Sonnedix is a Renewable Energy Producer (REP) with over a decade-long trajectory of sustainable growth. We develops, builds, and operates renewable energy projects for the long-term, with a focus on providing green, affordable electricity to our customers, and acting as a true social citizen there where it operates.
Tommy Atkinson
Chris Bolderstone
The often-forgotten renewable energy source, solar, is widely recognised as the cheapest and fastest to roll out. Whether at scale across a sunny desert, atop a warehouse or office roof, or covering a parking lot, solar panels are cheap, flexible, and powerful.
Isabel Murphy
Aaron Protheroe
Benjamin Southwold
Solar has so much to offer in the energy transition and, with battery storage technology advancing every week, harnessing the sun’s rays has never made more sense. Charging EVs, balancing the grid, powering homes – it’s all possible from the largest generator in the solar system.
But why are wind and hydrogen taking all the attention? This month, we speak to solar industry leaders to understand more about how the technology is being rolled out and where solar is changing lives.
Sonnedix, global renewable energy producer, is busy with solar projects around the world and is set to hybridize wind and solar in Chile to bring true cost effectiveness and reliability to local communities. In Italy, the company will roll out a number of exciting projects, adding significantly to the generating capacity in rural areas.
Enie.nl, the Dutch solar experts and certified B-Corp, is searching for expansion opportunities with its new solar carport product. Efficiently generating power from previously utilised sites, this innovator is at the forefront of the ‘renewables for everyone movement’.
In Kosovo, a market dominated by coal power stations, there is a concerted effort underway to embrace renewables and install a solar site at a previous ash dump, led by Kosovo Energy Corporation.
Octopus Electric Vehicles, the EV division of the UK energy company, is helping as many people as possible to enter the EV market by offering cars on a salary sacrifice scheme. A partnership with Wallbox sees bidirectional charging soon to become a reality, bringing residential solar panels into play for connected consumers.
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Chris Bolderstone – General Manager
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Solar is such an important part of the mix, and could be rolled out at scale alongside alternative technologies. Tell us how your company is taking advantage of the sun, and if you have realised suitable benefits. We’re online at LinkedIn.
SONNEDIX
“The Reason we are Here? To Drive the Energy Transition Forward”
OCTOPUS EV
Delivering the Whole Package for a Cleaner, Fairer Future
SOLY
Solar Energy for Everyone – It’s Possible
DOVER FUELING SOLUTIONS
Embracing the Transition, Energizing the Future
MAXIMATOR HYDROGEN
Going the Extra Mile to Grow Footprint
NATIONAL GRID
At the Heart of a Transforming Energy System
BRITISHVOLT
Powering the Transition to a Carbon-Free Future
BOEING
Innovating and Leading for a Sustainable Future
GREENBACK RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES
A Genuine Solution in the Quest for a Truly Circular Economy
66 72 78 84 94 100 108 114 122
DAIMLER TRUCK
Electrifying the Drive to Keep the World Moving
P2X SOLUTIONS
Building an Emission-Free Welfare Society
ACE AQUATEC
Accelerating Adoption of Responsible Marine Practices
ADVANCED VALVE SOLUTIONS
Invaluable Valves at the Heart of Operations
AGITO TECHNICAL DYNAMICS
Reliable Subsea Systems Through Comprehensive Simulation
ABERDEEN DRILLING SCHOOL
Trusted Scenario-Based Training from O&G Innovators
MORAY WEST
Renewable Energy to Power Scotland’s Future
NEOM
NEOM Creates the World’s Newest Wonders
KOSOVO ENERGY CORPORATION
Sustainable, Reliable and Affordable Energy Future
100
Axel Thiemann, CEO
Sonnedix is a Renewable Energy Producer (REP) that develops, builds, and operates renewable energy projects, focusing on the provision of green, affordable electricity to customers around the world. With exciting projects underway, the company is looking forward to a period of long-term, sustainable growth as its pipeline materialises. “We want to tell our children that we at least tried to make a difference in this challenge we all face rather than hoping someone else would solve the problem,” he tells Energy Focus.
In Chile, at the Meseta de Los Andes solar project development site, 160 MW of green electricity will soon flow from a vast 250-hectare site, deep in the Valparaíso region, 80km north of Santiago. More than 2700 hours of sunshine blasts down here every year.
Glinting in the sun, solar panels in long rows will harness the abundant resource, creating clean and sustainable power, sent along a 15km 220kv transmission line to the Los Maquis substation. From here, power will flow to cover the needs of 180,000 Chilean homes, avoiding 160,000 tons of CO2 being released into the atmosphere. 386,750MWh of clean energy will be produced each year. It’s a major success story.
The project comes from leading international renewable energy producer Sonnedix. Currently, the company has 7.8 GW of total capacity around the world and is busy ramping up development to contribute to the energy transition in a big way.
Chile is a strong focus region for Sonnedix (the company already owns 15 operating plants in Chile, delivering more than 244 MW with a further 1GW in the pipeline – excluding the 160
MW in Los Andes), but the company’s reach is global - Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Spain, USA, and Japan all host Sonnedix infrastructure.
CEO Axel Thiemann was in Chile recently overseeing this exciting and important project.
“I love visiting the sites,” he tells Energy Focus. “Seeing where investment goes is motivating and inspiring – it’s so much more than electrons and spreadsheets on a screen. Our sites are fascinating, they are so large that seeing the scale really drives the purpose around making the world a better place, and that is exciting.”
Established in 2009, Sonnedix saw the opportunity for solar energy to make a difference with the drastic decrease in cost of technology. The global rollout has been dramatic and solar is now widely accepted as a sustainable form of power generation.
“When we started, we were
focussed on France, Italy, and Spain – the European feed in tariff markets. Everything we did was subsidised and we believed in the future of renewable energy and the future of solar, but back then we were not competitive with conventional generation,” details Thiemann. “We faced various challenges that led us to a more global investment. Energy is a strategic sector, and every country makes their own decisions but even with renewables going global, the local pictures can change – doors open and close. We wanted to have a more global investment footprint early on and we moved into Japan, Chile, and Puerto Rico. We grew from there and we were lucky, finding supremely talented team members who worked very hard to get us to where we are today.”
Last year, the International Renewable Energy Agency found that modern, sustainable energy generating projects could deliver cost savings of $156 billion to emerging economies. An IREA report showed that 162 GW or 62%
// TODAY, MORE THAN TWO THIRDS OF PEOPLE LIVE IN PLACES WHERE WIND AND SOLAR ARE THE CHEAPEST FORMS OF GENERATION //
of total renewable power generation added in 2020 had lower costs than the cheapest new fossil fuel option. Renewable energy is undoubtedly the way forward when it comes to powering industrial, commercial, and consumer life, and Thiemann is happy that costs are aligning.
“Solar is one of the areas where a concentrated industrial support policy, with feed in tariffs and subsidies to bring scale, has been successful. Costs for solar PV panels have dropped by more than 90% from the very early days and solar is now cost competitive with conventional generation in most parts of the world,” he explains. “Today, more than two thirds of people live in places where wind and solar are the cheapest forms of generation. Not just cheaper than new build, but cheaper than running already existing conventional power plants. The decision is now whether to continue running an existing coal plant or whether to build a solar plant. That is really fantastic for the energy transition and supports our purpose.
“The reason we are here is to drive the energy transition forward, doing the best we can to provide cost efficient, green electricity –as much as we can,” he adds.
While many companies have been dashed by challenging economic conditions and uncertainty following the pandemic and local political instability, Sonnedix has remained concentrated on its vision, starting projects, and pursuing growth continuously.
Today, Sonnedix’s international credentials are on full display as it progresses developments around the world. Recently, the company acquired a 36 MWp operating solar plant in Spain. Sonnedix entered Portugal by acquiring a 262MWp PV portfolio under
development. A 14MWp PV plant was recently completed in Hirono, on Japan’s Pacific coast. Five solar PV projects will soon begin generating in Italy in Lazio and Piemonte, totalling 50MW. In October, the company announced the acquisition of its first solar and wind platform with 290MW operating in Chile. Earlier this year, the company entered the Polish market by acquiring a local developer. Along with a number of other exciting developments in 2022 alone, the company is increasingly active, always searching for new opportunities. Thiemann highlights Poland, Portugal, the UK, and Germany
our solar portfolio and preparing for the deployment of storage. It’s about the interplay between industry and regulation – as of today, it is not necessarily profitable yet to operate storage in many countries, but we see the need for it increasing as more renewable generation is deployed and we are confident that regulators will provide frameworks to allow this type of technology to take off.”
In October, Sonnedix acquired ARCO, one of the largest independent renewable power producers in Chile, entering the wind generation space. With this addition, Sonnedix reached over 1GW of total capacity in Chile.
as other areas where there has been recent success, and he expects European rollout to accelerate with a strong pipeline across the continent.
“In Italy, we just started new plant construction again – for the first time in more than 10 years. Development started more than two years ago, and it is now coming to fruition.
“We just started construction in Poland,” he adds. “It’s a small project, almost a proof of concept to make sure we fully understand the processes and interconnection requirements to move forwards with confidence on our almost 1GW development pipeline.
“Our largest project under construction currently is the site in Chile and we are looking forward to seeing that fantastic project complete early next year. There is a lot of activity, and we have a lot to be proud of. We have an amazing team that is driving us. There are a lot of firsts happening and we are hopeful that it will stay that way.”
For the CEO – a former electrical engineer with experience across consultancy and banking - a truly exciting proposition comes in the form of hybridisation of systems,
adding wind to solar, and integrating renewable energy systems to provide further certainty in supply.
“In some countries, we are reaching significant market share of renewable energy in the electricity supply, and we are looking at how to provide that energy when it is needed and not just when the sun shines or when the wind blows. That is where we want to focus so that we can be very competitive, and customer focused in all of the countries that we operate in.
“We recently moved into wind from our latest acquisition in Chile, because we believe that the next challenge will be to hybridise with mixed generation from wind, solar, storage, and potentially other technologies such as hydrogen, to provide baseload electricity,” he says.
“For now, we are a working with wind in Chile as the power markets there are one of the earliest liberalised globally and one of the most advanced. This is where operating wind and solar together makes sense today because they have a lot of resources with complex grids. In most parts of Europe, our primary focus today is growing
In Europe, the energy crisis, driven by natural gas supply uncertainty as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war, sees many countries worried about meeting demand with supply. While this is an opportunity for policy makers to invest in a renewable system of the future, there is no doubt that the transition must be managed. For Sonnedix, provision of cheap, green, and reliable power has been at the company’s raison d’être. Thiemann sees the company as uniquely placed to assist in the transition and provide certainty where there are challenges.
“We must be customer focussed and we must understand what our customers want,” he insists.
“We must navigate the energy crisis in Europe. What we’re seeing is dramatic and not sustainable from a humanitarian perspective. The energy price increases, partially driven by the war, are tough – and they come at the same time as inflation and interest rates were already rising, and the supply chains were tight partially as a late pandemic effect. The rapid and repeated regulatory actions to protect end customers, particularly from the energy price changes, are challenging. It is clear that the end customer must be
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Sonnedix is a Renewable Energy Producer (REP) with over a decade-long trajectory of sustainable growth. We develops, builds, and operates renewable energy projects for the long-term, with a focus on providing green, affordable electricity to our customers, and acting as a true social citizen there where it operates.
Continued from page 12
protected, but it is very important that is done in a measured way, and we are seeing many unintended consequences from price caps, windfall taxes, and other market measures which combined with the uncertainty from inflation and interest rates, have the potential to set the energy transition back.
“At the same time, we believe that renewables can play a major role in mitigating the energy crisis and provide energy security. Today, we are the fastest to deploy new energy sources and the big blockers, on top of uncertain regulations such as permitting timelines – so we must figure out how we can streamline these processes and work with communities that we impact to ensure they get what they need, and we are the good neighbours that they deserve.”
Increasing inflation, increasing interest rates, and volatility in power pricing continues to shake up the industry in a big way. But the low-cost nature of solar makes it increasingly appealing, not just
in Europe but around the world.
“Even if our input costs go up, and our prices rise, we are still the cheapest producers. We will be able to sell our electricity as long as we develop and operate well. We are financially wellbacked, and we can weather short term issues,” explains Thiemann.
If solving an energy crisis, driving an energy transition, and building a sustainable business are the outcomes of current activities for Sonnedix, Thiemann is happy that the business is achieving its goals, but he reminds that customer satisfaction must never be overlooked.
“We will continue to build as much to allow coal and gas to be switched off so that we can drive the energy transition forward. Things are getting more complicated as it’s not easy to simply complete ‘more of the same’. It’s about understanding customers’ needs, providing them with whatever we can do to fit their requirements – and customers are not the only off-takers that need electricity, there’s also the grid operators and regulators that control how we interconnect
to the grid and what we need to provide. Our big focus is on interacting with all of them successfully.”
The true power of Sonnedix, the spark that drives new ideas and fresh concepts, comes from the team. Around 500 people around the world work towards a united vision that permeates all cultures and geographies.
“There are a lot of things happening and luckily, we have good people that are driving this forward,” states Thiemann. “Everyone faces the same opportunities and challenges in the industry and what we have built is a great team that is engaged, dynamic, aligned with a purpose, and working very hard towards this.
“We have a long-term focus, while some of our competitors are owned by big financial players with a five-to-eightyear horizon which makes planning difficult if you think strategically. Our differentiator is our people. We are in an industry that is growing fast and is relatively new, competing in many parts of the world. Putting steel,
glass, silicon, copper, and aluminium together is not rocket science – but it’s not easy either – it is people that make it come to life. They develop, finance, build, and contract solar farms and drive it all forward. Having the right team in place is the ultimate secret behind our success,” he adds.
The company is highly distributed with teams spread from north to south and east to west, covering almost the entire map, and hoping for a larger presence in the future. Sonnedix employees take the vision of ‘powering a brighter future’ as a serious purpose.
“We have taken it as a challenge and used it as a strength by understanding how and why we work together and building a culture around that, with a sense that we work as one team. Working across time zones and cultural backgrounds is tough, from Chile to Japan to Italy, but is made possible by aligned in terms of our purpose,” says Thiemann.
This purpose is taking the company into the future in strong shape. Growth is in motion, and Thiemann – who joined the business 11 years ago, attracted by an organisation with a true
purpose – believes Sonnedix is looking at a long and sustainable trajectory.
“We are growing through multiple strategies,” he details. “We do early-stage development, we develop with partners, we buy latestage and operating projects, and we buy platform companies where it addresses a strategic need.
“In terms of growth,” he adds. “I believe we will continue to grow across all different avenues depending on what the opportunities look like in each country. We have more recently focused a lot more on development as an engine of growth, but I don’t think acquisitions will slow down. As newly developed plants come online, there is a whole new potential area for us to buy and free up capital for other developers to do more of the same.”
Importantly, any growth comes with more contribution to a global initiative – the energy transition. Net-zero by 2050 and ending reliance on fossil fuels in favour of clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable energy sources are the goals set out by the United Nations. Sonnedix is playing its part.
“There is a long runway for growth in renewable energy. We are taking other sources of conventional
power offline, and we see much more electrification happening, from electric cars to replacing fossil fuel heating. We must achieve success in the countries we are in today and expand where it makes sense,” confirms Thiemann.
If Sonnedix can take its concept, like the Meseta de Los Andes solar project in Chile, and roll out in more countries, adding wind power and other energy sources to the mix, the full potential of the renewable energy sector will begin to be felt. With all OECD countries as potential targets, there remains so much opportunity to take ideas out of spreadsheets and onto sites.
Thiemann, who came into Sonnedix with a goal of taking action rather than waiting for others to do so, is passionate about future success and considers now the perfect time to flourish.
“As a company, clearly growth is our goal. Now that we are cost competitive, and the climate change has so much awareness, this is the right time to grow,” he smiles.
// THERE IS A LONG RUNWAY FOR GROWTH IN RENEWABLE ENERGY. WE ARE TAKING OTHER SOURCES OF CONVENTIONAL POWER OFFLINE, AND WE SEE MUCH MORE ELECTRIFICATION HAPPENING, FROM ELECTRIC CARS TO REPLACING FOSSIL FUEL HEATING //
Octopus Electric Vehicles (OEV) is opening up a new world of pure electrification. Offering car, charger and energy, Octopus presents the whole EV package and everything needed to hit the road, with a cost-neutral Salary Sacrifice scheme applicable to companies of all shapes and sizes sealing the deal to make EV adoption a real no-brainer.
PRODUCTION: David Hill
to more than 300,000 chargers across the globe via our Energy Universe card.
For Octopus EV, helping customers transition to a greener and fairer world for future generations is crucialprimordial, in fact. Sister company Octopus Energy already supplies green energy to over 3.4 million UK homes and counting, with Octopus EV working tirelessly to do the same for the UK’s roads. “We couldn’t be good at what we do if we didn’t believe one thing,” the company insists. “We believe the eco-choice should be the easy choice, and while that sounds like a small thing, it’s not.”
Octopus Electric Vehicles reports that 30% of the UK’s carbon emissions comes from transport alone, and relays the rather terrifying news that air pollution is estimated to kill some 40,000 people every year. As the company points out, were this linked to, say, the water supply, the nation would rightly be in uproar. “But until recently, there hasn’t been a good alternative,” Octopus EV recognises, “and when not locked down, we’ve needed to get around - whether for work, to visit friends and family, or perhaps even get away for a holiday.
“Now, however, the car manufacturers have done something incredible, offering over 60 vehicles that
we can power with wind and sunshine. Tesla kick-started the revolution, doing for cars what Apple did for our phones, but this time with tech on wheels. Here at Octopus EV, we’re on a mission to help you discover them, and make it easy and affordable to make the switch.”
To achieve this, Octopus takes care of the whole package, assures CEO at Octopus Electric Vehicles, Fiona Howarth. “We source the car itself, an at-home charging point complete with a bespoke tariff for EV drivers, and rather than having our own public charging operator, we have integrated across over 450 different networks that give access
“Electric Universe simplifies public EV charging for drivers, helping accelerate the EV rollout by providing one card and app and its breadth of charge points is quickly expanding internationally,” Howarth unravels. At Octopus EV a range of over 65 fully maintained models all come complete with servicing and repairs to retain optimum condition, and can be ordered from the comfort of the sofa to be delivered free of charge. “In addition, we give customers the first 4000 miles free, and allow them to choose between a free home charger with Intelligent Octopus tariff credit, installed by an expert Octopus engineer, or for those without a driveway, exactly the same equivalent credit on the Electric Universe network.”
Intelligent Octopus is, quite simply, the smartest EV energy tariff on the road. It enables smart charging when it is cheapest and greenest for six hours every night at a superlatively low rate, saving up to 85% on fuel costs compared with petrol. In the UK, tariffs have arguably had more airtime in the last 12 months than over their lifetime to date combined, and as the world becomes greener, with electric vehicles proving to be the much-needed solution for zero emissions in the car industry, Octopus is well ahead of the rest.
“We have created affordable and
access to what we have come to call our ‘ultimate EV package’. We also sync the home chargers with Intelligent Octopus to charge EVs with the cheapest, greenest electrons available.”
Vehicle to grid (V2G) technology, enabling energy stored in Electric
Vehicles to be fed back into the network to bolster supply at times of peak demand, has provided Octopus EV with a UK first for next generation energy grid management, Howarth explains. “We’re looking to the future, where the worlds of electricity and cars come together, and we all have large batteries sitting outside our homes,” she explains.
“We’re excited to be pushing the boundaries of what EV charging can do,” states Wallbox, leading EV charging and energy management business.”
Redefining consumer relationships with the grid, world leading EV charging brand, Wallbox, is bringing industry-leading technology to the market so that everyone can be a part of the energy transition.
Already innovating for the EV network of the future, Wallbox supports efficient charging in over 110 markets globally and is compatible with the world’s leading automotive OEMs.
Currently, the company manufactures and installs a range of EV chargers for home, business, and public applications. Compact, connected, and controllable, Wallbox chargers are small but powerful.
In the future, Wallbox Head of Energy, Daniel Utges, expects these chargers to go beyond just fuelling vehicles, becoming sophisticated energy management devices to balance supply with demand.
“We are building technologies around Sirius, our energy management solution for home and business. It’s a brain that understands what is going on in your home or workplace.
Depending on the assets you have – batteries, electric cars and solar PV installations – it optimises your energy consumption,” he says.
This optimisation will include bidirectional charging, cost management, energy efficiency, and improved market access.
“EVs are batteries with wheels,” smiles Utges. “Our vision begins to look more real when we see hundreds of thousands of EV chargers around the world being able to charge and discharge, using our technology, at any point at any time.”
Wallbox created the EV charging standard to include features like PowerBoost and Eco-Smart. The former load balances the EV charger power with available power in the home and the other charges your car for free using available solar surpluses.
“With backing from Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency, our experts are running a globally marketleading demonstration project for residential V2G called Powerloop, where our car batteries can be used to store green energy for when we most need it.”
The optimisation technology behind Powerloop takes signals
But it is bidirectional charging capability that Utges believes will truly democratise EV charging.
“Being able to charge the car but also discharge when you need it is a game changer. When you buy a car, standard batteries are 70-80kwh, and with this you can easily power your home for three or four days without any power from the grid. The result from our system would be charging the car when it is least expensive, or even free if you have PV solar surpluses, and then discharging when it is most expensive, allowing for big savings on the energy bill and making the energy transition available for everyone,” he says.
At Wallbox, where a culture of emissions reduction and net-zero is embedded above everything else, innovation is rife. “If you compare Quasar to the premium price against an inverter as well as a stationary battery with 7-10 kWh, Quasar is by far, a lot more cost effective giving you access to six times more battery from your car. We are proud of the work that we are doing and the adoption we are getting in the market. We are delivering a good product today and we are also investing a lot in the delivery of a great product for tomorrow,” says Utges.
Even the smallest changes and slightest improvements can have a marked difference in the energy transition. With Wallbox, your gateway to the new grid, you can take advantage of best-in-class tech, while reducing emissions; all while saving money.
Find out more at www.wallbox.com/shop
www.wallbox.com
from the market, assessing when the grid needs energy from the vehicle and when it can use the battery to store energy. It then tells the two-way charger when to charge and discharge to the grid.
“Octopus Powerloop reinvents home energy,” Howarth beams, “allowing electric cars store green energy in the middle of the night and give it back to the grid at peak times to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. We started running this project more than four years ago, and now we have over 100 Nissan Leafs with bi-directional chargers, charging
and discharging back to the grid.
“These are the first cars to operate in the National Grid’s balancing mechanism, which is a massive milestone in creating a smart energy system that matches up renewable energy with the batteries on our driveways for storage, and being able to aggregate it and offer it back to the grid when it is needed most while being compensated for it as well.”
The EV market is set to explode with growth, with 230 million EVs forecast to be on the roads globally by 2030. The UK currently has around 465,000 EVs, with the government setting forth
intentions for a tenfold increase in charge points by 2030. When it comes to the future of Octopus EV, Howarth delivers an unequivocal vision with equal parts conviction and excitement.
“We want to help tens, even hundreds of thousands of people to make that switch to EV, and continue to make it as hassle-free, beneficial and enjoyable to do it. These are two things we at Octopus ultimately want to bring together - the ease of adoption, while being the best energy supplier for EV drivers. We are well on the road to greater electrification of our society, and moving full-steam ahead to help accelerate the transition to a cheaper, greener energy future.”
// WE ARE MOVING FULL-STEAM AHEAD TO HELP ACCELERATE THE TRANSITION TO A CHEAPER, GREENER ENERGY FUTURE //
Milan and Patrick van der Meulen, Founders © Soly
Dutch solar business, Soly, is making solar available for everyone, encouraging more and more to remove emissions from the atmosphere. Growing fast, this exciting young business is thriving because of its purpose driven approach. Milan van der Meulen talks to Energy Focus about an exciting new product which will open up new spaces for clean energy generation.
The Netherlands plays an important role as a hub for global energy trading. A European centre of innovation, the country has set ambitious plans for its own transition, aiming for 100% of electricity to be sourced from renewables supplies by 2050. But today, even with the best intentions, the country faces major challenges. A result of the Russians invasion in Ukraine is that the Netherlands will provide exemptions for export credits for fossil fuel energy projects, something which would have otherwise stopped by the end of this year. The Netherlands energy mix remains heavily bogged in fossil fuels. According to the IEA, key energy sources for the country over the past decade are natural gas, oil, and coal, with nuclear, biofuel and waste, and renewables like wind and solar making up a negligible percentage of total consumption. It’s an inconvenient truth that must be addressed.
Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, said at the recent COP27 summit that the
private sector has a significant role to play in the country’s energy transition. Milan van der Meulen, Founder at Soly – the Groningen-based certified B-Corp solar energy specialist – agrees and is doing everything possible to encourage uptake in the renewables space.
The concept behind his business, established with brother Patrick in 2012, was the painful concept presented in the 2006 documentary film An Inconvenient Truth.
“When I was 13, Patrick was 16, our father almost forced us to watch this documentary about global warming,” van der Meulen tells Energy Focus. “We watched it several times and we became a bit intoxicated with talk of climate change. We knew then that we would have to start careers in the industry of sustainability or renewable energy.”
Committed to finding solutions, the brothers quickly settled on solar as a problem solver. Quick to roll out, using affordable and established technology, and implementable for individuals, solar
was the obvious choice for rapid impact.
“Creating large solar or wind parks, you have to rely on other parties, but putting solar panels on your home is something you can make happen alone,” smiles van der Meulen.
Importantly, the young business took a digital-first strategy allowing potential customers to communicate and organise online, streamlining interaction. “We were young and digital-minded. We quickly gained a scalable position, and we grew fast.”
Equally as crucial in the company’s speedy expansion was choosing reliable partners and technology suppliers. This enabled Soly to offer residential customers a new solar installation alongside a full guarantee, protecting them from financial shock.
“If the system failed to deliver the amount of power that we expect, then we would compensate. Consumers were completely safe on their investment, and that was how we differentiated ourselves. We were also the first company in the Netherlands to offer a rental or lease product to the Dutch
consumer. In the current time, that is very important with people paying big money for electricity. Now, they can switch to solar and pay a monthly fee that is much lower and the rental proposition has become very big.”
Because of the innovation and dedication to change displayed within the company, growth over the past decade has been substantial. Today, the company is home to more than 100 employees and oversees operations across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany (Q1 2023), South Africa, with
an appetite for expansion into new geographies. Both residential and B2B markets are serviced, and the early ambition of the business remains at the heart of everything that happens. Making solar energy available to everyone is the single focus for Soly, and van der Meulen explains about an exciting new product that will further the company’s healthy ambition.
“In the B2B space, we are active with SMEs and we have a
very good solar carport product, the ZonneCarport. Many big solar companies are building large installations on rooftops, but we have many car parking spaces that are not being utilised. We came up with a solar carport product that can be used to charge EVs. That is a product that is new for us and we are proud of,” he says.
“We encountered a company that wanted to produce solar energy but the rooftop was not ideal to
// WE WERE ALSO THE FIRST COMPANY IN THE NETHERLANDS TO OFFER A RENTAL OR LEASE PRODUCT TO THE DUTCH CONSUMER //Solar Carport in Zuidhorn, Westerkwartier © Soly
carry the weight. They had a large parking lot and we tried to use that as a solution. We partnered with engineers to develop the product, it’s very implementable right now and we have a number of projects underway.”
Solar installations need space, but the Netherlands is a small country with much of the urban space already taken. However, taking the ‘it’s possible’ approach to every challenge, Soly optimises space with energy producing assets. Construction is movable, flexible, and tailored to specific energy requirements. It keeps EVs charged and shaded, and people dry.
“We were focused on creating a solution for open parking spaces where there are only cars. We wanted to cover with solar panels and we developed our carport to do so. In hotels or similar spaces, there are large car parks that are not utilised and our carport allows for guests to charge their EV while keeping out of the rain.”
In the Netherlands, Soly has
built a partnership project with the Westerkwartier municipality where surplus energy produced from a solar carport in Zuidhorn, at the rear of the town hall, is supplied directly into households. The project is home to 1121 solar panels with a capacity of 521 kWp. “It’s a new way to find spaces for the production of solar energy,” adds van der Meulen.
The ZonneCarport is just one aspect of a significant development journey that the company is on. Westerkwartier municipality is already considering the next site for carport rollout, and residential installations continue to boom in popularity. For Soly, recent investment combined with its mission-driven nature is encouraging year-on-year growth.
“Right now, our growth is exponential. In the second half of this year, we have seen a strong growth curve and we expect next
year to experience the biggest growth we have seen as a company so far,” says van der Meulen.
“We have around 22,000 households that have switched to receive their energy from us. This year, Shell Ventures together with the largest pension fund in the Netherlands, ABP, partnered with our company. That really helps us to enter new markets and there is a big expansion strategy underway. Each week we are increasing the number of installations and we are growing rapidly.
“We have a complete digital and self-service customer journey. From start to finish, the homeowner does everything online and there is no physical interaction apart from the installation. It’s a very efficient model,” he adds.
To achieve such success in a turbulent commercial environment, against the backdrop of economic slowdown and war in Europe, demonstrates the strength at the core
of Soly. Even through 2020 and 2021, where many companies struggled with balancing cost and income, Soly pushed forward, sticking to its purpose of switching to nature as an energy source, and trusting the sun – our largest energy supplier.
“We had some Covid problems,” admits van der Meulen. “It did not impact our direct operations but it did create obstacles in the supply chain. You must be innovative to come up with solutions. Because of the amount that we install, we tend to see manufacturers prioritising us and that allows us to
keep going. Smaller installers are often left out by manufacturers, and that is a problem. We had to manoeuvre through these challenges but we are now reasonably secure in our supply chain.”
When difficulties around sourcing a unique inverter component came up, Soly took a pragmatic position and did not delay. It quickly scoured the industry and negotiated with a new supplier that had available stock before sending a truck to Poland to collect. “You have to be smart,” smiles van der Meulen.
Covid challenges aside, this bright and innovative organisation is doing all the right things. Investing in the energy transition, helping others to do the same, providing innovative funding and interaction models, and committing to sustainability through B Corp accreditation, there is an open market ahead of Soly.
“We have experienced so much organic growth and we saw such a big increase in demand recently,” says van der Meulen. “The demand is much bigger that what can currently be delivered, and that increases
delivery time for the end customer.
“Internally, we are exploring other European markets where we do not see this model a lot, and we are looking at growing further in the markets where we are already present.”
Clearly, Soly is answering the call for private sector involvement in the Dutch energy transition. Actively looking to drive impact, the future is sunny for Milan van der Meulen and team. In 2021 alone, the company avoided 66 million kg of CO2 being released into the atmosphere through the installation of 32,500 solar panels. Van der Meulen hopes to roll out the ZonneCarport at scale, and is on the hunt for opportunities.
“Our carport product is unique and we are looking for companies that find it attractive so that we can build new partnerships,” he concludes.
Content sponsored by Soly
// OUR CARPORT PRODUCT IS UNIQUE AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR COMPANIES THAT FIND IT ATTRACTIVE SO THAT WE CAN BUILD NEW PARTNERSHIPS //
Dover Fueling Solutions is redefining what’s possible through performance and innovation. The global expert in the provision of advanced customer-focused technologies, services, and solutions in the fuel and convenience retail industries, DFS is assisting in the green energy transition while embracing digital technology to drive fuel retail business. DFS VP of Business Development, Kurt Dillen tells Energy Focus more about progress in this quickly changing industry.
PRODUCTION: Rob Fenton
//COP27 has highlighted again the speed of innovation and reinvention required if society is to avoid climate disaster and take a greener path forward. Importantly, governments continue to adopt new pledges that will mean change for business, and those that are able to adjust and take part in a transition will be those that thrive.
In the UK, for example, all new HGVs sold need to be zero emission by 2040. Conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans will be banned from sale by 2030, and even hybrids will be restricted from 2035. Clearly, from a transport perspective, the transition is gathering pace. Whether its electric vehicles (EV), hydrogen power, or another form of fuel, the industry must adapt to a new environment.
Investing in EVs or another fuel source is just the first step for consumers, but for businesses there
must be ancillary roll out. A network of fueling stations must be updated, new types of fuel must be developed, infrastructure must support consumers, and companies must be able to thrive
Kurt Dillen, VP Business Development at Dover Fueling Solutions (DFS),
has a vision of how the network of the future will look and the company – a world leader in technology and services for the fuel and retail space – is constantly innovating alongside its customers to achieve growth.
“In the future, you will wake up
and your phone will tell you that your car needs charging. Your phone will then direct you to the nearest charging station while ordering you a sandwich and coffee. When you arrive, your car will charge quickly while you collect your favourite food, and tech at the station will recognise you and your car, taking payment automatically. There will be no queues, there will be no waiting,” he smiles.
An industry veteran of 35 years, Belgium-based Dillen explains that DFS is made up of some of the best brands globally including Tokheim, Wayne, Fairbanks, ProGauge, OPW Fuel Management Systems, ClearView, AvaLAN Networks, and more recently LIQAL. Since 2016, these inventive players dominate the sectors in which they operate, allowing the group to drive change. “We have a presence in all regions around the world and we are operational globally with factories in the USA, Brazil, Europe, India, and China. We have development resources all around the world, in every region and every time zone,” he says.
As the automotive sector is transformed, change in the fueling network will come in three lanes: Digitisation, energy source, and retail focus. The entire experience will shift and DFS will be at the heart of this switch, globally.
“We have Tokheim, Wayne, and OPW FMS within our portfolio and they have all been in existence for more than 125 years,” says Dillen. “Now is a dynamic time as the transition towards other energies and technologies is underway.
“There is transformation with technology. The traditional dispenser that moves fuel from a big tank to a small tank in your car has been around for hundreds of years and it works, but there is major innovation around payments, smart data, loyalty. Data is money as data gives knowledge. With knowledge you can improve your business. The second transition underway is in clean energy and EVs. Electric cars are already on the road, and trucks, buses, and heavy duty vehicles are now also converting.”
Embracing change, DFS is already busy innovating to bring improvement, both in terms of customer journey and experience, and environment.
In October, the company displayed its all-new hydrogen dispenser at the 2022 Hydrogen Technology Expo in Bremen, Germany. With digital interface, intuitive user experience, reliable performance, and low cost of total ownership (TCO), the DFS Hydrogen dispenser is an essential element for fuel stations looking to support the green energy movement.
In September, DFS announced an exciting new high-powered ultrafast charging system for EVs in Europe – the Power UX™ 180 EV Charging System. Compact and powerful, the system can be placed on any forecourt, and in different locations, allowing for more EVs to charge at one time. 100km of range should be achieved in just 10 minutes of charging, and installation is suitable for fuel station, workplace, or high traffic environments. Launched at international mobility trade fair, eMove 360, in Germany, the Power UX™ 180 EV Charging System is an enabler of the energy transition.
“DFS is committed to offering products and solutions that support our customers diversified energy
requirements,” said Soren Powell-Holse, Product Marketing Director of EMEA.
“In the last two years, we have become very interested in the clean energy transition,” agrees Dillen. “Europe is ahead and China is moving fast, and the US is slightly behind. The plans from European governments and the rules being put in place for a clean environment provide massive growth potential in that area. Our engineers have to develop new technologies, new solutions, new devices, and that makes
it very interesting for all the people in our company. We are now innovating and developing new technologies for the future, and that is exciting.
“We have a big project in Europe. We are releasing a complete range of new products, where we have merged ranges from Tokheim and Wayne, selecting the best of the best, simplifying our supply process. It’s about optimising operational efficiency and optimising performance of our products,” he adds.
Away from refueling, digital solutions remain a big opportunity for expansion. Again, it’s all part of a smooth customer journey – the way people pay, what is quickest, what is cheapest, how is data stored and processed securely. Multiple DFS brands have software and systems that contribute to a growing digital footprint, and Dillen is keen to push this in the future.
“We have been investing heavily in solutions and cloud technology as we see that offering having great value for our customers. They need to know what is going on at their sites and they need to know who is buying and when, and this is why we need data. We invested in our own DX cloud for which we partnered with Microsoft Azure as a cloud provider. All the technologies we can
// OUR ENGINEERS HAVE TO DEVELOP NEW TECHNOLOGIES, NEW SOLUTIONS, NEW DEVICES, AND THAT MAKES IT VERY INTERESTING FOR ALL THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMPANY //
provide are now linked with the DFS cloud to provide data and information.
“We are launching the DX cloud technology globally with features around stock management, advertising opportunities, and POS capabilities. More and more data and application handling will happen in the cloud. It’s not just the dispenser, it’s everything that is happening in the shop, in the car wash, on the forecourt – all the components are becoming smarter, and everything is connected to the cloud. It’s a journey for our customers and our company so we are eager to do this.”
Customers are happy to engage with DFS when it comes to updating forecourts and supplementing technology thanks to the historic brands that stand behind the blue and white façade.
At every turn in the road, with every innovation, DFS has stood behind its customers, keeping consumers moving. Traditional fuel pumps from the group have been installed all around the world, adorning sites from New York to Beijing and Cape Town to Reykjavik. Currently, Dillen estimates there to be 750,000 fueling stations worldwide, which the company splits into thirds across its Americas, EMEA, and Asian markets.
“We are active in all countries around the world and we have solutions and market share for everyone. Our biggest markets are North America and Europe,” he explains.
“We are the market leader in Europe for fuel dispensing, and we are the market leader for solutions. With POS and payment devices, looking at Europe, we are very strong. We see growth opportunities in Africa with a fast-growing population and we are already a market leader there. We are the number two player in the US and we are one
of the two major players in the world. In Latin America, we are the market leader. In Asia, we are strong in China.”
The Dover Corporation, owner of DFS, is a NYSE-listed multinational with more than 24,000 employees across 17 operating companies, generating around $8 billion. This powerful position allows for a customer-centric focus that few can match. It also allows for the swift overcoming of industry and economic hurdles.
“The last few years have been amazing, and many people are surprised about that because of COVID,” smiles Dillen, talking about a purple patch for DFS since the start of 2020 where many companies struggled in tough
market conditions. “COVID did have an impact on the business, but the fuel business has been seen as essential. Our focus was always around our need to provide fuel and energy to the people. Because of this, we were not interrupted. Globally, we didn’t slow down and investment into dispensing and solutions continued.”
He highlights a major operation in the USA which helped the company to flourish, utilising its extensive reach in the digital space, updating technology to make life easier for consumers.
“We have been delivering fantastic growth and we had one sector that was fantastic. In Europe, we have been paying with EMV (Europay, MasterCard, and Visa) chip cards for a long time, but the US was behind. We had to upgrade the entire network, all stations, with EMV card capability. That’s around 120,000 stations that needed upgrading – average around six payment devices per site – that is a lot of business. This gave us a tailwind as it
// WE ARE ACTIVE IN ALL COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD AND WE HAVE SOLUTIONS AND MARKET SHARE FOR EVERYONE //
“The technology evolution is never standing still but now, with new energies, the industry has never been so dynamic, and we have to develop many things. The industry and the government don’t know how the picture will look in 2030, but we are working towards the targets and that is very interesting,” states Dillen.
The challenges that have been felt by the business include supply chain issues that emanate from the pandemic and other economic factors. Cost, timings, and logistical issues are seemingly unabating as manufacturers hunt for reliable chains.
example, we will step in and assist to help buy whatever we can and help solve problems. We can bring our size to get priority in component supply.
“Shipping is an issue and it remains hard work,” he adds. “We have been lucky and we have not stopped production because of any shortage, but it is a lot of work and requires new solutions every day.”
needed to be done before a deadline.”
When it comes to the instore experience, DFS is a frontrunner and, as the model changes, so too will its offerings.
“2022 is the year where supply is our biggest concern – it is difficult,” admits Dillen. “We are specialised in supply and we work very closely with our suppliers to ensure success. If a supplier cannot find a component, for
Even with these difficulties, the innovative nature of the business has allowed it to thrive, remaining in demand as the unending need for energy increases. As the speed of the transition accelerates, DFS will support its supply chain and roll out solutions that support Net Zero aspirations set out at COP27, while keeping in mind the network of the future, whatever that might look like.
“We are involved in multiple
// THE TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION IS NEVER STANDING STILL BUT NOW, WITH NEW ENERGIES, THE INDUSTRY HAS NEVER BEEN SO DYNAMIC AND WE HAVE TO DEVELOP MANY THINGS //
projects with multiple customers to bring these new energies to sites. In the future, we see gas stations becoming hubs for energy. Whether it’s traditional fuels, hydrogen, EV charging – the hub will be there offering everything required including new shops, quick service restaurants, other retail ideas, and it will become a place to gather while solving problems. It is making our industry super interesting
during this period,” says Dillen.
In the UK, it is predicted that EVs will outsell petrol and diesel by the end of 2022. Longer-term, hydrogen fuel systems will supplement EVs rather than replacing entirely, and most vehicles on the road are expected to be emission free by 2035.
“Our goal is to become product leaders in every region, for each part of our business,” says Dillen, speaking of DFS ambition for market leadership globally across all of the sectors it plays in. Currently so close behind another player, and only lacking in terms of market share in the USA, this is very achievable with so much change and disruption on the horizon.
“We are innovators and product leaders and we are investing a lot in development. We want to bring IP so we can offer the best solution to our cus-
tomers, so they can grow. We are investing a lot and supporting our customers in the transformation (digitalisation and energy), and we are customer centric. We think with our customers, and when they are successful and growing, we are happy. We exist to grow the business of our customers,” Dillen concludes.
DFS holds the vision of enabling the evolution of consumer experience in fueling and convenience retail, and right now that vision is being realised.
// WE ARE INNOVATORS AND PRODUCT LEADERS AND WE ARE INVESTING A LOT IN DEVELOPMENT //
Mathias Kurras, CEO
A foremost provider and developer of comprehensive system solutions for the entire hydrogen technology value chain, Maximator Hydrogen is a leader in the development, production, and delivery of highly reliable and modern hydrogen filling stations worldwide. As the number of stations worldwide continues to multiply, Maximator Hydrogen is harnessing its partnerships both internal and external to dominate key markets, not least the lucrative North American territory.
PRODUCTION: Rob Fenton
In the face of an abundance of obvious benefits linked to hydrogen fuel cell technology, car manufacturers have for years been engaged in a collective bid to crack the formula for successfully using the most abundant resource in the universe to power their vehicles. Hydrogen cars produce zero harmful emissions on the road, and refilling is very similar to filling up with petrol or diesel and is also almost as quick, with a brim-full
tank available in around five minutes. Historically, the lack of existing infrastructure has been cited as the biggest obstacle to a more widespread take-up, amplified as EV charging points have incessantly sprung up and the convenience of using hydrogen’s main competitor has in turn swelled and taken electric cars fully into the mainstream. With parent company Maximator GmbH, the world market leader in high-pressure technology, through abundant innovation and expertise, Maximator Hydrogen is poised to intervene, MD Mathias Kurras told Energy Focus earlier this year.
“We build hydrogen filling stations with passion and thus drive the future,” he outlines. “Our mission is to make hydrogen usable on a large scale and help infrastructure to become climate neutral.” Patience is
// WE BUILD HYDROGEN FILLING STATIONS WITH PASSION AND DRIVE THE FUTURE //
the previous record number lodged in 2020. In a continuation of the trend, concrete plans at the beginning of 2022 indicated that a further 252 refuelling station locations would be completed by the close of the year.
key, however, Kurras added - this is a marathon, after all, not a sprint. “We are fuelling the future; we know that in the end there will be hydrogen.”
“We have more than 130 years of experience behind our high solution competence in the field of machine and component construction,” detailed the man at the helm of this industry leader at the vanguard of a crucial movement. “The combination of this tradition, with a high degree of vertical integration
and sustainable innovations, allows us to develop the most suitable and efficient solutions with, and for, our customers, for the entire value chain of hydrogen technologies.”
The ubiquity of hydrogen refuelling stations worldwide has burgeoned exponentially over the last decade. At last count in 2021 the total stood at 685, an almost fourfold increase during the period with 142 hydrogen refuelling stations being placed into operation worldwide last year aloneagain more than ever before, shattering
Clearly then, the crucial and potentially era-defining takeaway is that the infrastructure for fuel cell cars is becoming more developed, and more widespread. Advancements in Spain and New Zealand are noteworthy, as both registered numerous new definite placement plans for the first time. Hungary and Slovenia were both new entrants, each with a hydrogen filling station; in total hydrogen is now currently available for purchase in 33 nations.
Maximator Hydrogen’s nascent Germany leads the way in Europe, already boasting more than 100
// WE HAVE MORE THAN 130 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BEHIND OUR HIGH SOLUTION COMPETENCE IN THE FIELD OF MACHINE AND COMPONENT CONSTRUCTION //
allows us to plunge our full focus into this business and its many prospects, pursuing the dynamic growth in this sector,” Kurras detailed. “As well as the many years of expertise in the development and production of compression technologies, and key technologies from Maximator Advanced Technology, we also benefit from the know-how of around 700 hydrogen-relevant patents.
stations and set to triple this count by 2030 as it seeks to wean lorries and buses off fossil fuels and decarbonise its transport network. A standalone entity since 2019, Maximator Hydrogen’s work began
in earnest at the turn of 2022, with the purchase of some 400 traditional fuel stations in Germany to be converted into hydrogen sites.
“Unbundling the hydrogen segment from the Maximator Group
“We truly envisage the hydrogen compression market as being huge in the near future. Overall, technologywise we are the market leader worldwide, and in terms of the number of new hydrogen stations brought into service over recent years, we are leading the way in Europe.” Kurras went on to set forth the powerful partnerships Maximator Hydrogen is forging further afield, which include some giants of the industry.
Superior quality for maximum reliability
“A lot of neighbouring countries are now on our map,” he explained, “having delivered bus stations to Vienna and the Netherlands, and prototype refuelling stations to Sweden. We are looking now to step into the markets in Australia and the Middle East, while reinforcing an incredibly strong position in North America.
“We are delivering a lot of stations to Shell into the USA, and by the end of this year we will have provided up to 50 in California,” Kurras informs, and both the timing and placement is impeccable; of the 86 petrol stations in North America, 60 reside in California, with 11 new fuelling stations opening in the area in 2021. “In North America right now, we have one big customer as opposed to Europe where we have a lot of different clients,” Kurras says. “Besides this, in North America, we are entering a market where there are already a lot of cars, and therefore by this utilisation, rates of the stations are much higher.
“Right now, our ambitions are to make a successful market entry, with stations for passenger cars in California, and after that we are looking forward to also deploying very fast stations for heavy duty transport.” This does not come without its own series of challenges, Kurras clarifies, obstacles which are all of course greatly diminished through Maximator Hydrogen’s valuable affiliation with the larger group, Kurras qualifies.
“We receive a lot of input,” he states. “In all international markets
where the group already has a viable entity, whereby we can use this to determine feasibility and so enter the market ourselves. This in turn helps massively to keep the costs of our continuing internationalisation relatively low.” As a fast and efficient partner for the planning, construction, and operation of hydrogen infrastructure for road, rail and ship traffic, Maximator Hydrogen offers highly reliable and modern hydrogen filling stations from a single source.
As a number of mines begin to convert their huge trucks to using hydrogen, the off-highway section of the business is becoming another priority area for Maximator Hydrogen, Kurras furthers. “Besides the activities we are undertaking towards a bigger on-road station, this is the hottest topic within our company, which
www.weh.com
means that off-highway business is definitely a topic with a lot of focus.
“Our top priority is to actively shape the mobility revolution by providing the necessary infrastructure,” Kurras summarises. “All of it will be led by our latest and most highly efficient compressor generation, MAX Compression 2.0, which works with the same installation space and optimised energy requirements as its predecessor, but with up to five times the performance, this will enable us to be competitive in all markets, especially those with highly utilised stations.”
// OUR TOP PRIORITY IS TO ACTIVELY SHAPE THE MOBILITY REVOLUTION BY PROVIDING THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE //
© National Grid. Engineers at a substation
David Hill
As the largest electricity transmission and distribution business in the UK, National Grid is charged with delivering electricity safely, reliably and efficiently to both customers and communities alike, all while working towards a cleaner, greener energy future. “Through our regulated utility businesses in the UK and US we play a vital role in connecting millions of people to the energy they use,” the company proudly announces.
Through one of the world’s most reliable networks of cables, pylons and wires, National Grid has the vital task of transporting high-voltage, raw electricity produced from sun, water, wind and traditional fuels, balancing supply and demand to ensure homes and businesses in Great Britain are never without the electricity they need. “We own the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales,” it explains. “We’re responsible for making sure electricity is transported safely and efficiently from where it’s produced to where it’s needed.”
Unlike in the UK, National Grid’s gas and electricity businesses in the US supply energy directly to customers, owning and operating electricity distribution networks in upstate New York and Massachusetts, and transmission facilities and gas
distribution networks across the Northeast. “No matter what the weather, we’re here for our customers, delivering safe, reliable and affordable energy around the clock,” National Grid pledges.
“We have a pivotal role in the energy industry, and enable the innovation that is enabling the transition to a clean energy system.”
With climate change remaining the generation’s defining issue and time elapsing to take action and limit global warming, rapid, fundamental change is required from governments, society and businesses like National Grid. “We are continually seeking ways to make the energy system cleaner, while our National Grid Ventures and National Grid Partners divisions also enable innovations to help revolutionise and decarbonise the future of energy across electricity, gas and renewables.
“At National Grid, we’re committed to net zero for our own emissions by 2050, with a reduction of 80% by 2030 and 90% by 2040, enabling this by investing £30-35 billion over the next five years in the critical infrastructure and innovation needed to make net zero possible.
“£24 billion of this will go directly into clean energy solutions, making us one of the biggest
In the last six months, major financial services, energy, and infrastructure groups have engaged Tusker to provide a car benefits scheme to bolster long-term sustainability and ESG objectives. Over 300 companies have launched a Tusker scheme so far in 2022, many of whom have been motivated by a desire to reduce their carbon footprint.
Already popular with a variety of businesses for numerous reasons including staff retention and attraction, motivation, offering a sought after benefit and more, the increased sustainability offered by Tusker’s schemes have proved popular with many more companies in 2022. Tusker, as market leaders in the UK not only offer the scheme with the associated ESG benefits but also the ease of on boarding, where multiple teams are involved in a scheme’s set-up.
With traditional company car schemes, it can be difficult to restrict emissions across a policy, especially if employees take a car-for-car option. With a Tusker scheme, it is possible to restrict a policy to hybrid and electric vehicles only, although, thanks to the tax advantages offered by the low Benefit in Kind rates on hybrid and electric vehicles, most drivers opt for such vehicles anyhow.
Not only does this dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of the company car fleet, but it also brings financial advantages for employees on the scheme, who are able to save money on income
Paul Gilshan, CEO at Tusker comments, “We have seen a big rise in the number of companies for whom reducing their carbon output has become more of a priority and in offering the car benefit scheme, it not only supports their employees, but also helps achieve this objective. More people are able to drive an electric vehicle on our car scheme than if they were to organise a car independently thanks to the low benefit in kind tax the scheme attracts. It also helps employers retain staff, too, which is topical at the moment.”
// THE ENERGY TRANSITION IS ACCELERATING AND TO STAY AHEAD WE NEED TO CONTINUE EVOLVING AS A COMPANY //
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Also in 2022, National Grid launched North Sea Link, its fifth and latest interconnector which also happens to be the world’s longest subsea electricity cable, connecting the UK with Norway and capable of sharing enough clean electricity to power around 1.4 million UK homes. It has saved 800,000 tonnes of carbon, equivalent to taking 300,000 cars off the road or 1,900 return flights from London to New York, in the first year, paying off its carbon cost after only six months of operation.
green investors in the sector.”
As an energy transition pioneer, National Grid is wholly cognisant of the vital role it has in avoiding the worst of climate change. “The energy transition is accelerating and to stay ahead we need to continue evolving as a company; through a digital first approach, we’re transforming the clean energy landscape on the outside. We’re also working smarter on the inside, simplifying and standardising our systems and processes, so we do things once and
always in the most effective way.”
Over the past year, National Grid has notched up some impressive milestones on its path to making a net zero future a reality for everyone. It helped to connect the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Hornsea 2, to the electricity system in Great Britain, and constructed the world’s first T-pylon at its Hinkley Connection project in Somerset. The first new pylon design in Great Britain in nearly 100 years, 116 will come together to connect six million homes and
“North Sea Link is a remarkable feat of engineering and demonstrates how we can work with our neighbours to use every spare electron of green electricity to strengthen our energy supplies,” submitted Nicola Medalova, Managing Director Interconnectors for National Grid. “These vital energy superhighways will be a critical part of a cleaner, fairer and more affordable energy system, reducing our reliance on fossil-fuelled generation.”
UPGRADE, ADAPT, MAINTAIN
National Grid is to debut an innovative new way to connect customers to the high voltage network with the energisation of its first ‘grid park’, an efficient new way to connect renewables to the electricity transmission system, in Bedfordshire next year. The innovative first-of-itskind design connects three separate customers to the same new supergrid transformer, which is being installed at a new 33kV substation on the site of the existing 400kV Sundon facility.
The design has the potential to help expedite renewable power connections to the transmission network, boosting efforts to meet the country’s ambitious decarbonisation goals. EDF Renewables UK will be one of the first connections, which will see a 50MW battery connect to the grid as part of its nationwide Energy Superhub rollout. “Our first grid park build is an exciting development,” enthused Mark Beasley,
the project’s director at National Grid, “a proof of concept for a new way to connect low carbon generation in an innovative and cost-efficient way in the future – all of which bring benefits to consumers locally and nationally.
“When our first grid park goes live it will now play a key role helping us meet net zero targets in the future.” Over the last five years, National Grid
has invested £4.2 billion to upgrade, adapt and maintain the transmission network, with a further £7.1 billion projected over the next five. The first stage of a £130 million project to refurbish the existing overhead line network between Lincoln and Stevenage has been completed, seeing 1440km of new overhead line installed.
“Once complete, the new line will not only strengthen the existing infrastructure from Lincolnshire through to Hertfordshire but will also ensure the network is able to continue to transport increasing volumes of renewable power,” National Grid explained. Now, National Grid is trialling LineVision’s Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) technology for the first time in Great Britain, following successful deployment on its US networks.
The sensors and data analytics platform will highlight spare capacity on overhead power lines and allow the integration of more renewable power. In conjunction with the construction
of new infrastructure, the innovative technology forms part of National Grid’s work to upgrade and adapt the electricity network to meet increased demand and help deliver a net zero grid, concluded Lydia Ogilvie, Director of Network Strategy and Operations.
“To meet the increasing demand for electricity and deliver net zero, our network needs to grow, but at the same time we are continually looking at ways of expanding capacity on our existing infrastructure. I’m proud that National Grid is leading the way in using transformational and innovative engineering, integrating vital grid enhancing technologies like LineVision’s, to decarbonise and deliver world class reliability, at lowest costs for consumers.”
// NATIONAL GRID IS LEADING THE WAY IN USING TRANSFORMATIONAL AND INNOVATIVE ENGINEERING, INTEGRATING VITAL GRID ENHANCING TECHNOLOGIES //NATIONAL GRID © National Grid. T-Pylon Construction
Proudly British and passionately global, Britishvolt is on an unswerving mission to accelerate the electrification of society. Its overarching ambition is to create some of the planet’s most responsibly manufactured battery cells, primarily to power electric vehicles, and collaborations with academia, industry and private enterprise will help the UK to transition from fossil fuels to a low carbon, battery-based electric future.
The UK has been at the forefront of global investment in technology development and innovation since the industrial revolution. It is the ideal base for Britishvolt, with the development of current and future generations of battery technology pinpointed as of strategic importance to the country’s manufacturing sector, and key to sustaining its lucrative domestic automotive industry.
According to APC research, by 2030 the UK will need over 90GWh per annum of batteries for cars and light commercials alone, and represents over 11% of the total demand across Europe. British consumers bought more electric cars in 2021 than the previous five years combined, a trajectory set to only accelerate, Britishvolt is the UK’s foremost investor in battery cell technologies and associated R&D to develop homegrown intellectual property.
“The race to zero is an imperative for society, and batteries are core
to a successful energy transition,” Britishvolt stipulates, “and the move to a low carbon future will bring with it huge opportunities. Sales for electric vehicles continue to strengthen and domestic batteries are a vital ingredient in meeting this demand.”
“We do indeed have global ambitions,” the company states, “but the UK will always be where it all started.” Headquartered in the heartland of the UK automotive industry, the Midlands, with easy access to vehicle manufacturers as well as research partners at Warwick Manufacturing Group, also ideally situated on the best site in the UK is Britishvolt’s 30GWh battery Gigaplant, fully plugged into the national grid and ready to go.
“It is logical to build any battery cell manufacturing site as close to a renewable energy source as possible, in order to counter the energy intensity of the production process,” Britishvolt reasons, “and in Northumberland
renewable energy is plentiful; the entire area fully embodies the transition to a low carbon future.”
One of the UK’s biggest-ever industrial investments, and the largest in the North East of England since Nissan’s arrival in 1984, has enabled Britishvolt to power ahead with its historic plans with funding from the UK Government through its Automotive Transformation Fund. The ATF funding is critical to Britishvolt’s plans to build the £3.8 billion advanced technology battery cell Gigaplant, which will result in over 3000 skilled direct jobs onsite at full production, plus a further
// THE RACE TO ZERO IS AN IMPERATIVE FOR SOCIETY, AND BATTERIES ARE CORE TO A SUCCESSFUL ENERGY TRANSITION //
5000 in the wider supplier chain. Delight accompanied the confirmation of the funding, which will help propel the UK’s successful energy transition on the road to zero, for Isobel Sheldon OBE, Chief Strategy Officer, Britishvolt. “This is great news
for our plans to construct the UK’s premier battery cell Gigaplant in Northumberland,” she recognised. “The ATF’s grant funding is very important in proving that the UK Government is confident that we will deliver on our plans, and this will help to
generate further private investment.
“The Britishvolt Gigaplant will create both the jobs and the industry of the future, strengthening the UK’s technological base and playing a key role in helping the country reach its net zero target by 2050.”
Britishvolt’s private partnerships to date have been equally strong and important, not least in its selection of BTR as its key synthetic graphite and silicon oxide supplier, with processing powered on clean, renewable hydroelectricity. It followed securing a portion of its cobalt requirements from strategic partner Glencore and the announcement of a JV with Indonesia’s VKTR for nickel sulphate.
“Not only do we benefit from the technical expertise of BTR, now and in the future,” lauded Timon Orlob, Global COO, “but we also benefit from their global strategy concerning their manufacturing location and up-stream material plans.
“We were always committed to shaping global supply chains, and with this collaboration with BTR we are achieving that.” Britishvolt has strengthened a longstanding partnership by extending its
// THE BRITISHVOLT GIGAPLANT WILL CREATE BOTH THE JOBS AND THE INDUSTRY OF THE FUTURE AND STRENGTHEN THE UK’S TECHNOLOGICAL BASE //
contract with WMG, University of Warwick, to develop battery cell technologies and accelerate the route to market in a multi-millionpound deal. A two-year programme of work will assist with battery cell development and optimisation and help Britishvolt to ramp up availability for electric vehicles, and other applications, in the UK and beyond.
“The battery science, advanced
materials and cell prototyping expertise and capability at WMG has directly, and positively, supported our battery technology development programme,” explained Dr Allan Paterson, Chief Technical Officer at Britishvolt. “The relationship enables Britishvolt to continue to develop our products further, as we continually strive to deliver best-in-class, market-leading, cell technologies to our customers.”
WMG at the University of Warwick has worked with industry for the last 40 years, driving technology innovation to improve the productivity, resilience and sustainability of UK manufacturing.
Since 2011 de-risking innovation for UK manufacturing has been our mission as one of the founding members of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult.
With a depth of industry experience and fundamental scientific knowledge, we help solve operational and technical challenges, by both pushing the boundaries of technology and transferring knowledge into sectors including automotive, motorsport, logistics, defence, aerospace, micromobility and rail.
The work undertaken by the WMG Energy Directorate focusses on the research challenges that underpin the UK’s strategy for de-carbonisation of the transport sector and energy network.
WMG’s unique facilities and expertise has been developed to respond to the need to establish a strategic UK based battery manufacturing sector to enable the transition to electrification and global competitiveness. We have the capabilities to scale-up fundamental research in electrochemistry to system-scale solutions for integration with energy conversion devices and electrical machines across a range of applications.
WMG can help a business in any sector develop novel battery chemistries tailored to the intended real-world application. From benchtop volumes of materials, we can scale to industry-relevant quantities, and integrate into cell formats with the WMG BSU battery pilot line. From there we can take the cells to modules and packs, and then to total systems that are ready for the final application.
We have the capabilities for multi-domain testing and characterisation from cells to complete battery packs that encompasses electrical, thermal and mechanical performance characterisation.
In further evidence of the Britishvolt business model of partnering early with customers and tailoring solutions, Britishvolt and Aston Martin have collaborated to develop high performance battery technology. It brings together two innovative leaders in UK engineering to create the next generation of cell and battery technology designed specifically for
We can undertake full life and ageing assessment of battery cells and systems, as well as abuse testing and safety evaluation of battery components and systems.
We are experienced in the development and use of Digital Twins to support cell evaluation, system control (BMS), concept evaluation, ageing and degradation and safety, as well as use of battery cell instrumentation to underpin advanced characterisation of battery cells. We consider the circular economy of battery systems from reuse in 2nd life applications, to recycling and materials recovery.
From project inception we use our industrial experience to design the manufacturing and engineering processes that enable a seamless transition of cutting-edge research into practice.
In addition to our research activities the WMG Skills Centre is available to help address the skills shortage facing businesses and industry, both regionally and nationally.
WMG’s vast portfolio of industrial research projects means we understand that education needs to have an immediate impact on both business productivity and career progression for individuals.
Our short courses are tailored to the needs of our industry, re-skilling and upskilling experienced employees to bring future skills to business today in key areas, including Engineering, Technology, Supply Chain, Automotive Electrification, Automotive Battery Engineering, Automotive Power Electronics & Motor Drives, and Digital Manufacturing.
To learn more about WMG’s research and how we can help your business contact us at: wmgbusiness@warwick.ac.uk
Find out about more of our successful research projects on our website: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/
Or to find out more about the range of courses at our WMG Skills Centre visit: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/skillscentre
wmgbusiness@warwick.ac.uk
high performance cars, as the ultraluxury carmaker takes another key step in its journey to electrification.
“This collaboration once again highlights the value of working hand-in-glove with customers to co-develop and manufacture tailored, sustainable, localised battery cells,” opined Orral Nadjari, CEO and Founder of Britishvolt. “We are excited about the prospect of an all-electric Aston Martin powered by Britishvolt’s low carbon, sustainable battery cells.”
West Midlands is home to the internationally renowned battery ecosystem of WMG, Advanced Propulsion Centre and UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, and Britishvolt has now partnered with logistics real estate operator Prologis to build its UK battery cell scale-up facilities to unify its Northumberland Gigaplant
with a centrally located scale-up and technology hub. Investment exceeding £200 million will create and sustain upwards of 150 technology jobs, and enable Britishvolt to rapidly ramp up cells that are production ready to be manufactured in larger volumes.
The ‘Battery Corridor’ concept enhances the UK’s existing battery ecosystem, while the Hams Hall is destined to become a centre of excellence for all things EV and electrification, with major automakers close by. “These new R&D and scale-up facilities will help the UK build on its home-grown battery intellectual property and level up the country ready for the energy transition,” assessed Paul Franklin, Property Director, Britishvolt.
“The UK’s battery ecosystem is a global leader in integrated technology development and industrialisation.”
Only through working with leading strategic partners and suppliers will Britishvolt achieve its vision of a future of electrified transportation and sustainable energy storage, producing best-in-class, low-carbon, sustainable and responsibly manufactured lithiumion battery solutions. “Collaboration is key on our quest to a low-carbon future,” Britishvolt acknowledges.
“Technology is paramount to keeping the UK at the vanguard of the global battery revolution; the time is now to carve a name for the UK as a global battery champion.
“Britishvolt will be at the very heart of that revolution.”
© Boeing. Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner Completes First Flight
One of the premier global aerospace companies, Boeing develops, manufactures, and services commercial airplanes, defence products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. Aggressive conservation and renewable energy efforts have allowed the company to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from manufacturing and worksites as key partnerships keep orders soaring.
PRODUCTION: David Hill//Boeing’s long tradition of aerospace leadership and innovation is evergrowing, as the company continues to expand its product line and services to meet emerging customer needs. A broad range of capabilities includes the creation of new, more efficient members of its commercial airplane family designing, building and integrating military platforms and defence systems and creating advanced technology solutions, through to innovative financing and service options for customers.
With corporate offices near Washington D.C., Boeing’s workforce is one of the most diverse, talented and innovative around, comprising
more than 160,000 people across the United States and in more than 65 countries. Three business units define the company - commercial airplanes, defence, space and security and global services - backed by functional organisations across the company.
“The Boeing Company is the world’s largest aerospace company and America’s largest exporter,” says the company making the impossible, possible, and helping chart the course of aerospace history since 1916. “It’s been a breath-taking journey, but the best is yet to come.
“Boeing’s market success plays a key role in supporting high-value aerospace jobs across its supply chain and across the United States,
including working with more than 12,000 businesses supporting more than one million supplier-related jobs.”
“As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity,” delineates an organisation often heralded as the foremost innovator in aerospace engineering.
“There’s more innovation underway today at Boeing than at any
time in our 106-year history. Boeing drives innovation that will transform aerospace and defence as we know it.” The historic partnership with the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has for two decades been at the core of this trailblazing approach, and a
newly-penned agreement guarantees at least another five years of industryleading innovation and collaboration. The University of Sheffield AMRC
celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, a world-leading research and innovation network boasting more than 120 industrial partners, among them Rolls-
// THERE’S MORE INNOVATION UNDERWAY TODAY AT BOEING THAN AT ANY TIME IN OUR 106-YEAR HISTORY //
Royce, McLaren Automotive, Siemens and BAE Systems. The longstanding and successful relationship with Boeing was a major factor in the decision to build its £40 million Sheffield factory in 2018, the company’s first facility in Europe, for which the AMRC supported cutting-edge process development for efficient machining, factory planning and the digital infrastructure.
The renewed Tier 1 partnership extends Boeing’s access to the AMRC’s research and development capabilities, which it jointly founded
with the University of Sheffield in 2001, and allows it to continue to reap the benefits of the industrial and manufacturing expertise and innovation that has existed in the Sheffield City Region for centuries.
“Renewing Boeing’s partnership with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre demonstrates our commitment to Sheffield and showcases what we have jointly created in 20 years: jobs, innovation, inspiration and inward investment,” stated Sir Martin Donnelly, President of Boeing Europe and
Managing Director Boeing in the UK and Ireland. “At its core the agreement looks to the future and what more we can achieve through world-class researchers and industry working together.”
Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator 787 is another example of the transformative innovation underway, harnessing the power of big data to make flying more efficient in real-time. “We are looking for technologies that allow us to help an airplane be
Continues on page 58
The Energy Institute at The University of Sheffield is one of the largest academic energy research teams in Europe. With expertise across the spectrum of sustainable energy technologies, we specialise in turning research into commercially viable solutions.
We are alleviating the bottleneck in hydrogen research
The Energy Institute is home to The Translational Energy Research Centre (TERC), one of the largest and best-equipped zero-carbon energy research and development facilities in Europe. The £21 million, national-scale research facility, part-funded by BEIS and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), enables industry partners to develop and test hydrogen technology solutions at pilot scale.
The facility can produce, store and utilise blue and green hydrogen through its cutting-edge equipment and flexible energy management system. Its expertise can support industrial decarbonisation via hydrogen fuel switching research, using a state-of-the-art hydrogen-fired 300kW combustion test rig, gas turbine and a range of other exciting equipment.
In addition to TERC, the Energy Institute recently opened the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Innovation Centre (SAF-IC), a bespoke research facility for the development and testing of sustainable aviation fuels.
The centre is the first of its kind in the UK to capture CO2, produce green hydrogen, convert it into sustainable aviation fuels, as well as analyse and carry out performance and technical suitability tests in one location. SAF-IC is jointly funded by the ERDF and the University of Sheffield.
partnerships with industry
Recently, the Energy Institute announced aerospace giants Boeing are the first members of the Energy Innovation Centre, a new scheme giving industrial partners access to both TERC and SAF-IC. The University of Sheffield hopes to welcome more industry partners, providing a boost to regional and national efforts to decarbonise, enhance innovation and strengthen vital academic and industry partnerships.
For more information, visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/energy or get in touch at energyinstitute@sheffield.ac.uk
Addressing the world’s biggest energy challenges through transformational research, innovation and collaboration.
The Energy Institute at the University of Sheffield combines industrial collaborations and translational research to develop safe, secure and sustainable energy for everyone.
Discover real-world solutions through our world-class research and facilities.
Twitter: @shefenergy
Email: energyinstitute@sheffield.ac.uk
Continued from page 56
more efficient over time,” explains Jeanne You, Director Environmental Performance of this laudable attempt to use big data to make a better planet. “These diagnostics can keep airports operating as efficiently as possible and avoid disruptions.
“The ecoDemonstrator really unleashes the innovation of the engineer to think about those things which are going to help the environment, and accelerate the technologies surrounding saving
fuel and producing quieter, cleaner emissions. This will culminate in more rapid upgrades ultimately making a great impact on both airlines and the environment.”
787 was again the magic number, and again it was with sustainability at the forefront when, in September, China Airlines finalised a landmark order for as many as 24 Boeing 787 Dreamliners to broaden its global network and cargo capacity, thus modernising its fleet and cutting fuel use and CO2 emissions by up to 25%.
Since entering service in 2011, the 787 family’s fuel efficiency, flexibility and range have enabled airlines to open more than 325 new nonstop routes and reduce carbon emissions by 80 billion pounds.
“The 787’s superior fuel efficiency and range, combined with China Airlines’ existing fleet of 777-300ERs, will enable the carrier to grow efficiently
and also expand its global route network,” said Ihssane Mounir, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. “This is a milestone order in our continuing partnership with China Airlines, and the marketleading efficiencies of the 787 will play an important role in furthering the airline’s sustainability efforts.”
China Airlines Chairman, Hsieh Su-Chien added: “Our continuous investment in fleet modernisation is the cornerstone of our sustainability efforts. The 787’s best-in-class efficiency and low operating costs will allow us to expand our network for years to come.”
Powered by advanced engines and a suite of environmentally progressive technologies, the 787 family has an airport-noise footprint 60% smaller than the previous generation of airplanes.
Canadian carrier WestJet was not to be left behind in the quest for fuel-efficient planes, strengthening its commitment to the 737 MAX family by securing a bumper crop of 42 737-10s
// WE ARE LOOKING FOR TECHNOLOGIES THAT ALLOW US TO HELP AN AIRPLANE BE MORE EFFICIENT OVER TIME //© Boeing. Boeing Debuts 787-10 Dreamliner
and options for an additional 22 jets. “With industry-leading fuel efficiency and reliability, the 737-10 will enable the Canadian carrier to undertake an ambitious network expansion and meet its long-term sustainability
goals,” Boeing commented, with which Alexis von Hoensbroech, WestJet Group CEO, agreed.
“With its lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions, the 737-10 will further improve the environmental footprint of our fleet.”
Boeing is committed to innovating for the future and leading with sustainability as well as to responsible environmental leadership, “both in our products and in how we manufacture, deliver and support them.” This was crowned in 2020 when it achieved netzero carbon emissions at manufacturing and worksites, by expanding conservation and renewable energy use while tapping responsible offsets for the remaining greenhouse gas emissions.
“Accomplishing net-zero carbon
emissions in our operations is a significant step toward making the world better for all the communities we serve,” said Chris Raymond, Boeing chief sustainability officer. “Boeing wants to be a positive example and partner in our industry and with other major industrial companies.
“We’ve made great strides since the beginning of the jet age, but our greatest accomplishments are yet to come. We believe the future of flight will take ‘everything for zero’, as we ensure that to aerospace is sustainable for future generations.”
// BOEING WANTS TO BE A POSITIVE EXAMPLE AND PARTNER IN OUR INDUSTRY AND WITH OTHER MAJOR INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES //© Boeing. Boeing Corporate Offices
Philippe von Stauffenberg, CEO and Founder
PRODUCTION: Philippe von Stauffenberg
We cannot continue our addiction to plastics and recycle our way out of the biodiversity and climate crisis writes Philippe von Stauffenberg, CEO and Founder of Greenback Recycling Technology. The time for innovation, bringing the circular economy to the mainstream, is now.
//The world doesn’t have a moment to waste when it comes to reducing the harm caused by plastics. Plastics are everywhere and are poised to dominate the 21st century as one of the yet-unchecked drivers of climate change.
Chemical engineers spent much of the 1960s devising cheap ways to splice different hydrocarbon molecules from petroleum into polymer chains that could be moulded into anything, from beverage bottles to Barbie dolls. My company, Greenback Recycling Technology, uses thermochemical reactions to break plastics down into new products such as monomers, fuel, energy, and other commodities.
The factors contributing to the plastic waste problem range from consumer choice to food supply safety and entrenched manufacturing systems. Not least among these issues is plastic’s seemingly limitless potential to meet consumer demands more cost-effectively than other materials.
Humankind has produced unfathomable quantities of plastic for decades until we suddenly
decided that it’s a terrible thing.
It is only recently that plastics’ relative anonymity in ubiquity was disrupted: before this, we were so thoroughly surrounded by plastics that we hardly noticed it.
The desire to see action on plastic waste is easy to understand but identifying the most effective approaches to the problems - and those of the future - represents a complex challenge
spanning the entire plastics value chain. Plastic waste washing up on otherwise pristine shorelines and vast floating islands of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean has received much media coverage and contributed to a significant shift in consumer sentiment. The way plastic is currently recycled is more of a downward spiral than an infinite loop. Plastics are typically sorted by polymer type, cleaned, shredded, melted, and remoulded in mechanical recycling solutions; each time this occurs, the
quality of the material is degraded. A world where all plastic could be recycled and reborn into new types of plastic is no longer just a dream. Combining mechanical and advanced recycling can recycle over 90% of all plastics worldwide.
Advanced recycling is a natural solution which is increasingly deployed to recycle the unrecyclable. Instead of a system where some plastics are rejected because they are the wrong polymer or made of composites, chemical recycling aspires to return plastics to the original raw materials so that they can be used to make plastic products again as recycled or renewable feedstocks for the existing industry.
In a broad sense, recycling is part of an ethic of resource efficiency – using products to their fullest potential. Natural resources and energy are conserved when recycled rather than “fresh” raw material is used to make a new product.
Advanced recycling boasts a suite of more than 100 technologies that break down polymers. The product of most of these processes becomes the ingredient for producing new plastics that offer the industry recycled feedstocks.
At Greenback, we specialise in implementing scalable and distributed advanced collection and recycling solutions that offer fully traceable recyclate to brand owners and the plastics value chain. Using blockchain-based evidence to trace and authenticate the provenance and composition of materials, waste plastic can be used more efficiently as a feedstock for food-grade commercial packaging applications, at predictable prices and in dependable quantities. The circular economy as it exists now is vital but narrow in scope. The recycling industry must augment the good but limited mechanical recycling process with innovative new solutions.
Chemical recycling offers new avenues for recyclate that make a global circular economy significantly more viable. However, as an emerging technology, it constantly improves, unlocking new possibilities to find value where there previously were none. There is no better example of this than the pioneering work carried out by our sister company, Enval.
Enval developed a more sustainable pyrolysis technique that uses microwave energy to break down plastics into solid, liquid, and gaseous components. The non-condensable gas is funnelled back into the system and used for power generation, reducing overall CO2 emissions and energy costs. This microwave-induced system is the only one in the world capable of separating plastic aluminium laminates into lowcarbon-cost aluminium and pyrolysis oil altogether. As the technology is refined and improved, this will unlock new revenue streams for the waste
// AT GREENBACK, WE PLAN TO DRIVE INNOVATION TO EMPOWER THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY, CREATING A GREENER FUTURE FOR ALL //
handling and recycling industries. This, in turn, creates an abundance of feedstock with which more sustainable plastic packaging can be made.
Recycling, particularly plastics, is not a panacea to our overuse of natural resources. We cannot continue our addiction to plastics and recycle our way out of the biodiversity and climate crisis. Recycling is vital in closing the loop once prevention and reuse options - such as refillable packaging - have been exhausted.
At Greenback, we plan to drive innovation to empower the circular economy, creating a greener future for all. The advanced recycling plants we are building are scalable and agile and
can be quickly established in modular units set up at landfill sites or where the waste occurs or exists. This allows for a more streamlined collection process and creates jobs around the local area, increasing economic productivity in developing nations. Another critical point is that it avoids the highly inefficient transportation of light waste and enables for moving of a valuable densified material instead.
In addition, our proprietary eco2Veritas Circularity Platform™, which is a technology-based real-time monitoring certification system, also allows us to verify that all materials collected are post-consumer waste. We use pioneering blockchain technology to store data about the waste we process in a way that’s both open
and secure, so its provenance can be verified at all levels of the supply chain. This allows waste to be digitally tracked on its journey to becoming packaging again, so brands and the plastics value chain can easily verify the recycled content of all their products. We’re incredibly determined to establish a decentralised network of collection and recycling plants near sources of post-consumer plastic waste worldwide to produce recycled feedstocks suitable for the petrochemical and plastics industry value chain to close the loop. And through smart contracts, we ensure a fair distribution of value to all actors in the supply chain, including the informal waste collection sector.
Enval’s microwave-induced pyrolysis technology used by Greenback has been explicitly developed to recover complex plastic packaging and enable the harvesting of aluminium in some of these compositions. It can handle many materials, including multi-layer (foil/ film) laminates. When carbon is exposed to a microwave field, it can reach temperatures above 600°C in just a few minutes. If shredded dry plastic waste is mixed with the carbon, the energy absorbed from the microwaves is transferred to the plastic by conduction quickly and efficiently. As the packaging travels through the oven, the plastic, glue and ink layers degrade via the pyrolysis process to form a mixture of hydrocarbons, ranging from C3 to C20. This mixture, gas inside the oven, exits and is then cooled down and separated into two fractions: gas and oil - referred to as Py-Oil. The gas generates the electricity required to power the process, and the condensed oils can be used as feedstock to produce new plastic. When the right technology is implemented and utilised, shifting to a circular economy creates new markets and opportunities for the petrochemical recycling industry and
// THE AIM IS TO REDUCE THE CHALLENGES IN PACKAGING RECYCLING, TRANSFORMING THESE WASTE RESOURCES INTO PYROLYSIS OIL THAT CAN BE USED TO MANUFACTURE CERTIFIED RECYCLED FOOD PACKAGING TO CLOSE THE LOOP, GENUINELY //
consumer packaged goods companies. A critical challenge for businesses and brands attempting to solve their plastics waste issues is securing legitimate sources of clean, recycled plastics and verifying the provenance of materials - from the point of collection to use.
Greenback’s new approach and mindset are required to deliver the scale, provenance, and professionalism the waste collection and recycling industry needs to meet demand soon.
By working in partnership with Enval, CPGs and Petrochemical companies to install innovative recycling technology complemented by advanced digital solutions at landfill sites, Greenback is addressing the challenge head-on.
An apparent change is underway in the business and societal environments in which the chemical industry operates, with consumer sentiment about plastic-waste pollution on the rise, regulators imposing new requirements, and a wider embrace of circular-economy thinking.
To meet the demands of the hundreds of companies committed to eliminating plastic packaging going into landfills or incineration,
the plastics industry has embraced advanced recycling in a big way. Brands and technology innovators are teaming up with us in the quest to make endlessly recyclable plastics. Simultaneously, policymakers are grappling with how to spur this innovation, protect the public and the environment, and support the growth of the infrastructure that advanced recycling needs.
Since 2021, Greenback has been working with Nestlé Mexico to install the first plant in the country to achieve full circularity of food-grade plastic packaging using microwaveinduced pyrolysis technology.
Nestlé Mexico will become the first consumer goods company in Mexico and the world to guarantee access to recycled food-grade plastics and first outside Europe to install a chemical recycling plant capable of transforming now discarded plastic packaging into pyrolysis oil that can be used in the petrochemical industry to manufacture new products with post-consumer recycled content.
Our project in Mexico – and the many more to come – will tackle the unresolved problem of turning multilaminate and mixed plastics that are difficult to recycle into a recyclable
waste stream. The aim is to reduce the challenges in packaging recycling, transforming these waste resources into pyrolysis oil that can be used to manufacture certified recycled food packaging to close the loop, genuinely. We remain committed to delivering a solution for globally recognised brands that can make the previously unrecyclable recyclable, creating an obvious statement about the strength of their commitment to sustainability and the circular economy. Supporting the growth of a circular economy is a challenge, but it presents a wealth of opportunities for retailers, converters, and manufacturers who use plastic packaging. It encourages continual innovation, and chemical recycling proves that these innovations can result in new revenue streams and improved profitability for everyone in the plastics industry whilst closing the loop for any application.
Content sponsored by Greenback Recycling Technologies,
To
Daimler Truck is accelerating the electrification of its vehicle fleet, in pursuit of a vision of leading sustainable transportation. The Mercedes-Benz maker has pledged to invest more than €40 billion between 2022 and 2030 to develop full-electric vehicles, and be positioned to head up an all-electric car market by the end of the decade.
PRODUCTION: David Hill
//One of the world’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers, Daimler has more than 40 manufacturing sites around the globe and more than 100,000 employees to drive the production of light, medium and heavy-duty trucks, city and intercity buses, coaches and bus chassis. Its trucks business consists of six strong brands, numbering Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Freightliner Trucks, Western Star, FUSO Trucks, BharatBenz Trucks and Thomas Built Buses.
“We offer pioneering technologies and tailor-made products for various applications worldwide with a complete range of services,” the company runs down. “Our customers move the world; they ensure that goods and people reach their destinations, that our everyday lives can function and that prosperity is created. The driving force for us at Daimler Truck is to provide our customers with the
best possible support in their work.”
Studies show that this demand for mobility and transport will only continue to grow, as the products and services transported by these customers come to be needed more in the future than in the past, or even today. “We develop the right vehicles and services for them,” Daimler Truck furthers, “efficient and
electric, safe and automated and reliable and connected. We are always there for our customers - indeed, for all who keep the world moving.”
Daimler Truck holds a sweeping vision of leading sustainable transportation, having already travelled many miles down the road to zero-emission
transport. In September Martin Daum, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG, spoke at the world’s most important platform for the future of the commercial vehicle industry, the IAA Transportation fair in Hanover, of what the last four years had held for the company. “A lot has happened since our last IAA,” he began. “Our industry and Daimler Truck have used the past four years very well.
“Back in the fall of 2018, for example, we at Daimler Truck had just one zero-emission vehicle in series production: our FUSO eCanter light truck. This year, we have a portfolio of eight different zero-emission vehicles
in series production, in Europe as well as in the Americas and Japan; we are quickly transforming our product portfolio to e-drive. At the same time, we are not just focused on speed – we are equally focused on quality. And I should rather say: qualities. Plural.
“We make sure our zeroemission vehicles come with state-of-the-art technologies. Our zero-emission vehicles provide all of the leading qualities our trucks and buses have always stood for, which is why these vehicles use the same brands as our conventional vehicles, just with an additional ‘e’ in front - Citaro becomes eCitaro,
Actros becomes eActros, and so on.
“Going forward, we will further improve our zero-emission products, making them better year-by-year and generation-by-generation as we continue to further broaden our zero-emission product portfolio.”
The pursuit of the electrification of its portfolio will be achieved via a ‘dual track’ approach, Daum furthered, with both battery-electric and hydrogenbased drives taking into account the diverse transportation needs of its customers and enabling the company to offer optimal transport solutions for all applications. “We are focusing on battery and fuel-cell vehicles, because we are convinced our industry will need a dual strategy for the sustainable transport of the future,” he confirmed.
“We are also convinced we do not need a ‘triple’ strategy that includes natural gas -- because gas-powered drives are just an expensive bridging technology that still relies on a fossil
// GOING FORWARD, WE WILL FURTHER IMPROVE OUR ZERO-EMISSION PRODUCTS, MAKING THEM BETTER YEAR-BY-YEAR AND GENERATION-BY-GENERATION //
fuel and emits CO₂. Though it may sound counterintuitive, building two infrastructures – one for green electricity and one for green hydrogen – will be less expensive than building just one infrastructure, and at Daimler Truck we are contributing to add momentum.”
Three new electric vehicles were unveiled at the IAA Transportation conference, including Daimler Truck’s first heavy-duty, battery-electric truck, the Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul, with a new e-axle and a range of 500km. Geared toward urban distribution transport, it was joined by the Mercedes-Benz eEconic for municipal use, also heading into series production
at the company’s Wörth site.
“With the eEconic, we are putting the first electrically powered and series-produced Mercedes-Benz Special Truck on the road,” said Dr Ralf Forcher, Head of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks. “Especially with regard to large cities, there is a need for quiet, clean and safe logistics and waste disposal solutions, and we offer just the right truck for this.” The eConic was integrated into line production in a very short time at the Wörth plant, showing once again that Daimler Truck is at the heart of the transformation
to new drive systems at the site.
“In the course of the transformation towards CO2-neutral transport, the Wörth site has set itself the goal, among other things, of continuously developing its workforce for the production of trucks with new drive systems.” The Mercedes-Benz eEconic represents a wholly responsible approach to the environment, but above all in urban use; its electric drive produces no local emissions and above all is quiet, characteristics that impact positively on the quality of life of both residents and of the vehicle crew.
// WE ARE CONVINCED OUR INDUSTRY WILL NEED A DUAL STRATEGY FOR THE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT OF THE FUTURE //© Copyright Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK, FUSO eCanter - London launch event 2018
At EQUANS, we provide a full turn-key solution to support commercial fleets in transitioning to sustainable fuels. With our global footprint, we deliver critical charging infrastructure for large logistic operations, including those managing a truck fleet. From programme planning and design, through to installation and ongoing management, we’ll provide dedicated support from our expert team - working with you to deliver the right solution.
Ready to start your transition or want to find out more? Get in touch with our experts: salessupport.ev.uk@equans.com
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the development result of around five years of eCanter experience gained with our customers around the globe. Compared to the previous eCanter, the significantly broader vehicle portfolio covers most of today’s common applications and makes an even greater contribution to locally emission-free inner-city transport than before.”
CO2-neutral transport solutions.
Another Daimler and MercedesBenz subsidiary, FUSO, also displayed at the IAA Transportation trade show the Next Generation eCanter, which will be tailored for inner-city distribution transport and the requirements of the last mile. “At FUSO, we are frontrunners in the electrification of commercial vehicles,” detailed Karl Deppen, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck.
“The Next Generation eCanter is
More powerful, more efficient, more range and a wide variety of applications - this is the essence of the Next Generation eCanter, and of the entirety of Daimler Truck’s newly launched architectures, characterised not only by their overall ecological and economic concept, but also by their versatility. Daimler Truck has long been regarded as a pioneer and frontrunner in electric trucks, and is consistently working on the implementation of sustainable,
“At Daimler Truck, we are sharply focused on truly emissionfree technologies,” Daum closed. “Within five short years we will have a comprehensive zero-emission product portfolio, with vehicles that serve the full range from urban and regional to the most demanding long-haul use cases. By 2030 we expect our zero-emission vehicles to account for up to 60% of our total sales in Europe. We are delivering in every sense of the word, and that is something we are very proud of.”
With over 10 years of experience in the green mobility sector, we are a trusted partner to many large businesses and fleet operators.A Mercedes-Benz Trucks Charging Infrastructure Partner
// AT DAIMLER TRUCK, WE ARE SHARPLY FOCUSED ON TRULY EMISSION-FREE TECHNOLOGIES //
Finnish green hydrogen business, P2X Solutions, is set to build an industry defining electrolysis plant in the country’s western town of Harjavalta. From here, it will create synthetic fuels in a cost-effective manner, driving the energy transition where it is sorely needed. CEO Herkko Plit talks to Energy Focus about progress on site.
PRODUCTION: Tommy Atkinson
asset management firm, based in Germany, agreed a €5 million equity investment and a €20 million equitylike shareholder loan. Plit is excited about the work underway right now.
“Construction activity has started and we have been working at Harjavalta site since July,” he says. “We are completing preparatory works, digging the ground and creating the basement. The initial phase is complete and that involved initial earthworks and removal of trees and land. It is a greenfield site, and in the coming months we will complete preparatory works so that we can begin to put up buildings. That phase will start around March next year and all of the equipment will arrive at site. This will continue right into 2024 when we will then look towards commissioning activities in the summer of ‘24.”
In Finland, in the town of Harjavalta, a green energy revolution is underway thanks to P2X Solutions. The company, established in 2020, is all about developing renewable energy projects that can shift the country’s reliance away from coal, oil, natural gas, and waste biofuel towards truly sustainable sources, namely hydrogen.
The country holds a vision of net-zero by 2035, and recent decades have realised a significant shift away from fossil fuels. Nuclear is a strong part of the mix, and hydro generation is also favoured. The IEA highlights transport and heavy industry as key sectors where progress must be achieved if Finland is to meet its ambitious targets, and P2X Solutions can contribute with its exciting projects.
An Arctic country, Finland is exposed to climate change more than others and already, plans have been put in place to strengthen the electricity distribution network and mitigate against strong winter storms.
For Herkko Plit, CEO and Founding Partner, the work of P2X is essential and cannot be completed quickly enough. Formerly CEO of the national gas pipeline company Baltic Connector Oy, Plit has also served as the Deputy Director at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy and the European Commission.
“From the very beginning, our aim has to be to work professionally while having fun and being able to react to market changes,” he tells Energy Focus.
The project in Harjavalta will see a 20 MW electrolyser installed to create green hydrogen and synthetic fuels including synthetic methane. The €70 million construction project is already underway and funding from domestic and international partners is in place. In 2021, the Climate Fund agreed to a capital loan and in 2022, the Ministry of Employment and the Economy issued a significant grant. Prime Capital AG, an independent
Progress has been smooth with Plit highlighting only minor surprises in the process to date, but the experienced team have been able to stay on schedule and confident in the timeline.
“The site and the civil works are being handled by a local contractor and that is commercially valuable as they are local to the project. Equipment deliveries and other elements are all sourced through international businesses. The electrolyser comes from Germany, the methanation unit comes from Finland – if we can procure locally we are happy, but the nature of the project is international and everything has to
// WE ARE ALREADY DISCUSSING OFFTAKE AGREEMENTS AND 2024 SEEMS LIKE IT IS ALMOST NEXT DOOR WITH THESE LONG-TERM ARRANGEMENTS //
make sense commercially,” adds Plit. Agreements have been signed with Finnish organisation, Fimpec, around construction, project consulting, procurement services, and plant design; and Sweco has been appointed with a design engineering agreement.
Electrolysis of water using renewable energy will bring clean, green hydrogen and other synthetic fuels to the country’s energy mix. Heat and oxygen by-products can also feed into industrial processes, driving a circular approach and decarbonising the local economy.
Ultimately, the goal is for the plant to reduce Finland’s CO2 emissions by around 40,000 tons each year.
“We are already discussing offtake agreements and 2024 seems like it is almost next door with these long-term arrangements. Mobility, especially heavy-duty mobility, is an emerging market and we are already discussing with truck manufacturers about how they will export to Finland and what are the requirements for local logistics companies. For example, there is no single hydrogen refuelling station in Finland and we will open to ensure that is broken in. There is so much engagement and our focus is on construction but also on sales, marketing, and everything else,” explains Plit.
In September, a new 70 MW planned site in Joensuu was awarded European Commission IPCEI status (Important Projects of Common European Interest). Projects with this position are highlighted as those that provide the largest possible positive spill-over effects on the European hydrogen value chain, research, and society. It also brings opportunities for further subsidies and benefits and state level, and highlights P2X as a drier of the hydrogen economy.
Plans are already in place for further projects and the longer-term vision of the business is to roll out 1000 MW of electrolysis capacity by 2031.
“This is a huge opportunity for employment and the Finnish industrial sector in general. You have to consider the value chain, and there will be so many opportunities. I was Head of Unit in the Ministry of Employment and the Economy and the European Commission and this gives me an insight into how these projects contribute,” Plit details.
In August, P2X announced a study partnership alongside Savon Voima to understand more about the possibility for industrial-scale green hydrogen and electro fuels to be generated at the Savon Voima power plant in Joensuu in the country’s east. The idea is to build a production facility on site in Joensuu with 30-50 MW capacity and the ability to heat up to 20% of the district with excess heat from the hydrogen unit.
“It’s exciting to work together with a local energy company,” says Plit. “This is very important for the city’s emissions targets. There are other synergies, we are producing synthetic fuels and they have a bio-based power plant that sends emissions into the sky from burning wood chips. We capture that and we can make synthetic methane, methanol, and ammonia. The synergy between our companies is very strong and this is a marvellous example of circular economics.”
Arto Sutinen, CEO at Savon Voima added: “This is a world-class example of a hydrogen project and circular economy. This is also a project that promotes local strengths and provides employment, and where each actor involved benefits the other. The project, when realized, will be an important piece of Savon Voima’s goal of carbon
neutrality. It is a pleasure, together with P2X Solutions and the city of Joensuu, to be a pioneer in Finland in making future visions a reality.”
The city’s mayor, Kari Karjalainen, was equally optimistic about the potential, saying: “The introduction of the hydrogen economy into the region contributes to the development of the electricity transmission capacity and business life of the whole of Eastern Finland and opens opportunities for further related investments.”
Back in the west, in Harjavalta, Plit doesn’t see huge numbers of direct jobs being created in the short-term, but he is confident that the growth of the industry, still in its early stages, will drive significant economic activity in the country.
“I don’t see us having hundreds of people in the company,” he says. “There is a need for automation to steer the fleet of machines. In terms of the bigger picture and the wider hydrogen economy, there have been calculations from researchers that suggest that €1 million investment creates indirectly 10 jobs. Our investment portfolio is in the billions and in Finland as a whole, there is around €50 billion set for the hydrogen economy.
“It will have a huge impact,” he states. “The initial projects are laying the base for the future market. We all know that it has to be scaled up and there was an article published recently in a large magazine here in Finland stating that Finland has 10% of hydrogen production potential in Europe because of cheap inputs including wind power, clean water, and lot of barley-based CO2. This all offers a commercial benefit.”
The country is busy planning for eventual hydrogen export status, and will benefit from strong connections with Sweden, the Baltic nations, and Germany and Poland. Discussions are underway between national TSOs in the traditional utilities sector and the Nordic Hydrogen Route project is already far long the road alongside Sweden. The situation in the European energy market, as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is only driving innovation in the green energy sector faster.
“The appetite is there,” confirms Plit. “The tough discussions around price and market in ’24 and ’25 are ongoing. The gas market is a great example. If you look at the price level before the war started, it was so cheap. Today, it is so expensive, and we wonder what it
will look like next winter. It is essential to have a longer-term perspective to understand how the system and market develops, and what pressures come from a different range of sources.
“The world is constantly changing,” he says. “We have two wonderful projects in the pipeline but we have to be creative and agile about the next one. If we want to be the forerunner in this market, then we have to deliver solutions that are innovative all the time. If we rely on what we have and think everything is going fine, competitors will pass us very quickly.”
P2X Solutions is young and agile, and mission-driven. Because of this, it has been able to navigate many of the significant challenges that have plagued bigger, cumbersome businesses.
“We are still a young company but all of the systems we are developing are not what we would want to refer to as start up. All of the accounting systems and other systems are of IFRS standards and we are implementing this from the beginning. We are trying to instil professionalism from day one so that the company is ready to expand quickly,” explains Plit.
“The start up mentality allows you to be agile – decision making is quick. This is something that we want to keep. Our senior management has worked in large corporations and we know of the benefits and drawbacks that they have. We always want to be agile in the future so that we can steer the project forward.”
Even the Covid crisis, which gave Plit the time to develop the genesis of the business was a small hurdle.
“There are always opportunities in a crisis,” he says. “Covid reorganised my calendar in a totally different position and that gave me time to develop the concept of P2X. With the start of the war, there has been a need for a green transition but it will take time.
“It will take two years on site (or more when you start from scratch), and we have to overcome the energy crisis with solutions in the short term.
If we are not busy with it now, then the crisis will last many more years. When we opened the gas markets here in Finland there was much of the same scepticism about how it would work, but we looked at how the market dynamics would develop and it was a success. Someone has to go and start things, and then others will follow.”
This first mover advantage combined with the hunger for an energy transition as well as government targets looming make for an exciting time and a wide-open market. Plit says that the political, public, and industrial demand is there, and it is now about sustainable roll out. Here, he is happy to lead.
“I like that others are coming into the market. If we were the only ones, I would be alarmed and worried that we have thought totally differently about things. The others are following us and so we think that means are a doing right. We have a year and a half or two years advantage and we welcome competition in the market as it is good for the hydrogen economy in the country and in the European community as well.
“Investors are not investing in fossil fuels and NGOs are reacting strongly to
those that do. The political momentum is so strong. The war in Ukraine was the last push to ensure no one will rely on Russian fossils. The last question is how to stop that reliance completely, and there are new questions that can only be achieved with a green transition in the European context.
“We have to convey a positive message to end customers as this is not their daily business. It takes time, but the understanding is growing every day,” he says.
Power-to-X solutions are attractive because of the ability to convert electricity to chemicals and fuels that can be more easily stored and transported. In Harjavalta and Joensuu, P2X Solutions is set to provide proof of concept, and deliver real world application, demonstrating what is possible, changing the world to become cleaner, together.
“The reality is that without hydrogen, we do not reach our global climate targets. We need to have hydrogen ahead of other sources,” Plit concludes.
// THE REALITY IS THAT WITHOUT HYDROGEN, WE DO NOT REACH OUR GLOBAL TARGETS //
Ace Aquatec has grown from a family-run business of two into a global supplier of welfare-first aquaculture and marine solutions with offices and distributors across UK, EMEA, Nordics, Americas and APAC. Through its responsible marine practices, Ace Aquatec has created an academically validated marine protection system called ‘FaunaGuard’ that targets a variety of common species to protect marine life from the potential perils of offshore construction activities and projects.
PRODUCTION: David Hill & Ace Aquatec
//Ace Aquatec was founded on the belief that good science and technological innovation can drive greener, more welfarefocused practices. With over 20 years experience in the aquaculture space, the company has grown from a familyrun business of two into a team of 30 experts focused on accelerating the adoption of sustainable aquaculture practices that enhance marine welfare.
Marine construction activities such as piling, drilling and blasting, and large scale dredging operations can cause deafness and other serious physical harm to local marine life if proper precautions are not taken.
Developed in 2018 with Van Oord, FaunaGuard is an innovative modular system which uses academicallyvalidated sound patterns with award-winning transducer technology to protect marine fauna around active construction sites by creating
safe, temporary exclusion zones.
Overseeing the operations for Ace Aquatec is FaunaGuard Manager, Andrew Gillespie who typically deploys the equipment on the side of an installation vessel prior to carrying out construction.
The philosophy of FaunaGuard is to make optimal use of the hearing capabilities of the various target species of marine life. Each module is purpose-built for a target species – fish, seals, porpoises or turtles and
uses modern acoustic techniques to guide them with specialised underwater sound patterns.
“We have built up our reputation on developing award winning innovative solutions which help marine contractors take a welfare first approach to projects,” explains Gillespie. “Acoustic mitigation devices are one of industry-standard solutions for preventing adverse effects of marine infrastructural development works, but not all devices are the same. Traditional devices in the market tend to apply a single pure tone on repeat and at a fixed loud volume, which can lead to deafness and habituation. The FaunaGuard philosophy differs in that a series of complex tonal patterns are
applied, at the lowest possible levels of sound, in order to reduce the risk of a permanent or temporary shift in the auditory threshold. Playing these tones at a set of defined frequency spectra elicits a behavioural response from a particular species or species group. These academicallyvalidated sound patterns at specific frequencies, devised by noted experts in Europe, with award-winning UK transducer technology, ensure better
environmental safeguarding and protection from loud sound-producing activity than our competitors.
“Regulatory bodies now openly state that sound levels emitted by some traditional devices are dangerous and detrimental to marine fauna; therefore, they would prefer to see safer, more welfare-focused devices like FaunaGuard being deployed as standard in offshore wind projects,” says Gillespie. FaunaGuard is a plug-and-play
// OUR ACOUSTIC HARDWARE HAS WITHSTOOD
THE HARSHEST CONDITIONS IN YEARS OF USE IN OFFSHORE AND AQUACULTURE INDUSTRIES //
solution that is very easy to set up and to use. It is typically deployed from the side of an installation vessel prior to the soft start of pile driving operations for the installation of subsea foundations and remains on throughout. Marine animals have ample time to move away before the sound-producing activity. The FaunaGuard Porpoise module was the first to market and has been the most popular hire, given the prevalence of harbour porpoises in the North Sea and other European
bodies of water. The robust, offshoreready hardware for the FaunaGuard Porpoise module was recognised by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency in Germany, which approved installation and deployment in the German exclusive economic zone. Moreover, the FaunaGuard Fish, Seal and Turtle modules have been proven to avoid sound emissions in unnecessary frequency ranges by filtering out high-frequency harmonics.
“FaunaGuard has proven itself
during use on several other offshore wind projects. Its most famous employment to date was at Van Oord’s Arkona offshore wind farm. It was also used on larger projects such as Gemini and Luchterduinen,” Gillespie says, “and here, the impact on porpoises in the vicinity of the project sites was drastically minimised. It was specifically requested for the first ever wind farm installation in Italy and multiple FaunaGuard modules were delivered to one of the major EPCI contractors as a component of the development of a substantial wind farm project in the Netherlands.
“Due to the increasing regulations regarding sustainability, the role of safely guide animals away from
// WE MOST
HAVE
TO BE MORE CONSISTENTLY GLOBAL AND TARGET THE DIFFERENT EMERGING MARKETS //
FaunaGuard systems create a temporary barrier to keep wildlife away from offshore sites, targeting the hearing ranges of specific species such as fish, seals, porpoises, or turtles. Our FaunaGuard systems are HSE compliant and approved by Federal Marine Hydrographic Agency BSH.
Contact faunaguard@aceaquatec.com for more information
construction works is becoming increasingly important, and can even be mandatory in order to execute a project. All these projects show that FaunaGuard is now seen as an essential component in managing less harmful piling procedures around the world.”
As the reputation and appeal of FaunaGuard grows, so too does the reach of its application. Its vaunted acoustic protection devices are regularly supplied to offshore wind farms North-West Europe, as well as further afield more recently in Qatar and the USA, for instance.
In recent months, Gillespie details, species-specific FaunaGuard modules have been deployed in large-scale projects in the Netherlands, France and Germany, and in the pipeline are
further projects in Europe with scope to send modules to Azerbaijan, in a first for the company. “We most certainly have ambitions to be more consistently global and target the different emerging markets,” he underlines, “particularly in the Baltic Sea with the likes of Poland, Latvia and Estonia, for example.
“China, Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam are also all areas where offshore wind continues to become increasingly prevalent and relevant, and so it’s key for us is to keep a close eye on where the need arises to protect marine mammals, and then collaborate with contractors by implementing FaunaGuard into those work areas.” More of these areas are materialising worldwide, and the potential for offshore wind and therefore FaunaGuard’s landmark application in noise mitigation only grows.
“Countries need and want clean, renewable energy on the doorstep,” Gillespie finishes, “and this will only grow as stringent netzero targets continue to be set. We want see our devices deployed as standard in every market and be the go-to noise mitigation solution for subsea offshore contractual works across the entire eco-system.”
The FaunaGuard team feel confident that their welfare-first systems will help increase industry and regulator confidence and ultimately protect a variety of targeted marine mammals around offshore construction sites.
Content sponsored by Ace Aquatec WWW.ACEAQUATEC.COM
Established in 1998, Advanced Valve Solutions (AVS) holds a deserved and unparalleled reputation for supplying specialist valves and equipment for some of the most demanding industrial applications. The latest developments within market leader PERSTA have resulted in a new high-pressure stop check valve innovation which has been expertly deployed by AVS, reports CEO Karel van Wijk, allowing improvements and ameliorated operations to abound.
PRODUCTION: Rob Fenton
AVS has spent many years accruing vast, intimate knowledge in the specification and selection of complete valve packages, across control valves, isolation valves, and made-tomeasure process solutions. From offices in the Netherlands, UK, and the USA, a collection of experienced engineers realises expertly-devised, tailor-made and engineered solutions for installations around the world, delivered to customers in the power, petrochemical, and oil and gas markets.
The aggressive liquids to which valves are exposed in the petrochemical industry can have a devastating impact on traditional valve materials - short maintenance cycles and high failure rates are expensive and disruptive to production schedules, and so the durability of AVS’s valves, able to
withstand the toughest conditions, generates significant cost savings. By nature, the locations and circumstances in which oil and gas installations must operate are many and varied; common to every installation, however, are the high demands on the components used.
“Reliable, compact valves with accurate control and a high number of switching cycles are indispensable,” underlines AVS. “Use of high-quality and innovative products leads to improved plant availability and saves on maintenance costs. All the valves that we install are manufactured to the highest quality standards, are durable, and also very easy to maintain.”
All of these factors and more combine to constantly test the operation of many power stations, making quick
and effective control and management essential. So many stations were not built with the current operational demands in mind, and under demanding conditions, material stress, excessive wear and premature ageing are more prevalent than ever before.
“We have clients in the power generation industry for whom we
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// RELIABLE, COMPACT VALVES WITH ACCURATE CONTROL AND A HIGH NUMBER OF SWITCHING CYCLES ARE INDISPENSABLE
Continued from page 86
have designed extensive engineering modifications to their plant,” opens AVS CEO Karel van Wijk, “which have resulted in significant improvements in terms of usability and reliability. As an independent company with a huge amount of engineering knowledge we can offer a lot of added value when it comes to what we are selling,” van Wijk tells Energy Focus of the company’s unique proposition. “We are not simply another warehousing company with
so many thousands of valves in stock which are then sold on; we order all of our valves as engineered products and supply these to the marketplace.”
This expertise has been trusted by clients covering the full range of independent power producers (IPPs), energy generating companies, and individual power stations, all of whom deploy these products to upgrade their facilities and so improve reliability. “With our process knowledge and valve know-how we can optimise different schemes to
deliver a bespoke engineered solution for any installation,” says van Wijk.
“We believe that this approach is unique within the industry and allows AVS to work in partnership directly with the client. Our extensive knowledge and experience means that we always offer solutions using high-quality, innovative products that optimise process control and performance.”
With the understanding that safety, reliability, and availability are of paramount importance, AVS only represents carefully selected, well-established high-quality manufacturers and independent suppliers in its operations, who understand the scores of challenges of delivering into this market.
“We enjoy excellent collaboration,
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// WITH OUR PROCESS KNOWLEDGE AND VALVE KNOW-HOW WE CAN OPTIMISE DIFFERENT SCHEMES TO DELIVER A BESPOKE ENGINEERED SOLUTION FOR ANY INSTALLATION //
Continued from page 88
communication and relations with our manufacturers,” van Wijk stresses.
The power arm of AVS represents up to 90% of overall business, with a host of products, tools, and services on offer to make a facility more reliable and capable of starting and stopping during the night and early morning when the demand for electricity is the lowest, in some instances, 400 times per year - a feat only possible with AVS’s intervention, van Wijk clarifies.
“Existing or legacy equipment simply cannot handle this,” he explains, “bypass stations spray wrongly, attemperators do not work and are vulnerable to thermo shock, as are old boilers, and these are all moderations we can make to transform power stations into quick start and stop regimes.”
While celebrating the increased presence of green power in the overall energy mix, van Wijk is pragmatic when it comes to attaining the difficult balancing act required to keep the grid level, and the world lit and productive.
“Power stations based on gas turbines, waste heat boilers and steam turbines are the backbone of the stability of our grid,” he says. “This has driven us to facilitate stable stations which are able to effectively start and stop quickly.”
In essence, van Wijk delineates, while wind, solar power and other renewable energy generation creates a more flexible demand on gas-fired power
Continues on page 92
and to supply to the grid as soon as possible,” he adds. “For all CCGT plants the demand for being reliable and the need to be able to start the installation, to supply to the grid, is the single most important driving factor.”
AVS succeeds in reducing starting time by maintaining pressure in the boiler during overnight shutdown.
“If all valves are tight - such as the installed bypass stations, the main steam or stop-check valves, and the blow down and drains valves - the boiler can be kept under pressure and a hot start can be achieved.
Continued from page 90
stations to balance the grid, in order to operate in a reliable, quick, modulating and start stop regime, improvements are still necessary. To start and stop a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) installation takes time, as the turbine
should be warmed through, as well as the rest of the power plant - the Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) downstream of the gas turbine, the interconnecting steam pipework, and everything else within the plant.
“This should be done as quickly as possible to limit the starting costs
“All control valves and attemperators are specific engineered items,” van Wijk underlines. “AVS will engineer the valve based on the process conditions and application. This results in the delivery of a mechanically optimised device.” Part of the Siepmann Group, PERSTA is a market leader in the manufacture of high performance, forged steel isolating
valves, whose high-pressure globe and gate valves in particular are a benchmark within the valve industry. Its high-quality products, continuous innovation and business flexibility have helped it to become a sought-after specialist for valves, gate valves and check valves, and new developments have now combined the tapered parallel slide gate valve with a full swing check vale into a single valve body: the stop-check valve.
“In many applications the use of a combination of a stop valve and a check valve is used,” van Wijk explains. “This results in two pressure containing parts, two potential leak paths and the added issues of space and, especially, weight, not to mention the extra insulation and the additional cost factor. Furthermore, the maintenance and inspection costs for these combinations,
have to be based on two valves.”
One of its most famous employments to date has been at Pulrose Power Station, where the main steam stop valve and non-return steam valves were wearing and leaking, allowing steam to escape into the off line boiler, causing condensation and stress corrosion cracking. With technical assistance from PERSTA, AVS was able to specify the correct valve and actuator arrangement which reliably seals after each operation, can be delivered in a quick timescale and be backed by excellent after sales technical and spares support.
“In service,” adds van Wijk, “the valves have been problem free and have eliminated the problem of steam leaking back. They were also stripped and inspected after one year of operation and found to be in excellent
condition. We have the exclusive rights to sell these products in these applications across many territories, and as such have been instrumental in the provision of reliable and robust valves in a multitude of plants.
“We constantly look to best apply our assistance from a consultation perspective through to the replacement of valves in critical applications,” van Wijk concludes, “and these PERSTA valves encapsulate the wide-ranging applications and resultant weight, cost and space saving potential that we strive to deliver.”
PRODUCTION: Rob Fenton
Agito Technical Dynamics is a global leader in software for the oil and gas industry that allows clients to test, simulate, and verify system parameters, ensuring safety for operators and cost savings for owners.
In the oil and gas industry, where there are big risks for big rewards, safety has become not only a priority, but a value and a culture. It is instilled not only in businesses but at the very forefront of the mind for anyone operating in the industry. Technology is increasingly deployed to support safety efforts, and the working practices and principles are now governed by safety above all.
But risks remain. Collisions, falls, fire, wind, rain, explosions, and highpressure leaks or bursts are all real dangers in today’s industry. According to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), oil and gas has a fatality rate of seven times that of the total of all other industries. Working in the field is serious.
However, when it comes to high-pressure equipment – including hydraulic, electrical, mechanical, and flow technology – there is a way to mitigate. Modern software, developed and perfected by industry professionals, specifically for use
with control systems and subsea production, is now utilised to protect personnel and the environment.
Agito Technical Dynamics, based in Norway, with offices in the UK and USA, is one of the key players in the delivery of specialised software, allowing operators and contractors in the oil and gas industry to detect problems before they arise.
“Visualise the solution, remove the risk, reduce the cost,” is the company’s motto.
CEO Knut Erik Myren tells Energy Focus that there is so much to be had from a dynamic software that can provide effective analysis and verification of designs and systems. Because of this, many of the world’s major oil and gas players utilise Agito to provide surety.
“We are a provider of a particular software, SimulationX, developed in Germany – a system software where you can utilise multiple components in the subsea environment, with
different equations and mathematics for each system. The software links these components, allowing you to run dynamic analysis,” he says.
SimulationX can be used across various engineering disciplines. The software was developed to meticulously analyse interaction between system parts, components, and assemblies.
// WE ARE BUILDING VIRTUAL MODELS OF SYSTEMS AND RUNNING THOSE SYSTEMS TO SEE HOW THEY BEHAVE. WE ARE THEN ABLE TO VERIFY IF THE SYSTEM WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS //
Agito partnered with developers, ESI, to build subsea libraries between 2010 and 2014. The result was the product quickly became the software
of choice for complex dynamic analysis in the offshore/subsea industry. The latest version, version 4.4, of the software was released in August 22.
“We are building virtual models of systems and running those systems to see how they behave,” says Agito EVP Sales & Marketing, Kjell Skar. “We are then able to verify if the requirements are met – for example, that a valve should be able to close in maximum 45 seconds – are met. We can play around with the system and see the different outcomes instantly.
“It offers verification of a system prior to companies even starting to build the system,” he adds. “That offers a significant advantage as when you build something there might be mistakes and you have to start repairs while you are a still building – and that is costly and time consuming. If you are able to reveal mistakes in a virtual model of the system, prior to the start of your build, there are
significant cost savings to be made.”
With many of the newer oil and gas discoveries coming in harder-toreach areas, at significant depth along with challenging temperatures and environments, components used in systems will come under significant strain. Virtual testing is imperative to ensure reliability. SimulationX offers users the chance to not only test models, but also enhance.
“The other big advantage is optimization of the system. You can play with the parameters of a system and see where the breaking points are in terms of pressures and fatigue. You can then optimise your system in the design phase, prior to building anything, using this analytical tool,” explains Myren.
The ultimate result here is safer and more reliable oil and gas operations, with confidence in the workforce, and certainty for engineers and owners. Agito calls on a long list of big-name clients when demonstrating its
// YOU CAN PLAY WITH THE PARAMETERS OF A SYSTEM AND SEE WHERE THE BREAKING POINTS ARE IN TERMS OF PRESSURES. YOU CAN THEN OPTIMISE YOUR SYSTEM IN THE DESIGN PHASE, PRIOR TO BUILDING ANYTHING, USING THIS ANALYTICAL TOOL //
effectiveness. Even some of the world’s most high-profile organisations have realised the benefits of SimulationX and the other software on offer from Agito. The company can work as a sales outlet or provide a much more comprehensive partnership, training engineers to use the software effectively, embedding knowledge into client culture.
“Verification of a given design is the core part of what we do,” states Myren. “Providing the software as well as training companies to use it, or taking on the complete job for companies who don’t have skilled people to utilise the software. This is typically something we do for bigger oil companies as they don’t normally have a team of analysts in this particular
area. They come to us after buying subsea production capabilities from other companies and they ask us, as a third party, to run a verification of that system. We have completed this type of work for BP, Shell, Petrobras, Hess, and most of the major companies.”
Auxiliary work around the industry helps Agito to stand out further, drawing on a range of different experiences that others cannot. Post-Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico, the company was contracted by bp to test and verify systems that led to the infamous valve blowout. This type of accident investigation is only something that could be handled by a company with
years of experience in dynamic system simulation and will of course lead to ongoing improvements in the software. “They return to us all the time, whenever they have something. These majors are all very reliable customers for Agito,” says Myren.
Improving efficiencies and ensuring optimisation in oil and gas operations are extremely important in an environment where costs and incomes are challenged thanks to macroeconomic conditions. According to KPMG, the industry is facing a lack of talent, diminishing consumer demand, crippling price fluctuations, and growing uncertainty as issues in Russia, Ukraine, China, the USA, and the EU combine to create an
uncertain atmosphere. But Agito is strong and stable and its services are vital because of the underlying safety concerns they address.
“The past few years have been challenging,” admits Myren. “We have experienced the results from the reduced oil price in 2016/17. As the market came back, the pandemic then hit us. It has been five or six tough years with a reduced amount of work. There has been a slowdown and people have been putting projects on hold. Many are now coming back, slowly but surely. We also expect that the reduced export of gas out of Russia will have an impact in the medium-term.”
But this small company is highly specialised and can overcome challenges by going back to its core – delivery of world-class, high-quality simulation software. SimulationX is universally regarded as the best computer-aided engineering
(CAE) software available and is a must for companies operating in the HPHT environment.
“We have the software and system knowledge, and we share specific analytical knowledge on given projects with our clients,” says Myren of the company’s leading position, comparing to Agito in its nascent form.
“The company started as a one-man operation back in 2001. The founder was from the oil and gas subsea application sector, and that is the basis for the foundation of the company. We work with the best software in the oil and gas industry for hydraulic subsea control systems. Subsequently, we have approached the oil and gas market –everyone from OEMs, systems suppliers, and operators – working with them as a partner before eventually selling the software to them,” he concludes.
By investing in partnerships with Agito, players in the global oil and gas
industry – small, medium and large –are spending on safety; virtually testing and verifying their systems, removing risks before they arise, promoting a culture of protection. With costs in the sector expected to increase further, it is now paramount that organisations do not double up on outgoings. It is unacceptable to be rebuilding systems midway through the development process because proper verification has not been achieved. Optimisation, reliability, efficiency, and above all, safety, is Agito’s business, and these elements are more than ever so hard to come by. Thankfully, Agito is open and ready to partner, problem solving with each interaction.
Content sponsored by Agito Technical Dynamics
Jason Grant, Managing Director at Aberdeen Drilling School, tells Energy Focus that the company is leading the way in experience and technology-led training that ensures safety in the global oil and gas industry. By investing in technological and geographical growth, this ambitious company is hoping to expand its reach as the industry changes in the future.
PRODUCTION: Tommy Atkinson
//“The things we teach, and the things our clients are doing off- and on-shore is some of the most dangerous work in the world,” admits Jason Grant, Managing Director at Aberdeen Drilling School.
According to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the oil and gas industry has a fatality rate of seven times that of the total of all other industries. Explosions, fires, falls, accidents with equipment or hazardous material, or problems in confined spaces are the leading sources of injury or worse. And most of the time, these issues are avoidable. Too often, lacking expertise and experience is the underlying indirect cause of troubles.
“There is a huge amount of pressure only a couple of valves away at any one time,” highlights Grant.
To ensure safety and drive new skills through the industry, especially when it comes to complex drilling and high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) environments, developing a competent workforce and continually educating in a quickly changing sector is vital.
Aberdeen Drilling School was
established in 1982 with the sole aim of keeping offshore drilling professionals safe. For the past four decades, the company has adapted and transformed to become a global leader in the training, teaching, and coaching of drilling professionals, instilling safety as the number one concern in the minds of all.
From its home in Europe’s oil capital through Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, Malaysia and the far east all the way to Mexico, Aberdeen Drilling School is building competence in the industry, through the use of real-world experience and industry leading technology.
“Our founder, Gene Wilson started teaching basic drilling practice and well control from our small Aberdeen office back in the 80s, then we started to get involved in supporting the regulation of the industry through the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) and later the International Well Control Forum (IWCF). These two industry bodies are set up to protect and ensure competence in the offshore workforce by implementing
regulation and certification based on industry best practice”, says Grant.
From there, our instructors became more involved in supporting complex well developments, working with clients in the North Sea that were entering new frontiers drilling HPHT and deepwater wells, developing a reputation for advanced drilling training and consultancy support.
Importantly, the company’s offering has proven its worth.
“We have worked with a number of clients from Oman to Malaysia to study the impact of our training, showing how our direct intervention in workforce competence has directly affected the safety, efficiency and the cost of drilling campaigns. The results of these studies have shown that nonproductive time is significantly reduced, and operations are run much more efficiently. To the client the savings make the cost of the training pale into insignificance,” Grant declares.
At the heart of Aberdeen Drilling School’s offering is the extensive field
experience of their instructors who have worked in complex drilling operations all over the world. They are supported by cutting edge simulator technology, developed inhouse within their sister company RelyOn Nutec Simulation.
“Having used commercially available drilling simulators for decades with limited success, we concluded that bringing the end users together with the technology developers would create the simulators that we always needed, operationally relevant mimicking real life operations”. User friendly, functional, efficient, and constantly updated, the simulators run by Aberdeen Drilling School provide learners with a hyper realistic setting, allowing them to experience and learn about their work in detail, without the risk of
disaster, always focussing on safety.
“It’s about role-specific competence in the drilling industry and that is our complete focus,” states Grant. “If you look at the workforce development work we undertake in the Middle East, that is all about establishing competency in the roles, from greenhands through to senior management. We ensure everyone works to the correct safe environment and feels empowered through knowledge, to recognise and stop dangerous situations from developing - safety should run through every part of the role, and that goes right up to our most advanced offerings. When we’re working with clients on our simulators in Aberdeen or in our other centres around the world, it’s about looking at how we
create the immersive environment, with operational familiarity, where dangerous operations are run safely.
“How we understand and control pressures and how we manage potentially catastrophic incidents in our industry involves having a highly competent and knowledgeable workforce, with individuals that can recognise danger and stop operations at any time. That is how we look at all of the work we do – it is all about having a competent well trained individual who has a safety mindset and is confident enough to stop operations if he believes something dangerous is happening,” he adds.
Currently, the company can upskill clients with courses across HPHT, deepwater drilling operations, well intervention and pressure control, well engineering, well integrity and more.
ADS3-Drill and ADS4-Drill simulators are full-size and provide a dynamic drilling simulation experience. ADS1-Drill and ADS2-Drill are smaller and portable, and allow for onsite crew training experiences. When combined with knowledge from Aberdeen
// WE ENSURE EVERYONE WORKS ON THE CORRECT SAFETY ENVIRONMENT- SAFETY SHOULD RUN THROUGH EVERY PART OF THE ROLE, AND THAT GOES RIGHT UP TO OUR MOST ADVANCED OFFERINGS //
Drilling School instructors, clients have the most thorough training available. By delivering a crucial competent workforce, the company also provides long-term costs savings and productivity enhancements.
“Our core skill is utilising the most experienced instructors that we can find. All of our instructors have offshore experience, and they have all worked in very complex drilling situations, all experiencing some of the issues that can happen. We use their expertise to design, develop and deliver courses and consult on operations,” says Grant, an industrial microbiologist by training, who has helped shape companies for global growth alongside the Scottish government, including establishing Aberdeen Drilling School in Malaysia in 2013 (now the largest well control school in Asia).
“We acquired a small simulation company around four years ago, and we have been working to ensure that we as a combined team develop the simulators to mimic operations as realistically as possible, both downhole and topside. Again, we call on the experience of our instructors to guide the teams that develop the simulators. That is our USP in this market. We
are an experience-based training provider that uses simulation as a tool rather than the other way around.”
With experienced coaches in our cyber-based simulator suite, even those new to the industry are able to quickly get up to speed and learn operational methods, underpinned by safety.
“They can drill, trip and run tools under extreme pressure, and they can push as hard as they want, as the simulated environment is unbreakable.
“For more advanced projects, we mimic the equipment being used on their own operations and can include third party equipment such as MPD or automated drilling packages. If we have well data from a client, we can program that into the system and the client will experience almost exactly the environment they would be drilling in the real world.
“There are two areas for the
simulator,” Grants adds. “The topside for the equipment, tools and the custom view from where the driller would operate, and the downhole – the part that nobody sees. That is where we have very complex hydraulic models that look at the pressures that are exerted at any one time, in any part of the well. Be that gas expansion, fluid, mud rates, well direction – they all have different challenges and we can build all of that into the downhole environment.”
This experience and knowledge is essential as it is now widely accepted that the easier oil and gas wells –especially in the North Sea – are all but gone. Closer interaction between government, private sector, and trade bodies was previously thought to be the key to improving UKCS economics, but in 2022 with public appetite for new exploration and the energy transition changing, it is clear that improving costs will come
// IF YOU EXTRAPOLATE THAT AS FAR AS IT CAN GO, WE CAN EVENTUALLY LOOK AT HOW YOU CAN DRILL AN UNMANNED OPERATION OFFSHORE, FROM A ROOM SOMEWHERE ONSHORE //Jason Grant, Managing Director
down to personnel competence and increasing use of technology.
“The amount of easy wells to be drilled, particularly in this part of the world, is not the same,” Grant acknowledges. “Just about every project we’ve had in the past 12 months has been HPHT focused, and in pretty deep water, very narrow margin drilling.
“There is a real shortage of experienced staff in our industry, we are about to see this coming to a head in the North Sea. We are already witnessing the shortage in places like Saudi Arabia where there are large numbers of new rigs entering the market, all looking for the same competent individuals. We have clients contacting us right now saying they are scared that their competent personnel are going to be poached by new entrants in the market. They want to incentivise, train, and progress staff so that they can retain and grow them.
“Many are looking at greenhand training and want to understand how to get new staff into the industry and build ground-up competence. In the Middle East, many of the new entrants to the industry come from Asia, and there is a need to make sure the personnel that arrive to undertake a critical role are competent to do so, so that they can hit the ground running. That is what we see in the Middle East and I think that will happen here in Europe over the next six to twelve months. There are a lot of next generation rigs moving into the North Sea so it is a new and exciting time for the industry, but very challenging for drilling contractors, trying to man those positions.”
Utilising tech as much as possible not only drives efficiency and cost, it is also a real aid in the industry’s safety drive – anything that can take people away from the drill floor or the red zone. In the longer-term, Aberdeen Drilling School hopes to be able to bring a new approach to drilling, using simulators to help automate the
drilling industry. World-class software development and simulator technology is required for such lofty ambitions.
“If we look at our simulator technology, we acquired the most advanced drilling simulation in the market. This has allowed us to move into complex consultancy, but it also has its challenges as this particular technology wasn’t really built to train large teams, and allow them to interact, and that is what the industry wants. We have done a lot of development to make our systems a bit more suited for interactive training and large groups,” states Global Portfolio Manager, Lauren Horgan.
In the near future, exchanging real-time information between the offshore rig and the onshore simulator will result in the ability to predict problems before they arise, creating a pathway for safe drilling, using the company’s simulators to verify.
“We are in discussion with a number of operators in the North Sea where they would give us real time data from their operations and would use that to drill 24-48 hours ahead of them, reporting back on difficult obstacles that we think may come up, feeding back directly to the drill crew.
“If you extrapolate that as far as it can go, we can eventually look at how you can drill an unmanned operation offshore, from a room somewhere onshore. That is where
the industry is going to go in the next two decades, but it does require a real time data swap,” says Grant.
Right now, RelyOn Nutec Simulation is trialling this concept with port operations – an industry sector that it sees as perfect for expansion.
“We have a number of simulators based in ports around the world, looking at how a port operator can streamline their business,” he says, adding that the whole idea is about the speed of moving cargo and if you can streamline logistics and train people to be more efficient then you can save many man hours and a great deal of money.
“Through those projects, we have got more into remote operations – how a simulator in a central office tied into an operating system can manipulate and manage multiple cranes around a port operation in real time. We have two projects running successfully at the moment where we have recreated an exact port operation, and use a simulator in an office, to move multiple cranes and cargo within the port. Remote operation systems is an area we really want to develop and build on. It is something that will happen in time within the drilling industry, as it becomes more automated, and we in Aberdeen Drilling School can look at how we support these operations remotely, from a simulator.”
For now, the company is busy building further training capacity so that industry competence is unquestionable, and safety is paramount. The Covid-19 pandemic moved the company, like many others, online temporarily. But Aberdeen Drilling School was comfortable, broadening its scope alongside the industry in a challenging time while retaining market share.
“Our strategy is to support global clients as they undertake a journey to upskill in everything they do,” says Horgan.
“There’s always competition and most of our clients have moved into the digital space, becoming increasingly comfortable with e-learning and virtual instructor-led training, particularly in the last three years. As part of the RelyOn Nutec group we have been lucky to have inhouse digital software development teams, and they have great development of e-learning capability. We are working with them to continuously develop and expand our capabilities. We launched our first collaborative project two years ago with the online IADC WellSharp Introduction to Well Control course. It’s currently our third largest selling e-learning course anywhere in the
world It’s a very interesting area, but we still see the expertise of our instructors as our USP and getting learners in front of our instructors, on fantastic tools like the drilling simulator that we have developed, is the future of our business with e-learning as a supplement,” she adds.
The digital footprint of the organisation is strong. In the past six months, the company has expanded its online operation and is now able to further support clients around the globe, with drill or well intervention crews able to log into the Aberdeen Drilling School online learning management system and complete competency programmes so that the company can establish a bespoke competency assessment based on existing criteria.
“We can work with global organisations to assess whether all of their teams are at the right competence level, and if they are not then we can fill those gaps with our role-specific training. Off the back of this, we have been developing cloud-based simulation to allow clients to fill competency gaps with online assessment and training on a drilling or crane simulator,” Horgan details.
Asked about the actual in-situ results of the training provided by Aberdeen Drilling School, Grant highlights a recent feedback session with an important client. Every problem the instructors imagined came up in the live environment. Thankfully, every solution instilled in the team was used to carefully navigate through a very difficult operation.
“Last year, we ran a number of DWOS courses for a pre-spud operation, looking at drilling a complex, high pressure well in the North Sea,” details Grant. “The client asked us to develop and run a number of scenarios based on what we thought could possibly go wrong when drilling in the high-pressure window. We used our instructor experience and we came up with possible critical situations and issues that could happen based on their own well information. We ran these scenarios with all four crews to train them to expect the unexpected.
“We had feedback from the client that three of the four scenarios that we took them through actually did start to happen when drilling the well. Thankfully, the team were well trained to recognise the trends, and knew what to do to deal with the situations as they occurred. In the end there was no incident through the entire drilling campaign and that is exactly what we want to hear,” smiles Grant, adding that the company continually develops new scenarios based on what their instructors think that could happen in complex operations, and practice them inhouse. “We don’t want our clients to come to us and ask us for something they require urgently and we don’t have it.”
Many of the world’s oil majors and related operating companies are either buying renewables companies or moving into the renewables space. There is momentum in the transition and fossil fuels will, eventually, be
left behind. But where Aberdeen Drilling School operates – offices in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Houston, Malaysia, Doha, Norway etc – drilling will continue, and competence is required around the delivery of wells.
“We are a niche organisation but we don’t focus only on drilling. We look at the lifecycle of the well itself,” confirms Grant. “That lends itself to renewables where we are teaching how to drill safely and manage competently. That can be a water well in Africa or a geothermal well in the USA - we have projects underway right now in these areas. Everything in the drilling lifecycle including what comes before drilling, the drilling campaign, maintenance of a well, and assurance of integrity in a well through its life, and abandonment, is all within our scope.”
For expansion, Grant is keen on two geographic areas. Firstly, the US land where there are issues with well abandonment, and secondly Australia where there are multiple deep-water applications in which the company could drive competence.
“How to abandon wells safely and securely is what we are busy with now and we work alongside the UK regulatory bodies to ensure training is developed to the highest standards, and that is something that we hope to take international. We know in the USA, there is problem around well integrity post-abandonment, and we see the work that we have initiated here with UK regulators as something which we can take to the immense US market.”
Poorly sealed wells have been an ongoing issue for US regulators, with some commentators suggesting that there could be millions of abandoned wells leaking harmful and hazardous materials, all over the country. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommended in 2019 that U.N. member countries should track and display the amount of methane leaking from abandoned oil and gas wells. In the US, more than 3.2 million abandoned oil and gas wells emitted
281 kilotons of methane in 2018.
“We hope to get underway with that in the next six months and work with US regulators and inspectors,” Grant says.
New projects in Australia are expected to support many jobs and businesses that are reliant on stable gas supplies. “I think that Australia in particular is a very exciting market at the moment. There are some really interesting complex deep-water operations that we would love to get involved with,” says Grant. “It is the interesting stuff that really excites us. Some of the operations in Australian waters, particularly in HPHT zones, are operations that we would love to work in. We have never managed to build a presence in Australia, despite completing over a dozen projects there with operators over the last 10 years.
“Other countries like Mexico, where we have started to establish a presence, are booming and we have just built a full-size drilling simulator there to support our clients. Brazil has so many rigs moving to start operations at the moment, and that will highlight that lack of capacity in the workforce,
which will in turn start the recruitment boom for competent personnel. Brazil and Mexico are the two exciting areas that we are in that will require a step up in our operations to cope with the demand. That also goes for Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi too, where the number of rigs going in is mind blowing.”
Combine decades of experience and premier technology, and the result is something that few can deliver: Trust. With so much requirement for competence on the horizon, and a shifting industry desperate for certainty around safety, Aberdeen Drilling School holds a fundamental position in the market.
Simulate, optimise, perfect is RelyOn Nutec Simulation’s motto, and Aberdeen Drilling School is doing just that, ensuring safety is drilled deep into the workforce of today and tomorrow.
PRODUCTION: Chris Bolderstone
The Moray West Project is a fully consented offshore wind project off the coast of Scotland, formed by a JV between Ocean Winds, EDPR and Ignitis Group, and is the sibling of Moray East, which reached full output last year.
Offshore wind is set to bear a huge amount of the heavy lifting of the UK’s energy requirements, delivering at least a third of the electricity demand by 2030. With the price of energy from offshore wind now at record low levels - the most recent UK government contracts for new offshore wind projects stood at £41/MWh compared to £92/ MWh for new nuclear - as well as decarbonising the economy, wind is helping to deliver value to households and businesses whilst sallying forth to Net Zero carbon emissions.
An integral element in the drive to supply UK homes with renewable energy and facilitate a successful energy transition, the Moray West wind farm will export clean green energy into the National Grid for the benefit of hundreds of thousands of consumers.
“Moray West offers the deployment
of a proven technology in a location with a recognised wind resource to deliver a low-cost, low-carbon supply of electricity for up to 640,000 homes,” underlines Moray Offshore Renewable Power, “at a time when the UK urgently needs new generation capacity to maintain an affordable supply of power.
“Once constructed, the project will provide a secure, reliable source of energy as an important step in climate action.” Currently, plans are based on the project becoming operational and generating first power in 2024, with an operational life of over 25 years.
60 Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbines, installed on fixed monopile seabed foundations, will join forces to present a combined installed capacity of almost 900MW over a 225km2 surface area, enabling
1.1 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions to be circumvented. The project’s rapid deployment plan is targeting installation of the Siemens machines in 2024, thus representing the first serial use of the massive 14 MW innovations, rapidly earning a reputation as the leader of the offshore revolution.
// THE MORAY WEST PROJECT STANDS TO MAKE A VITAL CONTRIBUTION TO SCOTLAND’S RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE TARGETS //
“Siemens Gamesa has a strong track record, and this model will allow the next progression in efficiency for offshore wind power generation,” commented Adam Morrison, Project Director for Moray West. “We look forward to working with Siemens Gamesa to ensure a smooth and safe installation programme as we move towards generation from this major renewable project.
“The project stands to make a vital contribution to Scotland’s renewable energy and climate change targets,” underlines Ocean Winds (OW), the Engie and EDP Renewables (EDPR) joint venture, formed in 2019 to bring together an existing pipeline portfolio of offshore wind projects and grow new business. Holding a 95% interest in the project, the resulting company describes itself as, “made by the wind, empowered by its clean and endless
energy which we believe will lead us to a better, carbon neutral world.
“Both companies of the OW joint venture believe that offshore wind energy is becoming an essential part of the global energy transition, leading to the sector’s rapid growth and increased
competitiveness. That is why they have included all their existing and pipeline offshore portfolios in the new company.
“OW has a strategic advantage and is well positioned to play a leading role in the offshore market.
“Innovating from limitless resources
and inspiration to engage the world into energy transition,” is how Ocean Winds sums up its mission to make energy happen every day. Scotland is famed for a phenomenal wind resource, one of the most abundant on the planet, and wind is easily its fastest-growing renewable energy technology; an oft-proven ambition, experience and commitment stands the country in good stead to become a global leader in offshore wind power.
Power then fully harnesses this potential by going further from shore and into deeper water than anyone else, allowing it to build larger wind turbines where the wind is especially plentiful. As with its East predecessor, Moray West is situated 22km from the coast, where it enjoys higher wind speeds and consistency in direction as well as greatly reduced impact on the local population.
In July, Moray West secured a major project milestone, having successfully bid for a 15-year Contract for Difference (CfD) as part of the UK government’s latest allocation round, bringing it closer to the final investment decision (FID) and financial close (FC). “Ocean Winds is pleased to receive a CfD offer for its Moray West project and continues to focus its efforts and expertise on reaching FID and delivering the project on time,” beamed COO for Ocean Winds, Grzegorz Gorski.
“We are particularly proud of our long-term commitment with the UK. In the Moray Firth area, where our Moray East project is now operational, we have built strong relationships with our stakeholders, shaping
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The trusted businesses outstanding reputation and proven ability to meet clients’ challenges head on with experience and innovation is what secured the project design certification work for the strategically important Moray West Offshore Wind Farm in Scotland.
One of the UK’s largest and most important offshore windfarm developments, the project is an integral part of the journey to New Zero carbon emissions and is set to be operational in 2024/25 with a lifespan of at least 25 years.
The experienced team at Bureau Veritas is providing independent verification and will deliver project certification.
In one of the largest offshore windfarm projects ever undertaken in the UK, 60 wind turbines are being installed, as well as two offshore substation platforms and offshore inter-array cables and export cables.
Talking about the scale of the project and the associated risk management, Mauricio Pereira, Head of Renewable Energy at Bureau Veritas, says: “We have over a century of history in the power sector and more than 25 years of offshore wind expertise which is why we are instrumental in working with the team at Moray West to ensure the project’s success.
“With an offshore wind farm of this scale and complexity, it’s vital to get the right third-party certification partner, and we are proud that Bureau Veritas has been chosen. We can identify potential risks at an early stage when they are more manageable and if initiated at the outset, project certification significantly reduces the risk profile of a wind project.”
Mauricio continues: “We are proud to be involved in such an exemplary project through each of the development stages; implementing sustainable resources and leading the way towards growing the offshore wind sector is playing an intrinsic role in accelerating the energy transition.”
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A MORE SUSTAINABLE WORLD FOR ALL… BUREAU VERITAS PARTNERS WITH MORAY WESTTO DELIVER ACCLAIMED OFFSHORE WIND FARM
// WE LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING MORAY WEST THROUGH ITS CONSTRUCTION PHASE AND DELIVERING SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCOTLAND AND THE UK //
together a growing offshore wind sector, and delivering clean energy and opportunities for the region.”
Gorski’s sentiments were echoed by Morrison, who recognised the vital contribution of all stakeholders in building a robust commercial project that underpins this successful bid.
“We now look forward to taking Moray West through its construction phase and delivering significant economic opportunities for Scotland and the UK.”
Another significant deal penned with Global Energy Group (GEG) marked the latest step in finalising the full supply chain for the project; a multi-million-pound contract for the supply of complex elements of foundation structure at the offshore substation platforms (OSPs).
“In the challenging global supply chain context that we find ourselves in,
we are pleased we have concluded this contract with GEG for local fabrication of these key, technically difficult, foundations structures,” Morrison unravelled. GEG, headquartered in Inverness, will fabricate the J-tubes at the quayside fabrication facilities at the Port of Nigg, situated in the Cromarty Firth and supporting 50 local jobs.
As with Moray East, Port of Nigg has been selected for the Moray West offshore wind farm and will be subject to an almost continuous use for pre-assembly and installation campaigns. “The decision to utilise Nigg follows three successful and safe large installation campaigns, including our sister project Moray East,” Morrison stated, of the desire to continue to benefit from the high quality deep water port facilities on offer.
The Moray West project stands
to make a vital contribution, not only to Scotland’s renewable energy and climate change targets, but to the regional and national supply chains which have already benefitted from investment during the development phase and will continue to do so throughout construction and its 25-year operational lifetime. “Our progress on finalising all commercial and contract arrangements,” OW concludes, “will now enable us to ramp up construction activity through 2022 and 2023, as we near delivery of a project crucial to the move to a net-zero economy.”
The stunning jagged rock formations of Alaqan - Gary Cummins
At a time when the world needs fresh thinking and new solutions more urgently than ever, NEOM marks an era-defining attempt to do something that’s never been done before, and represents a vision of what a new future just might look like. Across 26,500km² in Saudi Arabia NEOM will redefine how we live, work and prosper in new model for urban sustainability powered by 100% renewable energy.
“You see desert. We see opportunity.” These six words neatly encapsulate how the construction of a futuristic, sustainable new city has come to be underway, a multi-trillion dollar project to include smart towns, port and enterprise sectors, research centres, sports and entertainment venues and tourism centres. The project will cover 26,500 square kilometres made up of 41 coastal islands and encompass a range of sectors, including industrial and
logistics, with completion set for 2025.
NEOM’s founder, His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, envisioned the destination as an agent of progress and change, with the concept of future irrevocably intertwined with NEOM’s basic identity: its name, its values and vision. To reflect the project’s global identity, human dimension and remarkable ambition, the word NEOM is derived from ‘NEO MSTACBEL’, whose initials signify core project areas such as
media, sports, technology and energy. The letter M is the first letter of the Arabic word for the future and also the first letter of Prince’s nameMohammed - and was merged with the word the Greek word ‘NEO’ meaning new, to form the name that constitutes the beacon of change in the world. “Thus, the name NEOM was formed, and from that moment on, the lights of NEOM have pierced the sky, heralding a luminous dawn, a promising future, and a rich life in a land built by man for the sake of all humanity.”
First unveiled by Prince Mohammed in 2017, Saudi Arabia’s flagship business and tourism development
THE LIGHTS OF NEOM PIERCE THE SKY, HERALDING A LUMINOUS DAWN, A PROMISING FUTURE, AND A RICH LIFE //Stargazing on al-Lawz mountain, Neom’s tallest mountain - Aaron Jenkin
is of huge significance in the larger 2030 Vision that seeks to diversify the economy. Located on the Red Sea in northwestern Saudi Arabia, NEOM has been designed both to respond to some of the most pressing global challenges facing urban areas and inspire alternative ways of living.
It is to be built in such a way as to highlight mankind’s relationship with the natural world and will preserve 95% of the site’s natural environment, while all energy in NEOM will be 100% renewable emanating from solar, wind and hydrogen-based electricity generation to create a zeroemissions, carbon-positive ecosystem. “The need for fresh solutions to climate change could not be more
evident,” NEOM stresses. “That’s why the world needs to accelerate the change to renewables. Fast.”
“NEOM is creating a step change in the way we use and make energy,” underlines Peter Terium, Energy Sector Head at NEOM. “Leveraging an abundant supply of solar and wind to produce clean, affordable energy that boasts minimal emissions and optimal reliability for industry,
people and planet, we will become the world’s first region to be powered exclusively by renewables, energising a circular economy that uses all resources efficiently.”
Solar and wind energy will also offer a singular set of conditions for developing new clean technologies like green hydrogen, posited as arguably the biggest driver of future global decarbonisation. In March NEOM
// WE WILL BECOME THE WORLD’S FIRST REGION TO BE POWERED EXCLUSIVELY BY RENEWABLES, ENERGISING A CIRCULAR ECONOMY THAT USES ALL RESOURCES EFFICIENTLY //
announced the launch of subsidiary company ENOWA, which will lead the development of world-class,
sustainable energy and water systems.
“ENOWA benefits from NEOM’s greenfield site, which has no legacy infrastructure, to advance energy, water, and hydrogen innovation while providing sustainable fuels like green hydrogen to international users,” said H.E. Eng. Abdulrahman AlFadley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture and Chairman of ENOWA. “The creation of ENOWA is a significant development for NEOM and the nation, and it will be the blueprint for developments elsewhere for years to come.”
In May, NEOM also launched its very own re-greening initiative in
collaboration with the National Centre for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification, part of its program to rehabilitate at least 1.5 million hectares of land. Supporting the Kingdom’s aims to plant 10 billion trees, it will catalyse the return of 100 million native trees, shrubs and grasses by 2030 to aid the restoration of degraded land and repair wildlife habitats.
“Protecting the natural landscape and ensuring the coexistence of human and natural habitats is integral to NEOM’s vision,” relayed Nadhmi Al-Nasr, Chief Executive Officer of NEOM. “By
Continues on page 120
// NEOM IS A LIVING LABORATORY THAT WILL INSPIRE AN EVOLUTIONARY CHAPTER IN PLANETARY REGENERATION AND CONSERVATION //
Film production companies are sometimes recommended through the advertising agencies contracted by brands but the trend is shifting towards brands engaging directly with production companies either through their procurement or marketing departments.
Film production companies are sometimes recommended through the advertising agencies contracted by brands, but the trend is shifting towards brands engaging directly with production companies either through their procurement or marketing departments.
Providing the production company has creative capabilities to generate advertising concepts from a client’s brief, this approach can be much more time and cost efficient.
Generally, great directors produce great results across all categories. Their demands and expectations come at cost which can be priceless in terms of production values. The need equally great production team to deliver their magic.
Generally, great directors produce great results across all categories. Their demands and expectations come at a cost which can be priceless in terms of production values. They, need equally great production teams to deliver their magic.
Provided the production company has creative capabilities to generate advertising concepts from a client’s brief, this approach can be much more time and cost efficient.
production houses are director based, meaning they a roster of exclusive directors. The priority of producers is to secure jobs for their directors and so when the enquiry goes to them for a director recommendation, the director whose schedule is free will be put forward. Alternatively other production houses work with a much larger roster of non-aligned directors or independent director reps with the advantage of putting forward the best director for a specific brief.
Most European and American production houses are directorbased, meaning they have a roster of exclusive directors. The priority of producers is to secure jobs for their directors and so when enquiries go to them for a director recommendation, the director whose schedule is free will be put forward, alternatively, other production houses work with a much larger roster of nonaligned directors or independent director reps with the advantage of putting forward the best director for a specific brief.
The other category of directors is to do with genre or specialism. Directors who are skilled in cars commercials, or storytelling, action and adventure, corporate films, documentary, humor or lifestyle.
The other category of directors is to do with genre or specialism - directors who are skilled in car commercials, storytelling, action and adventure, corporate films, documentary, humour or lifestyle.
The right caliber of an independent production house will propose the best possible director based on the proposed air date, budget and creative content of the idea. They will responsible for delivering within the agreed timeline and budget and ensure the creative integrity and highest possible production value.
The right calibre of an independent production house will propose the best possible director based on the proposed air date, budget, and creative content of the idea. They will be responsible for delivering within the agreed timeline and budget, and ensuring the creative integrity and highest possible production value.
Decades of international and regional experience has honed our understanding of marketing objectives and egies and their dependance on relevant, impactful execution, to be visible and effective. Before informing the audience of our message, we first have to capture their attention. We mobilize the greatest talent from around the world to ensure a result that stands out above all expectations and work hard to make our hard work seem effortless.
Our collaborations with international and local brands have engaged hundreds of millions of people, across all media and we look forward to showing what we can do for you.
Continued from page 118
launching this initiative, we are well underway to becoming a leading contributor to the conservation and preservation of one of the world’s outstanding natural environments.”
“Through pioneering research partnerships, pilot technologies and innovations, NEOM is accelerating its efforts to repair the planet for current and future generations and reconciling the partnership between humanity and nature. NEOM is a living laboratory that will inspire an evolutionary chapter in planetary regeneration and conservation.”
NEOM will consist of multiple constituent parts which include OXAGON, its catalyst for economic growth and diversity in NEOM and the Kingdom. “This will be a place where innovators and entrepreneurs can accelerate ideas from labs to market, and a city where people come together to live, work and play – in thriving communities,” NEOM enthuses of a key element in its quest to become a hub for innovation for both established global businesses and emerging players.
“OXAGON sits as the industrial hub of NEOM with an integrated
port and logistics facility, the most state-of-the-art facility in the world delivering a tremendous amount of value to everybody across NEOM.
OXAGON is also the first major residential development to go live and it will embody all the values of NEOM, from sustainability to liveability, and is the home for large-scale industrial activities such as hydrogen, water and modular building production.”
As NEOM awards key drill and blast tunnelling contracts for work on the region’s infrastructure, considered one of the world’s largest transportation and utility projects, work is progressing to achieve its awe-inspiring vision
of the new future. Unveiled in July were details of the megacity billed as a ‘civilisational revolution’, THE LINE, only 200 metres wide but 170
kilometres long and 500m above sea level where, eventually, 9 million people will be accommodated.
“THE LINE will provide an unprecedented urban living experience while preserving the surrounding nature,” NEOM declares. “It redefines the concept of urban development and what cities of the future should look like, putting people first and prioritising health and wellbeing over transportation and infrastructure, unlike traditional cities. No roads, cars or emissions, it will run on 100% renewable energy and 95% of land will be preserved for nature.”
“THE LINE will tackle the challenges facing humanity in urban life today and will shine a light on alternative
ways to live,” promises His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Chairman of the NEOM Company Board of Directors. “We cannot ignore the liveability and environmental crises facing our world’s cities, and NEOM is at the forefront of delivering new and imaginative solutions to address these issues.”
“NEOM is leading a team of the brightest minds in architecture, engineering and construction to make the idea of building upwards a reality.”
// NEOM IS LEADING A TEAM OF THE BRIGHTEST MINDS IN ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION TO MAKE THE IDEA OF BUILDING UPWARDS A REALITY //A bird’s eye view of boats anchored off of Yabou’ Island - Marc le Cornu
Sustainable, Reliable and Affordable
In charge of both of the territory’s power plants, Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK) supplies customers and industries across a host of sectors. While still heavily reliant on this duo of coal-fired plants, it is an energy sector considered to have some of the greatest potential for development in the world, with improvements in energy storage, solar power and equitable transition key focuses.
PRODUCTION: Tommy Atkinson
Incorporated in 2005, KEK is vertically integrated and, as part of the power system of the Former Yugoslavia, previously focussed primarily on the production of energy from coal, with power supplied by plants outside of Kosovo. By the late 1990s, the core business of the Corporation had switched to the production of coal and energy in Kosovo itself, through two open-cast coal mines - the Mirash mine and Bardh mine - and two power plants, Kosovo A and Kosovo B, which cover the territory.
Electricity consumption and peak demand in Kosovo grew more than 90% between 2000 and 2010, plateauing from 2011 to 2018 before
adding a further 20% between 2018 and 2021. There is a vital need of stable, base-load power generation in Kosovo that can meet demand, and seeking to boost supplies of affordable, reliable and sustainable energy and so engender economic
growth and development, the Government of Kosovo has prioritised the modernisation and improvement of the country’s energy sector.
Kosovo has huge lignite reserves - estimated to stand as the world’s fifth largest at up to 14 billion tonnes
// MANY INVESTORS ARE INTERESTED AND MANY WIND AND SOLAR PROJECTS ARE COMING, WITH LICENSES ISSUED BASED ON COMPETITIVE AND TRANSPARENT PROCESSES, SECURING THE LOWEST PRICE FOR CONSUMERS //
- but its two thermal power plants are outdated and constantly in need of repair. Energy security has for some time been a concern in Kosovo and the challenges faced mirror those experienced at present on a global scale. While securing supplies is a priority, the country faces pressure to be greener too, in line with the
goals of the European Union, which Kosovo one day wants to join, and as such the government aims now to set forth on a path to sustainability.
A comprehensive strategy has been compiled to include increased energy efficiency, development of renewable sources of energy, and support for a new power generation. The surge in energy prices in Europe in late 2021 and 2022 has only increased the urgency to invest in sustainable domestic energy generation and reduce dependence on expensive imports.
Not only necessary in order for growth, poverty reduction, and shared prosperity to occur, in turn, it is anticipated that such improvements will prompt greater investment from foreign and domestic firms into Kosovo and create valuable jobs. Progress in developing renewable energy was somewhat hampered for a number of years by plans for a new 500 MW lignite power plan, which meant that efforts and resources were subsequently diverted away from the development of more sustainable forms of energy. With the project being officially cancelled in early 2020 and no other coal-fired power plant slated
// KEK MUST BE PROACTIVE AND INNOVATIVE IN THE DIVERSIFICATION OF ENERGY SOURCES //
for construction, a goal of 1.4 GW in renewable energy capacity has now been set as part of Kosovo’s strategy for the period until 2031. In 2019 Kosovo reached a 25.69% share of energy from renewable sources, measured in terms of its gross final energy consumption and exceeding its target of 25% for 2020; the government now targets 50% by mid-century.
Perfectly aligned with this, KEK has reiterated its commitment to developing infrastructure for the production of green energy, with a solar power plant of 100 MW set to
be built at what is now an ash dump for the Kosova A coal-fired thermal power plant leading the way. Minister of Economy Artane Rizvanolli said that the first renewable energy auction in Kosovo would be launched by the end of the year as a pilot for solar power, with the European Bank for Reconstruction and development assisting the government in preparing the procedure and rules.
“Many investors are interested and many wind and solar projects are coming, with licenses issued based on competitive and transparent processes, securing the lowest price
for consumers,” she announced after the inauguration of the Selac wind park, and according to CEO Përparim Kabashi, KEK also has plans afoot to produce a similar feasibility study for wind power, to join Kosovo’s Kitka wind farm.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti stated that the governmentcontrolled power utility, “must be proactive and innovative in the diversification of energy sources,” by including renewables, adding that the Government of Kosovo foresees a central role for KEK in leading the way in this pursuit. “The green agenda is
IS ONE OF OUR GOVERNMENT’S PRIORITIES - IT INCLUDES AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF OUR EU INTEGRATION PROCESS, BUT ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE NEED TO PHASE OUT COAL //
Are
NOVAMAT provides you with the proper products and services for developing hydro energy, wind energy, solar energy, oil and gas energy projects. For more than 15 years in the market, NOVAMAT has been part of some of the most prestigious energy projects in the Balkan region.
Thanks to the experienced staff and high technical competence, adding to the wide range of quality products, NOVAMAT comes to your aid, assisting you from the projection to the maintenance phase, to improve your standard of living and to develop your projects and businesses even further. As such a company, we are looking forward to a successful working relationship in the future. For any further information scan the code.
one of our government’s priorities, not only because it includes an important aspect of our EU integration process, but especially because we need to phase out coal, while maintaining our energy independence,” Kurti briefed at the inauguration ceremony.
Rizvanolli has also vowed to make the energy transition fair for both KEK and its employees. The company said it is also working on an EU-backed project for five water and wastewater treatment plants for Kosova B which should enable a 15% cut in water consumption as water would be reused.
In July 2022, US foreign assistance agency Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), created in 2004 with the objective to reduce
global poverty through economic growth, signed a new $202 million agreement with the Government of Kosovo for a grant programme specifically targeting further improvements with the country’s rapidly developing energy sector. Including an additional $34 million contribution from Kosovo’s government, the grant will support one project for energy storage and another for just and equitable transition acceleration in Kosovo. It will also fund a project aimed at promoting private investments in Kosovo’s energy sector, to be conducted in collaboration with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
“The focus of the energy strategy for 2022-2031 will be to increase the share of renewable energy sources and decarbonise the energy
sector,” Melik Krasniqi, senior public relations officer at the Kosovo Ministry of Economy, told BIRN, with the MCC project set to enable a monumental energy transition.
“The Kosovo Compact will support three projects focused on addressing Kosovo’s unreliable supply of electricity and will assist Kosovo in transitioning towards an energy future that is more sustainable, inclusive, reliable and affordable,” MCC summarised. “The Program is expected to enter into force in April 2024, starting the 5-year implementation period and allows access to full program funding for procurements.”
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Important events and exhibitions taking place across the energy sector, giving brands a platform to tell their story.
DEC 05
DEC 05 - 08 | SAN DIEGO
Governments across the globe and international automakers alike continue their bullish outlook on the future of electrified transportation. Consequently, the technological development needed to support vehicle electrification must keep pace with rising expectations –batteries with enhanced performance, durability, cost, and abuse tolerance are indeed crucial to the viability of each of the hybrid/ electric vehicle powertrains. AABC was founded to review the status of automotive battery technology and provide informed glimpses into the future. The in-person and virtual program will uncover the underlying technical and business issues that will impact the pace and path of vehicle electrification worldwide.
JAN 16
JAN 16 - 18 | ABU DHABI
The World Future Energy Summit is the leading international event accelerating sustainability and the global transition to clean energy. Exhibition, technology showcase, investment incubator and business forum all rolled into one event, the summit convenes leaders, innovators and global thinkers to share ideas that are creating the blueprints for a sustainable future. Every year, 34,000 international visitors and buyers from 125 countries attend the show to network, unveil breakthrough technologies, experience live demos, learn the latest industry insights, develop new business partnerships, and source leading-edge products.
JAN 23
JAN 23 - 24 | BERLIN
The 20th International Conference on Renewable Mobility “Fuels of the Future” will take place again from 23rd to 24th January 2023. The motto of the conference is: “Fuels of the Future 2023 - Navigator for sustainable Mobility!” As usual, the event will be bilingual (German-English). Fuels of the future 2023 welcomes national and international participants including representatives from the raw material collecting and processing industry, the biofuel, mineral oil and automotive industry, the chemical industry, the transport and logistics sector, certification systems as well as from politics, science and research. The aim of the International Conference is to provide participants with an up-to-date status report on the many different legislative initiatives and to discuss corresponding recommendations for action, to present current market developments and project examples of renewable mobility, and to provide a broad platform for the exchange of experience.
NOV 29
NOV 22 GREEN HYDROGEN FORUM | VIRTUAL AFRICA OIL & POWER LUANDA
DEC 01
DEC 05
JAN 16
JAN 23
JAN 25
EP SHANGHAI SHANGHAI
ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE BATTERY CONFERENCE SAN DIEGO
WORLD FUTURE ENERGY SUMMIT | ABU DHABI
FUELS OF THE FUTURE BERLIN INTERSOLUTION GHENT
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