line is an inland waterway transport solutions provider featuring a high capability and efficiency fleet for both dry and liquid cargo.”

SPECIAL STRETCH

“We started in 2012 with one pusher and 10 barges with a total capacity of 20,000 tonnes,” the company delineates. “Since 2012, we have been growing continuously and by 2022 our capacity stood at 128,000 tonnes of total loading capacity of dry cargo and 20,000 tonnes of liquid, twinned with a pushing power of 55,000 BHP and a 24 hours a day, seven days a week sailing mode.”

Navigation of the Danube is a hugely complex undertaking, the full potential of which can be realised only when the interaction of a system of strongly interrelated elements - the

Danube waterway, the vessels and their cargoes and the ports - is achieved.

In recent decades, ports on the Danube have undergone a substantial transformation from conventional inland ports to modern logistical hubs. In addition to their basic function as transhipment hubs and storage sites, ports today provide a broad range of logistical services including commissioning, distribution and project logistics.

Amid key transhipment port locations such as Izmail in Ukraine, Linz in Austria and Romania’s Galați, the seaport of Constantza occupies a special place as one of the main distribution centre for Central and Eastern Europe. It is located at the crossroads of the trade routes linking

Continues on page 42

BLOMMAERT & WATTLAB: Harnessing Solar Power in Inland Shipping: From Cargo Ships to Sailing Solar Parks.

Solarhatches are aluminum shipping hatches with integrated solar panels that efficiently generate onboard electricity. Instead of relying on continuously running inefficient diesel generators, these Solarhatches, in combination with a battery set, offer a cost-effective solution that significantly reduces fuel consumption. They also provide the ability to store ample power for nighttime operations without the need for a generator or shore power.

In addition to the fuel-saving and maintenance benefits, Solarhatches contribute to a more pleasant environment onboard and along the waterfront. By eliminating the noise and odors associated with idling generators, they enhance the overall experience. Furthermore, Solarhatches offer practicality by enabling independence from shore power.

The solar panels are seamlessly mounted on top of the hatches, with a single plug connection on the side of each Solarhatch. The underlying technology is discreetly housed within the hatch’s bottom section. Micro-inverters within the Solarhatches efficiently convert the generated direct current into three-phase alternating current. Through a combination of individual hatch plugs and a central cable, the power is seamlessly transmitted to the engine room. There, a Wattlab Smartbox ensures monitoring, protection, and integration into the onboard grid. Any surplus energy is utilized for battery recharging. Crew members can conveniently monitor the Solarhatch output and battery system performance via a smartphone or laptop application.

Currently, 15 ships are already equipped with Solarhatches. While the use of Solarhatches in inland navigation is relatively new, its adoption is rapidly growing, leading to larger-scale implementations. In early 2024, a diesel-electric vessel is scheduled for delivery, featuring 27 stacked hatches, each equipped with solar panels. The comprehensive system will boast an impressive installed capacity of 117 kWp. The generated solar energy will not only power the onboard grid but also support propulsion.

Investing in Solarhatches becomes even more compelling with subsidies of up to 60% available in various countries. These subsidies cover the purchase of Solarhatches, battery packs, and the associated electronics. This significant financial support makes the decision to invest in Solarhatches highly attractive.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: LOGISTICS

Continued from page 40

the markets of the landlocked European countries to Transcaucasus, Central Asia and the Far East, thereby facilitating trade, and is connected to the Danube via the Danube-Black Sea Canal.

Since the advent of the crisis in

Ukraine the Port of Constantza’s profile has risen even further, giving it new geopolitical and commercial importance with it now challenged to handle extra cargo with speed, efficiency and safety.

The stretch between this, Romania’s largest port, and the Danube’s northernmost point, the Port of Regensburg, is now the focal point and primary interest of Trading Line and where it seeks to effectuate its top-end, cost effective services unmatched by other players in the market.

SMART NAVIGATION

The benefits of inland navigation are well-rehearsed and oft-cited: it features the lowest specific energy consumption and the lowest external costs of any land transport mode, the ability to transport large quantities

of goods per unit (bulk freight capacity) and requires comparably low investment in maintaining and expanding its infrastructure.

In terms of specific energy use, inland navigation can also be described as the most effective and most environmentally friendly mode of transport; an inland vessel is able to transport one ton of cargo almost four times further than a truck with the same energy consumption.

Compared with other land transport modes, Danube navigation offers significantly higher transport capacity per transport unit. A single convoy with four pushed lighters, regarded as the best way to increase capacity, can move 7,000 tonnes of goods, which corresponds to a load of 175 railway wagons each

// WE ARE LOOKING TO MAKE TRANSPORTATION MORE PREDICTABLE AND ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE COST SAVINGS FOR THE ENTIRE VALUE CHAIN //

containing 40 net tonnes or 280 trucks each containing 25 net tons.

“Raising the amount of goods transported on the Danube will consequently result in a reduction of traffic jams, noise, pollution and accidents on roads and relieve strain on the railway system,” the company condenses.

In recent years, Trading Line has committed to investments amounting to some €80 million to maximise these benefits even further, primarily in the implementation of smart technology such as artificial intelligence and remotely controlled ships on the Danube. According to Paul Ivanov, CEO, even some years ago there existed already upwards of 40 remotely piloted ships on the Rhine, some of which manned by

artificial intelligence computers, and transformation of a traditional ship can be carried out surprisingly easily.

Additionally, the technology can be more easily implemented on the Danube because the river is wider than the Rhine, and the traffic is not so heavy, he pointed out, with the carrier having already purchased a new ship that is partially remotely piloted following a €6 million investment. “We are involved with multiple different research projects for automated shipping,” Trading Line explains, “and this combines with our continuous growth in line with our long-term vision to grow the company up to 100 vessels and cover all lengths of the Danube from Constantza to Regensburg with services.

“We are going to develop,

launch and scale a proprietary remote piloting platform and service for inland waterways’ shipping vessels,” says Trading Line of this most exciting of ideas.

“We are aiming to transform the shipping industry by introducing a wave of new technologies in what is a rather low innovation area of the global economy. Following a global trend in the automatisation of transportation that includes self-driving cars, trains and remoteplotted drones, we are looking to make transportation more predictable and achieve sustainable cost savings for the entire value chain.”

SEAGREEN WIND ENERGY

Seagreen Set to Power Majority of Scottish Homes

Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm is close to completion and ready to unleash the full potential of clean, green, renewable energy for Scotland and the UK. With the deepest foundations and most innovative jackets, this is a project that showcases what is possible through the power of wind.

PRODUCTION: Sam Hendricks

Activity on the UK Continental Shelf, in the cold and deep waters that surround the island, is changing. With the country still largely powered by natural gas and oil, the reserves are prized and precious but becoming more elusive. At the same time, the energy transition gathers pace with many hoping that it can become the base for UK supply. It’s a complicated environment and challenging when planning longer-term strategies.

the North Sea as a ‘cornerstone of the company’s strategy’. “From Glendronach to Tyra, Laggan-Tormore to Johan Sverdrup, we are developing more and more projects in the North Sea, a very promising area with an important role to play in TotalEnergies’ strategy… By building on existing infrastructure, we are creating invaluable hubs in the British North Sea, enabling us to increase our production capacity and thereby meet the energy demand of growing world population,” it says.

well as the UK energy sector.

Currently, Ponticelli employs more than 530 people across nine sites, on and offshore. The lead partner in PBS - an Aberdeen-based consortium of Ponticelli UK, Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services, and Semco Maritime – the company is embracing activity on the UKCS.

Part of the global Ponticelli Group, family-owned and headquartered in France, this regional arm is responsible for managing all TotalEnergies UK

He details more about a key job at the Shetland Gas plant where Ponticelli’s service portfolio proved invaluable.

“We are handling all of the maintenance and operations on the site there. We just completed a specific project on site to change a compressor where we engineered the internal compressor mechanism to change the process of exporting gas. We are full time there and we have around 50 people handling maintenance of that gas plant. The five-year contract was awarded in February 2020 and there is possibility for extension, which we will discuss next year with our customer,” he says.

“The plant is operated principally by TotalEnergies and is currently powering more than two million households throughout the UK. Initially designed with both HighPressure (HP) and Low-Pressure (LP) operating modes, the plant has been accustomed to operating in HP. To improve late-life recovery and ensure 15 additional years of use, Ponticelli UK, via its PBS consortium, has successfully executed a £10m engineering, procurement, and construction project to allow the use of LP mode.”

UNCOMPROMISING EXPERTISE

The West of Shetland gas project processes product from the LagganTormore, Edradour and Glenlivet, and Glendronach offshore fields. The efficiency of the site is paramount for the wider energy network and, thankfully, Ponticelli UK receives strategic support from a global network so ensure best practice.

“We are independent but we do have the support around commercial activities and technical capability from our headquarters in France. All Ponticelli Freres Group operations are fully aligned in terms of corporate strategy. Ponticelli UK welcomes uncompromising expertise and competencies from the global group yet enjoys autonomy to make its own decisions based on local market forces and requirements in

line with the energy transition. If we find opportunities that bring value to the group then there is no reason we cannot proceed,” says Renaud.

Expansion beyond oil and gas will likely come in the booming UK offshore wind energy space, where turbines are being erected weekly and feeding into the grid as part of a renewable and green policy which hopes to produce 50GW by 2030. With multiple construction and engineering projects underway, this is an attractive market for Ponticelli UK.

“In the offshore wind space, we want to be involved in construction and that is a very similar skillset – welding metal, assembling structures, cable pulling, cable connection, painting, insulation, and scaffolding. When we look at maintenance, there are differences but we are signatories of the CITB (Construction Industry Training Body) and that helps us to stay up to date with the best competencies in the wind industry while transferring our skills from oil and gas,” says Renaud.

He adds that the transition could help the relatively young company to bolster its client base. “We are targeting offshore wind as we participate in offshore wind farms in the South of France where we are part of pilot schemes. We are willing to start this in the UK with ScotWind projects and others coming up. There is also the idea around electrifying oil and gas using offshore wind. We are also in contact with several parties around developing hydrogen infrastructure.”

This is part of a global strategy

// SEAGREEN IS CURRENTLY THE LARGEST OFFSHORE WIND FARM IN DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION IN SCOTLAND //

INDUSTRY FOCUS: WIND

to ensure relevance of the business in emerging industry sectors, adapting again as the company has done so through its more than one century of successful operation.

“Our strategy will shift in line with changing environmental priorities,” confirms Renaud. “We are already preparing for these changes, putting our people first by ensuring they are Connected Competence compliant. Connected Competence commands a base level of technical competence assurance and aims to recognise skills transfer which will support a resilient, transferable workforce and aid the energy transition.”

LONG-TERM VISION

According to some reports, North Sea oil and gas production might only have 10-15 years left before pressure from climate targets and environmental

activism becomes too much. But even after this point, engineering and maintenance will be ongoing, and decommissioning will open up a new market for Ponticelli (with experts suggesting 600 installations will be decommissioned in the North Sea over the next four decades). There is also the reengineering process – turning platforms into stations for CCUS – where the company can utilise its vast skillset to aid. In the energy sector, the Ponticelli Freres Group is an evolving brand.

“Repurposing assets for a new or different function is a new concept in the industry. We are seeing this in the Netherlands and Denmark, using old platforms to inject carbon into disused wells and we expect to see this in the UK as well.

“We remain positive and expect growth in both O&G and renewables within the UK market,” states Renaud.

The family ownership of the business allows for longer-term thinking, and means the business can look beyond profits for the next quarter. Moving into the renewable energy space is only logical over the coming decades.

“Our vision is much more longterm,” Renaud highlights. “In 2021, we just passed our 100-year anniversary. The family of the founders that sit on the Board today talk about wanting their grandchildren to be involved in the company in the future, not about wanting a certain profit forecast for the end of Q1. Of course, we have financial targets to be sustainable, but we hold a longer-view on strategy compared to a shareholder-driven organsation.

“We are committed to being around 100 years from now,” he reinforces. “The long-term strategy - already underway - will see continued global investments to support change in the world.”

STRONG, SAFE FOUNDATIONS

Like most organisations active on the UKCS, and in the industries served by Ponticelli, sustainability is only outweighed as a long-term goal by safety. At group level, Ponticelli is proud of its safety record and has created a culture where safe operations are non-negotiable and ‘zero harm’ is a daily focus.

“Safety, People, Wisdom, Performance, and Integrity are long-standing principles of the company, still held today. These are the foundations upon which our success is built,” says Renaud.

Safety is the core value of TotalEnergies UK and must be at the heart of every decision whether direct employee or contractor, offshore or onshore. Clearly, the synergy here is strong and allows the relationship to thrive.

“Safety is good business,” further Renaud. “Safety is an integral part of the group’s DNA and Ponticelli UK is committed in our pursuit of a zero-accident working environment

to ensure that the workforce thinks safe, works safe, and stays safe. Our robust safety culture and performance leads to operational excellence and retention of our talented workforce.”

The focus on safe working conditions was highlighted through the turbulence of the company’s establishment in the UK. Ponticelli set up in Aberdeen just three months before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and Renaud was forced to adjust quickly and manage in a completely new way. Digital meetings and communication, and effective protection of people was quickly delivered thanks to the company’s already robust safety policies.

“It was a difficult start,” admits Renaud, who moved with his family from France to Scotland after 18 years with the company across

various geographies. “To start a new contract at that time where we had no capacity to meet people was a real challenge. We are confident that our performance and what we are doing does bring value to our customer, so it has been a big success.”

Despite this early challenge, the company continues to thrive and is hungry for further growth. In the UK, the energy sector is the key focus and the there are potential opportunities in the downstream space at refineries.

“We are in oil and gas and we strongly believe it is necessary for years to come. We still need gas to heat the home and fuel to drive the car until there is a complete change. We are not there yet. We will not stop in oil and gas and focus only on renewables. Of course, we want to be efficient and sustainable but as long as there is

• Grid Solutions

• Design & Construction

• Procurement

• Commissioning

production on the UKCS we are here to support our customer,” says Renaud. Even with the long-term changing nature of the UKCS and the constant review of North Sea strategy, there will be construction, engineering, and maintenance, and the UK’s onshore facilities will require overhaul, renovation, and preservation. Here, Ponticelli has always been one of the best. Renaud is certain about the deployment of expertise.

“There are of course difficulties, but we are looking forward with positivity. We are investing in business development and we believe in the market,” he concludes.

Power solutions designed and delivered to meet your needs. From demand connections to renewables. Concept to handover.

GROUP

Energy-Aware Environments Where People Can Thrive

PRODUCTION: Timothy Reeder

Founded in 2012, Vita Group began on the back of one man’s mission to revolutionise student accommodation in the U.K. Over the last decade Vita Group has gone on to redefine the rental market, reinventing student living, regenerating neighbourhoods and creating thriving communities and remarkable new places along the way.

//Often, the inception of a visionary company such as Vita will be driven by inspiration. In this case, however, it was Mark Stott’s finding himself remarkably uninspired by the contemporary state of student accommodation in the UK that led to Vita’s 2012 founding.

At the time defined by characterless halls with no real attention to detail or focus on providing an environment for students to succeed,

Stott sought to redress the balance, putting the students first and giving them the best start possible to succeed to their fullest and beginning with Vita Student Liverpool.

“Now Vita Group has evolved into an intelligence-driven platform creating tomorrow’s city living,” it proudly states. “It’s represented by five unique lifestyle brands, spanning life’s different stages, in 23 locations, across 13 cities and with residents from over 100 countries.”

LIVING REIMAGINED

“It’s urban living reimagined and it’s constantly evolving thanks to the insights and data being generated through the platform, which in turn help to create new services, experiences, and communities.”

“The mission: to create environments in which people can flourish. A platform to thrive.” This passion for helping people blossom to the utmost degree is reflected in Vita’s

INDUSTRY FOCUS: PROPERTY

values and feeds everything it does, from its overarching approach and its people to the way it designs its buildings.

“At Vita we’re driven by this mission - it runs through everything we do, from how we create buildings to the services we provide,” the company says, returning to the prime motivation and lifeblood of the operation. “It’s a thought process which incorporates all of our stakeholders

from local authorities and investors to our colleagues and residents.”

“It stimulates our desire to constantly evolve, improve and innovate and it captures our behaviour.”

Good living, and how to define it, is a conundrum that for centuries has plagued the world’s foremost philosophers, from Socrates to Aristotle.

“For Vita as platform creators,” the company says, not shying away from the challenge, “good living is about what gets us up in the morning, what drives us to improve - it’s about being progressive. It’s shared happiness, experiences, and memories.”

“It doesn’t centre around one thing but a collection of actions and behaviours which help to hone our approach, a platform to thrive. Our approach focuses on shared opportunities – a community of people

working together to achieve goals. We’re actively promoting social mobility in everything we do and creating spaces to belong where this is easily achieved.”

All of this is built on several interconnected pillars, each dependent on the others in order for the whole to properly function. From place and community, building design and environment to sustainable operations, talent and society, not omitting governance and welfare and wellbeing, everything is considered in sculpting the Vita vision.

“It’s simply not good enough to create a building without thinking carefully about its context and the wider impact it has on its surrounding neighbourhood,” Vita stipulates.

“Creating tomorrow’s city living means we must be part of the DNA of that city and partnering with local authorities, connecting with local suppliers, talent, charities and helping to develop surrounding spaces. It’s not just about helping to regenerate cities; it’s helping them to function effectively.”

FUTURE LIVING

“Over the last decade, Vita Group has been doing something very special, and now stands much bigger than the words that define it, and it holds more value than the bricks and mortar which represent it.”

“It’s a movement, a sense of belonging; it encapsulates people, behaviours, insights and technologies which prove, shape and evolve the product.”

A decade spent scrutinising trends and customer behaviour, beholding and learning from the more than 10,000 people living with Vita across different sectors, has resulted in the Vita Group Future Living Report. An undertaking which the business describes as, “a seismic piece of work,” and the largest of its kind, it is driven by Vita’s commitment to searching for living trends, being fanatical about its customers and ultimately trying to hone its products and brands in

// VITA GROUP HAS EVOLVED INTO AN INTELLIGENCE-DRIVEN PLATFORM CREATING TOMORROW’S CITY LIVING //

a way which responds to them.

“Our opportunity to behold and learn from our customer behaviour has never been bigger as our buildings become a canvas for the way in which people live – these insights help us to discover micro trends to interrogate on a more significant scale,” Vita comments, of the conducted on its behalf by independent research company 3Gem study throughout August and September 2022.

The emergent trends proved highly current and all-encompassing, as the deep-dive taken unearthed a host of topics from the post-pandemic impacts on the way we live - such as the rise in hybrid working and pet ownership - to the cost-of-living crisis, impact on utility prices and the challenges ahead for the industry in the face of a shortage of housing.

As Britain has felt a tightening pinch, it is an ultra-keen awareness of energy usage and swift adoption of greener behaviour that have been the most obvious reverberations with even the medium to long term outlook suggesting energy will cost more than it did during the last 10 years.

“As a much more significant outgoing, consumers and developers will be much more cognisant to this aspect of living. Whether that’s making improvements

to current housing or evolving the specification of future stock, the landscape is definitely moving,” analyses Vita Group COO Max Bielby.

“We can clearly see that the cost-of-living crisis and rising energy bills are forcing people to react and change the way in which they live in some ways,” agrees Giles Beswick, Chief Purpose Officer. “It’s good to see that so many are making sustainability-driven decisions, and by finding ways to be more energy efficient, one hopes that some of these new behaviours are adopted as best practices and people make much more conscious decisions about these things in future.”

// IT’S GOOD TO SEE THAT SO MANY ARE MAKING SUSTAINABILITYDRIVEN DECISIONS //

SNAM

Three Ds Build Secure, Sustainable Energy System

Snam deals with the transportation and dispatching, storage, and regasification of natural gas and with activities related to the energy transition, tirelessly developing an intelligent network and investing in digital to be increasingly sustainable and efficient with three driving investments: Development, Decarbonisation and Digitalisation.

PRODUCTION: Timothy Reeder

© SNAM

INDUSTRY FOCUS: RENEWABLES

Snam is Europe’s leader in natural gas transport and storage and renewable gases, and one of the world’s leading energy infrastructure operators ranking among Italy’s largest listed companies by market capitalisation. Snam has been building and managing sustainable and technologically advanced infrastructure guaranteeing energy security for 80 years.

“We are much more than an

engineering company that builds and manages energy infrastructures,” Snam is, however, anxious to clarify, “we make our purpose concrete every day by building together a company that is ever closer to people, ever more innovative and ever more sustainable.”

“With the work of our people, we guarantee stable and safe supplies of sustainable energy, we allow heating and lighting millions of houses, we connect countries and communities and

we create development opportunities with respect for the environment.”

“We lead the evolution of the sector thanks to the most innovative sustainable energy network.”

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

Of Snam’s central values, shaping the future is perhaps the most notable, and certainly the most laudable.

“We complete long-term projects, impressive and complex, helping to outline the economic and cultural scenario of tomorrow,” the company sets out. “Our skills, combined with the experience in the energy infrastructures, allow us to have a bigger overview and guide a wider system.”

“We have the responsibility to imagine and shape a future that

// WE MAKE OUR PURPOSE CONCRETE EVERY DAY BY BUILDING A COMPANY THAT IS EVER CLOSER TO PEOPLE, MORE INNOVATIVE AND MORE SUSTAINABLE //

© SNAM

100% HYDROGEN READY VALVES FOR A SUSTAINABLE WORLD

will go beyond us, all together.”

Astutely aligned with this, January saw the closing of Snam’s acquisition of a 49.9% of the equity interest directly and indirectly held by Eni in the companies operating two groups of international gas pipelines connecting Algeria to Italy. With Russia curtailing its gas flows to Europe, Algeria last year emerged as Rome’s biggest gas supplier, making the network between the two countries a strategic infrastructure for Rome’s energy security.

Eni and Snam will exercise joint control of SeaCorridor, with the transaction leveraging Eni’s and Snam’s respective areas of expertise in gas transport on a strategic route for the security of Italy’s natural gas supply, while enabling potential development initiatives within the hydrogen value chain also thanks to the natural resources North Africa has to offer.

“The North Africa-Europe link is a key element of progressive decarbonisation at the international level in support of the energy transition,” Snam identifies, paying a total consideration of some 405 million euros to Eni in the transaction.

The CDP’s ‘A List’ (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project), meanwhile, is an index of companies that distinguish themselves for their commitment and transparency in combatting climate change. It is feted company to keep, and following a review this year

Snam has gained a rare spot among the top 300 companies worldwide, out of more than 15,000 invited.

“The result recognises the Group’s efforts to reduce climate-changing emissions and manage climate risk,” Snam commented after the auspicious reveal. “After being one of the first companies in the energy sector to commit to achieving zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, Snam has set itself targets for 2030 on indirect ‘Scope 3’ emissions, becoming the first energy infrastructure company in the European Union to set emission reduction targets also for suppliers and investees.”

“Snam’s commitment is in line with the target of limiting global warming to within 1.5° C.”

STRATEGY PLAN

The past years have proved fairly transformative for Snam, seeing

Valvitalia is the first Italian Group in the production of valves for the Oil & Gas sector and has developed solutions for sustainable energy transition.

// WE LEAD THE EVOLUTION OF THE SECTOR THANKS TO THE MOST INNOVATIVE SUSTAINABLE ENERGY NETWORK //

INDUSTRY FOCUS: RENEWABLES

the company considerably increase its investments in new businesses, explore hydrogen-ready infrastructures and the potential of green gases.

In 2021, it then adopted a new roadmap for the next five and ten years which integrates the sustainability dimension even further into its industrial strategy, and which is founded on the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement framework. Three areas of growth came to the fore to be subject to significant investments between now and 2030 - primarily energy networks and storage, where the firm’s objective is to make its infrastructures compatible not only with natural gas but also with biomethane and hydrogen, essential to the energy transition.

The third priority area concerns the development of integrated green

energy projects along the entire value chain, to foster market development and contribute to decarbonisation.

Three Ds - Development, Decarbonisation and Digitalisation - lead the way in accelerating these investments, set to hit 10 billion euros in the 2022-2026 period, a 23% increase compared to the 2021-2025 plan mainly for the commissioning of two Floating Storage Regasification Units (FSRUs), the construction of the Adriatic Line, the upgrade and development of storage. These investment opportunities will total in excess of 20 billion euros in the 2022-2030 period on networks, storage and energy transition.

“2022 was a watershed year for

// WE COMPLETE LONG-TERM PROJECTS, IMPRESSIVE AND COMPLEX, HELPING TO OUTLINE THE ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL SCENARIO OF TOMORROW //

the global energy system,” Stefano Venier, CEO of Snam commented, with Snam well positioned to be among the leading companies in the transformation taking place in the energy sector and surely able to seize any and all development opportunities over the next decade.  “Within a

backdrop of extreme uncertainty and volatility, Snam has succeeded in guaranteeing maximum support to cope with the emergency, creating the basis for the necessary actions to tackle the near future.”

“Over the 2022-2026 plan period, we will significantly increase investments compared to the past, in order to strengthen our infrastructure and contribute to the country’s greater energy security for the next few years and beyond. At the same time, we will continue to work towards a carbon neutral future, focusing on green molecules: hydrogen and biomethane will be part of our journey towards carbon neutrality, as will our initiatives

for the decarbonisation of final consumption, and we have committed a billion euros to them until 2026.”

“In the same time horizon, despite a still unstable scenario, we foresee significant growth in the main economic indicators which can be achieved without affecting our financial solidity with the aim of building a more sustainable, resilient and enduring energy system.”

// WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS A CARBON NEUTRAL FUTURE, FOCUSING ON GREEN MOLECULES //

DELTATEK GLOBAL

Access to Global Footprint Accelerates International Ambitions

PRODUCTION: Timothy Reeder

Founded by CEO Tristam Horn in 2015, DeltaTek has grown rapidly into a company renowned for repeatable, reliable well-construction technologies globally. Its acquisition this year by Expro allows the energy service provider to broaden its offering, capabilities and technology portfolio within the well-construction cementing sector, while accelerating DeltaTek’s international deployment ambitions through Expro’s global footprint.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: CONSTRUCTION

DeltaTek’s mission is simple: to save rig time through ultimate cement placement with advanced downhole technologies. Specialising in the well-construction sector, DeltaTek has developed pioneering technologies and low-risk solutions applicable to all types of well-construction projects. Their employment is enabling operators to reduce carbon footprint, improve operational efficiency and ameliorate the overall well-construction process.

It was upon graduating from university with a master’s in engineering

that now-CEO Tristam Horn steadily progressed through various drilling engineering and supervisory industry roles at BP and Ophir Energy, before identifying a critical gap in the market. Horn then went on to found DeltaTek in 2015, which led to the development of SeaCure, an industryfirst technology and now universallylauded subsea cementing system.

“DeltaTek is committed to providing innovative and forwardthinking solutions to common problems in the well-construction industry,” Horn outlines. “Its expanding

portfolio of services currently includes ultimate cement placement solutions, speciality cementing equipment and open water efficiency technology.”

EXPRO ACQUISITION

DeltaTek’s entrance into the drilling market from initial technology concept, through product development to offshore deployment and commercialisation, can only be described as a stratospheric rise, and unprecedented in the oil and gas industry.

Having caught many an industry eye along the way, in February New York-listed Expro announced its acquisition of the Aberdeenbased well-construction cementing specialists, adding its desire and intention to accelerate DeltaTek’s international deployment ambitions through its global presence.

// DELTATEK IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING INNOVATIVE AND FORWARD-THINKING SOLUTIONS TO COMMON PROBLEMS IN THE WELL-CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY //

Originally established in 1948 in Aberdeen, and celebrating our 75th anniversary in 2023, AJT Engineering Ltd has evolved to offer a comprehensive range of related multi-discipline engineering services to various industrial sectors. The company comprises of three divisions: Engineering, Site Services, and British Heat Treatment. Specialising in machining, fabrication, welding, heat treatment, mechanical fitting, provision of site services and testing allows AJT to provide their clients with a One-Stop-Shop service for an extensive range of small to large engineering repair and manufacturing projects.

The company has recently invested significantly – both in terms of technology as well as staff training and development – in order to offer a more diverse range of solutions.

AJT’s highly trained and experienced workforce can deliver projects efficiently and economically using the latest computer numerical control machinery, which includes a VTB-250 with an 18 Tonne table capacity and maximum turning diameter and height of 3000mm, along with an innovative fourth generation, five axis machining centre. Our welding stations use innovative procedures endorsed by 3rd party certifying authorities and are suitable for use on a wide cross-section of materials used in many industries, including Inconel 625 and Stellite. Our dedicated pressure test bays, with the capability of high-pressure hydro testing to 22,500psi is performed all under a 30Te crane.

Managing Director David Scalley said the flexibility of the workforce had been instrumental in AJT’s continued success. He commented: ‘We have a solid programme of investment in modern machinery and digital technology which allows us to increase efficiency and drive our cost base down to meet the challenging markets of the future.

“We have to be ready to respond to the needs of our customers not only in the gas and oil industries but also the diverse range of markets in which we now operate, which include, but not limited to, Valve industry, Hydro, Wind, Hydrogen and Water Treatments Facilities. Our multi-skilled and talented workforce is absolutely key to this.”

INDUSTRY FOCUS: CONSTRUCTION

“This is an exciting transaction for Expro that we believe will deliver real value to our combined customer base, enthused Expro CTO Steve Russell. “The DeltaTek range of low-risk open water cementing solutions increases clients’ operational efficiency, delivers rig time and cost savings and improves the quality of cementing operations for our clients”

“Today’s announcement expands our well-construction cementing capabilities through DeltaTek’s open water cementing systems and techniques. These strengths, technologies and ambitions complement Expro and we are delighted to welcome the DeltaTek team to the Expro family.”

DeltaTek’s operations currently

run across the UK, Norway, the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa and Asia Pacific, and Horn recognised the significance of the newly-forged partnership. “The team and I are delighted to announce this milestone for DeltaTek. To join Expro, a leader in the industry, is a monumental moment for the company, our existing clients, and the wider industry as we continue to innovate and grow the Cure and ArticuLock portfolios to directly address well-construction challenges.”

“With Expro’s global footprint and strong customer base, we expect to deliver our technology to all operators across the entire well-construction market through existing Expro channels, simplifying the global adoption of our valueadding services for our customers.”

PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS

The alliance also entitled a fairly immediate move in the more literal sense, as DeltaTek settled into its new headquarters at Altens Industrial Estate, the firm’s 15-strong team joinign100 Expro colleagues at the site. “We are delighted to move to the new facility that offers expansive resources to our team as part of the global Expro family,” Horn summated.

“The relocation presents us with further opportunities to expand our technology and team as we embark on our journey as part of Expro.”

The relocation followed an award-winning six months for DeltaTek, culminating in a King’s Award for Enterprise recognising the impact its technology has

had on the subsea sector.

The King’s Award is the most prestigious award for businesses in the United Kingdom, celebrating the outstanding success and significant contribution of businesses across the country, and the win marks continued recognition for the DeltaTek range of well-construction technologies.

This was not the only praise heaped upon DeltaTek, with Horn also winning the Young Professional award at the 2023 Offshore Achievement Awards (OAA), organised and hosted by the Society of Petroleum Engineers

(SPE), to cement the impressive industry contribution of DeltaTek’s Founder. At the 2023 Northern Star Business Awards, meanwhile, DeltaTek took home the coveted ‘Inspiration from Innovation Award’, acknowledging the substantial impact its pioneering technology has had on the energy industry.

“The entire team are incredibly proud of the impact our technology has had on the industry, so to receive this award is a fantastic achievement for all of us,” Horn beamed. “I first identified challenges in the well construction process and the growing need for costsaving and risk-reducing products for the subsea market while I was working as a Drilling Engineer, recognising the need for a simple system designed to optimise cement placement by utilising onshore cementing techniques within the subsea market, so our technology is a true reflection of the ‘Inspiration from Innovation’ title we have been awarded.”

“I am incredibly proud of the work our team has done to

achieve the recognition with all the awards we have won this year,” he furthered, “and I am delighted our hard work and commitment to continued industry advancement has been celebrated in this way.”

“Since launching DeltaTek in 2015, we have continued to go from strength to strength within the drilling market, so I am honoured that our contribution to the industry has been recognised by SPE and the OAA’s judging panel. We are delighted that the impact our technology has had on the subsea sector has been celebrated with such a prestigious award.”

“Introducing disruptive technology to a firmly established market came with considerable challenges, so I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved as a team.”

// SINCE LAUNCHING DELTATEK IN 2015, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH WITHIN THE DRILLING MARKET //

HELLENiQ ENERGY

Solar Beacon of Complete Commitment to Change

One of the leading energy groups in South East Europe, HELLENiQ Energy, formerly Hellenic Petroleum, undertakes activities spanning the entire energy value chain and is present across six countries. “As a regional leader in the energy sector, we play an instrumental role in driving the energy transition towards a low-carbon future,” the company pronounces, as it harnesses the best in renewables to empower tomorrow.

PRODUCTION: Tommy Atkinson

INDUSTRY FOCUS: RENEWABLES

With its roots dating back to 1958 with the establishment of the first oil refinery in Aspropyrgos, Greece, Hellenic Petroleum was the result of a merging of several diverse assets in 1998. It has gone on to become one of the largest oil companies in Southeast Europe and gaining a prized spot amid the 2017 Top 100 Global Energy Leaders

list, according to Reuters Thomson. The Group’s Vision 2025 strategy is an ambitious plan that reflects a wholesale transformation for the company. Fully aligned with the targets set by the European Union to phase out conventional fuels and develop new, cleaner forms of energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it represents a vehicle for upgrading its operations and taking full advantage of the opportunities arising from energy transition.

“In a world that never stops changing, the new, increased energy demand brings new realities to life,” opens HELLENiQ Energy.

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

The desire to rethink, innovate and incorporate has meant transition in the most literal sense for the company, Andreas Shiamishis, CEO, explains

of the shift to HELLENiQ Energy, the new brand name both confirming the company’s history and forward thinking and promoting its vision for the future. “With a great sense of responsibility and a desire for creation, but also with the new revamped corporate image which gives us bright new perspectives, we fuel the future that we all deserve,” he asserts.

“We are diversifying our portfolio, and, through our successful integrated business model, we are embracing innovation and transformation across our entire value chain, to become sustainable.”

In this bid to transform the business towards a greener sustainable future, HELLENiQ Energy has placed green energy at the heart of its activities, taking initiatives to address the climate

Continues on page 70

// AS A REGIONAL LEADER IN THE ENERGY SECTOR, WE PLAY AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN DRIVING THE ENERGY TRANSITION TOWARDS A LOW-CARBON FUTURE //

JinkoSolar ESS

Liquid Cooling Energy Storage System

INDUSTRY FOCUS: RENEWABLES

Continued from page 68

crisis and investing heavily in renewable energy sources. “Our transition to a carbon-neutral organisation has an impact on every aspect of our business,” the company recognises.

“Renewable energy sources like wind, water and sun will have a long-term impact on our industry. True to our Vision 2025, we are rapidly moving towards our goal of creating a diversified portfolio among our core businesses and growth in ‘new Energy’, and we are transforming ourselves, driven by sustainable growth.”

The vital steps already taken to redefine its strategy in the context of energy transition are accompanied by goals for further milestones in the years to come: reducing direct and

indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 50% before 2030 ranks highly, while a 1GW installed capacity from renewable energy sources (RES) targeted by 2025 and over 2GW at the turn of 2030 is backed by planned investment of 4 billion euros in this and other new energy forms.

SOLAR LANDMARK

HELLENiQ Energy’s solar power plant in Kozani, Western Macedonia is the largest double-sided solar farm in Europe and universally billed as a landmark project in Greece’s energy transformation, but also serves as a clear embodiment of the Group’s rapid transition into new cleaner energy forms.

It is presently the largest RES project in Greece and in the wider Southeast Mediterranean, as well

as one of the largest photovoltaic parks in Europe, with a total installed capacity amounting to 204.3 MW. It is estimated that this will enable Kozani to generate 350 GWh per year, meeting the needs of 75,000 households through zero-emissions energy.

“Through the investment in a growing portfolio in the renewable energies sector, we have created a landmark project in the new energy era, showcasing in the clearest way our commitment to a better future,” HELLENiQ Energy states of the innovative facility housing more than 500,000 bifacial modules, able to produce solar power from both sides of the panel. This 130 million euro investment has empowered the community ant he region as a whole, and will continue to do so.”

“This project is a symbol of the green transition both inside and outside the Greek borders,” interjects Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “Greece will become a leader in the sector of Renewable Energy Sources and will adopt new innovative technologies,

to convert green energy from a theoretical plan to an opportunity for development for our country.”

“This project demonstrates in practical terms our decision and commitment to respond, in a substantial way, to the new era of challenges,” rounds off Shiamishis of the project purchased from Juwi in 2020, with the German firm being the original developer of the scheme successful in a Greek renewable energy tender held in April 2019.

“We have set a strategic priority to create the HELPE of the next decades, overcoming any resistance to change, typical for large organisations with long and successful history.”

“We are accelerating energy transformation, supporting the transition to advanced, zero-

emissions energy sources, while modernising at the same time our successful core business activity. I would like to thank everyone involved in the implementation of this project, which is now more important than ever in ensuring energy efficiency and consumer access to low cost and green energy.”

“We have made a big and important step towards energy transition,” concludes General Manager of Group Strategic Planning and New Activities, Mr. George Alexopoulos. “We continue towards a sustainable future for the planet, our children and us all.”

// WE HAVE CREATED A LANDMARK PROJECT IN THE NEW ENERGY ERA, SHOWCASING IN THE CLEAREST WAY OUR COMMITMENT TO A BETTER FUTURE //

EXHIBITION CALENDAR

KEY UPCOMING EVENTS ACROSS THE INDUSTRY

Important events and exhibitions taking place across the energy sector, giving brands a platform to tell their story.

SEPT 13

F-CELL STUTTGART

SEPT 13-14 | STUTTGART, GERMANY

As an international meeting point the “f-cell” congress will bring together more than 700 participants from twenty countries and four continents. This forum offers a unique chance for gathering the latest information on current developments and new markets for mobile and stationary applications of hydrogen fuel cells. Lectures, workshops and excursions complete the programme.

In 2021, the organisers welcomed on the 2 days of the fair, about 60 exhibitors from 8 countries and 470 visitors from 22 countries on the f-cell in Stuttgart.

SEPT 14

SEP 3

SEP 21

INVESTING IN GREEN HYDROGEN 2023

SEPT 14-15 | LONDON, UK

Investing in Green Hydrogen is a leading global platform that unites the full hydrogen value chain. Investors, Project Developers, Development Banks, Financiers, and other stakeholders involved in hydrogen project development from different countries will come together in London. Through unique network facilitation and focused sessions per segment, you’re sure to get enough leads and insights to instrumentalize capital, scale-up clean hydrogen development, and accelerate the sustainable energy transition. This event is not to be missed by anyone involved in hydrogen project investment & development globally.

ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES SUMMIT: EMEA 2023

SEPT

21 | LONDON, UK

A global economic slowdown on top of an energy crisis compounds the challenges in already volatile commodity markets. Energy security in the short term means fossil fuels, more demand for oil and coal, while Europe needs more LNG. But as economic growth picks up after a decade of modest investment, will supply be severely stretched when demand accelerates again?

Join us on 21 September at the Hilton London Tower Bridge for the 7th edition of Wood Mackenzie’s flagship event for the region, Energy & Natural Resources Summit EMEA. Our subject matter experts and key industry stakeholders representing the entire energy value chain, including oil and gas companies, renewable developers and utilities, technology providers, energy regulators, banks, institutional investors and private equity to hear how governments, companies, and investors can transform the way we power the region’s future growth.

SEP 6

15TH EUROPEAN WAVE AND TIDAL ENERGY CONFERENCE BILABAO, SPAIN SEPT 3-7

SR ONSHORE WIND CONFERENCE 2023

GLASGOW, UK SEPT 6

SEP 13

SEP 14

SEP 21 SEP 26

F-CELL STUTTGART STUTTGART, GERMANY SEPT 13-14

INVESTING IN GREEN HYDROGEN 2023

LONDON | SEPT 14-15

ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES SUMMIT: EMEA 2023

LONDON | SEPT 21

SPARK AMSTERDAM SEPT 26-27

OFFSHORE DRILLING

RAISING THE STANDARD OF DRILLING OPERATIONS

An unrivalled reliable drilling contractor serving the energy market. A competitive player in harsh and benign environments, serving the ultra-deep, deep and shallow water markets, promoting a high performance culture and constantly open to innovation. Always keen on pursuing a no compromise HSE policy.

Create tomorrow’s energy technologies. Today.

Ensuring the sustainability, security, and equity of energy access means we must think big. We need global solutions that can be scaled and adopted quickly. SLB’s know-how and technology are helping to overcome industry’s greatest challenges while transforming energy. Together we create amazing technology that unlocks access to energy for the bene t of all.

With a renewed commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility, SLB's technology-driven approach will help reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable practices. By deploying our advanced technologies, SLB is commited to support Qatar's vision of becoming a sustainable nation and reducing its carbon footprint.