N OVEMB ER
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Jeff Bezos Founder, Chairman & CEO
AMAZON
S P EC I A L
F E ATU RES
LEADERSHIP JinkoSolar Ranked Among the 2018 Fortune 500 Companies in China 28
STO R I E S
Finding More About The Generation G Engineers 44
Trina Solar Chairman Jifan Gao elaborates on the PV maker’s continued steady growth in 2018 32 Europe adds 4.5 GW of wind energy in first half of 2018 42
Tips in Answering The Most Difficult Engineering Job Interviews 48
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05/07/2018 16.51
E D I T O R ’ S
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N O T E
oing green does not only ensure the planet’s environmental sustainability but also an economic certainty.
As Hurricanes Florence and Michael hit Central America recently, several businesses and public operations shut down because of the massive power outage. Fixing things up would certainly cost so much in addition to property damages. But one nation stood out as an example— Costa Rica. This country has turned the green energy on to remain resilient amidst calamities. Powering communities with renewable energy such as solar, wind, and hydro would not only help to limit the temperature rise to 1.5oC and suppress the effects of the changing climate but would also provide consistent energy. When a country is restricted only to national power grids, chances are that communities will recover slowly from a dead power supply. Decentralizing power sources into microgrids and energy storages will enable citizens to continue their daily lives as these outlets can be stationed around establishments such as schools, hospitals, and other important facilities that need continuous electricity. Costa Rica, eyeing to become carbon neutral by the year 2021, has been practicing this innovation for years and has already provided energy to over five million people.
Mechanical engineering has been a steadfast ally in fighting these dilemmas that even firstworld countries encounter. 04
The Green Throne
Leading A Future Powered By Renewable Energy
This can be realized soon in many parts of the world as business giants such as Amazon are building renewable energy installations to light cities and states. This investment is called a ‘win-win-win’ situation by many companies as they can uplift the revenue and provide reliable utilities to communities while creating a large-scale contribution in lessening greenhouse gas emissions. The vision of making the world carbon neutral in the coming years would be very much possible as long as corporations will be responsive to the challenges and risks posed by our degrading environment. Steps made by Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO, are a clear manifestation that world business leaders are not merely after the profits; they are actually changing the landscape of carbon-emitting industries. In this feature, we will get to know why Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon is heavily invested in renewable energy. Armed with its present-day innovations, the organization, and its core promise to continue to create projects that can help improve lives. All these green ideas and more will be shared in this release to serve as a
source of inspiration to every engineering leader to make your next bold move in creating a global impact by turning the green light on.
And as a bonus for this month’s release, we are to give you a peek featuring different facets of the life of an engineer— starring hard facts in the professional work environment, life hacks and useful leadership guide.
You wouldn’t also want to miss tips on crafting the most effective engineering resume while finding out and landing one of 2018’s highest paying tech jobs. Get ready as well to learn the secrets of workplace coaching and its benefits for a better and more proactive leaders inside your firm.
All of that and more from this issue. Cheers to you, engineer!
Robert Bagatsing EDITOR
C O N T E N T S
S P ECI A L
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F EATU RES
LEADERSHIP
44
Why is Amazon investing on green energy?
Top-tier companies do not stop moving forward after securing a spot on the Forbes list—they are consistently devoting their time and energy innovating on projects that will not only matter for a particular time but will inspire generations to come. Small steps will surely make a difference once pieced together, how much more if the move for renewable energy starts with the biggest business giants?
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Timely Global Collaboration – Technology, Value and People
Finding More About The Generation G Engineers
In this age driven by enormous demand for talent, meet the new generation of engineers that will patch the source gap.
48 28
STOR I E S
Tips in Answering The Most Difficult Engineering Job Interviews
In this age driven by enormous demand for talent, meet the new generation of engineers that will patch the source gap.
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JinkoSolar Ranked Among the 2018 Fortune 500 Companies in China
Trina Solar Chairman Jifan Gao elaborates on the PV maker’s continued steady growth in 2018
32 World’s first viral engineering magazine www. GineersNow.com
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Europe adds 4.5 GW of wind energy in first half of 2018
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Top-tier companies do not stop moving forward after securing a spot on the Forbes list—they are consistently devoting their time and energy innovating on projects that will not only matter for a particular time but will inspire generations to come. Small steps will surely make a difference once pieced together, how much more if the move for renewable energy starts with the biggest business giants?
T
o run totally on renewable energy is a vision where Jeff Bezos, CEO of the largest online market Amazon, is heavily investing. Well, not just investing. They are actually head-to-head with Google for the green throne. But why do companies like Amazon spend millions of dollars to build on projects that run on wind movements or light up through sun rays?
Green Energy As A Social Responsibility As a response to the threats of the 2℃ possible increase in the world’s temperature, global leaders are urging every nation, every company, and organization to take actions. If asked, who has the power to influence and make a larger change? Of course, corporations like Amazons who are on top of the food chain. And for as long as industries know too
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Just last year, Bezos has also announced that well that they are one of the largest emitters of carbon, they should also be the ones pouring more attention. Renewable energy is more than just a banner to attract planet-conscious people to buy products and receive applause. It is a responsibility and Bezos has seen it as an issue that his company should take seriously. As an answer to the crisis, he has built mega projects like the 813,000 square-foot-
08
sized installations which can power a thousand homes in Las Vegas last May. This is a part of Amazon’s ambitious plan to fulfill 50 solar arrays by 2020. Just last year, Bezos has also announced that Amazon Wind Farm Texas is operational and able to produce over 1 million megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy to the grid annually built by Lincoln Clean Energy. The wind farm has over 100 turbines
Amazon Wind Farm Texas is operational and able to produce over 1 million megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy to the grid
LEADING GLOBAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND INTEGRATED SUPPLIER CHINT is committed to providing the world with safe, reliable and stable electrical equipment and clean energy solutions. After more than 30 years of growth,CHINT has developed from Asia’s largest LV apparatus supplier to leading global electrical equipment and integrated supplier,with strength transformation,distribution to terminal consumpion. To date,with the annual sales revenue exceeding more than 6.7 billion euros and over 30,000 employees around the world,CHINT has provided reliable electrical equipment and solutions for more than 130 countries and regions worldwide as an active player of electric power construction in the global market.
ZHEJIANG CHINT ELECTRICS CO.,LTD. ADD: Office NO.LB182406,P.O.Box:263174,Jebel Ali,Dubai,United Arab Emirates TEL: 00971-48848286 FAX: 00971-48848287 E-mail: chintwaa@chint.com Website: www.chint.net
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each standing more than 300-feet tall and with a rotor diameter over double the wingspan of Boeing 787 making it the biggest wind farm in Synder, Texas. Beyond increasing revenue, companies like Amazon have seen the opportunity to make a positive impact to communities—improved utilities generate jobs and lessen the carbon footprint of power sources. Today, the US is now one of the largest countries investing in renewable energy sources as more companies like Amazon are taking it not just a priority but also a social responsibility. Bezos is currently part of the team comprised of the world’s best executives who founded Breakthrough
10
Today, the US is now one of the largest countries investing in renewable energy sources as more companies like Amazon are taking it not just a priority but also a social responsibility.
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Energy Ventures (BEV) with a goal to “make sure that everyone on the planet can enjoy a good standard of living, including basic electricity, healthy food, comfortable buildings, and convenient transportation, without contributing to climate change.�
Sustainable energy for every community in the US is a dream for
Keeping The Commitment Amidst Risks Investment on renewable energy has captured the heart of Bezos even though this venture can be pricey and definitely require a massive capital outlay and takes a long-run return of investment. Bezos is willing to take the risk and wait. Moreover, this renewable power plant has displayed a massive
14
Amazon and they are obviously taking a lot aof actions to make that a reality.
Digital Transformation Operational Intelligence Productivity Risk Management Smart Machine Safety through Security
What if new technology could achieve things you didn’t know were possible? Many organizations are already making The Connected Enterprise a reality. They converge networks to create a common production platform, and gain unprecedented access to data. They see real business results that include: • • • • •
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Learn more about our implementation of The Rockwell Automation Connected Enterprise Journey
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While more businesses are popping up in this technological era, clean-energy developers are really finding new doors and opportunities towards the development and sustainability of wind and solar power plants. 18
potential for opening new waves of jobs in the US. While more businesses are popping up in this technological era, clean-energy developers are really finding new doors and opportunities towards the development and sustainability of wind and solar power plants. As a matter of fact, International Energy Agency confirmed that global investment in wind and solar are now outpacing investment in fossil fuels. It boils down with the fact that producing wind and solar power costs are now
A S M E
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S P C O EV CE IRA L S TFOERAYT U R E
declining. Going back to Bezos, imagine how he has been hooked and how he is full of determination to reach their longterm goal to power their own energy consumption and global infrastructure using 100 percent renewable energy, they are now able to power about 350,000 homes. Rooftop solar panels are one of the ways Amazon is looking to utilize renewable energy while for wind turbines, the CEO allotted to break bottles of champagne so it can be used to power massive cloud computing
22
A S M E
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service. Sustainable energy for every community in the US is a dream for Amazon and they are obviously taking a lot of actions to make that a reality. To this day, Amazon continues on executing impressive efforts. Bezos is inspired to do more and step on towards a greener environment. As they get their green light on, they are up for something greater than any company is trying to build and plant. Their determination has reached a certain goal for renewable energy sources. Bezos and his biggest achievement on making not just the Amazon empire but more importantly creating a game changer plan for the benefit of a better world has seen hope—the hope to inspire more companies to take the risk and do their part and help create a world that completely powered by renewable energy.
Bezos is inspired to do more and step on towards a greener environment. As they get their green light on, they are up for something greater than any company is trying to build and plant. 24
S P E C I A L
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Timely Global Collaboration – Technology, Value and People Sunlight Electrical Pte Ltd, a CHINT subsidiary, completed an iconic project execution for a prestigious global solar manufacturer (North Europe origin). The mentioned solar manufacturer planned to have an expansion for the existing solar panel manufacturing plant in the west of Singapore. Around 60 low voltage switchboards were required and needed to be in full operation with all the automation control integrated within half a year from the project commencement to ensure the solar manufacturer business growth. The oversea contractor only leaved half of the normal execution time to Sunlight, which was the key challenge in the project.
T
he whole project team in China and Singapore walked the extra miles to
work through the festive season holidays with the highest safety standard both at Sunlight factory
26
and at customer site. One great compliment statement from the electrical contractor director - “…. usually back in our own country, we need to rework and troubleshoot on the low voltage
switchboard when the panel builder
With this compliment, Sun-
delivered them to the site for integra-
light is again endorsed by the mar-
tion; for this project which Sunlight
ket and with its merger into CHINT,
Electrical had delivered, we just
an excellent global collaboration
wired up, tested and commissioned to
can be offered to the market.
put them into operation; no further intervention was required which save us lot of productive time to complete the project on-time with consistent quality ‌�.
With this compliment, Sunlight is again endorsed by the market and with its merger into CHINT, an excellent global collaboration can be offered to the market.
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JinkoSolar Ranked Among the 2018 Fortune 500 Companies in China JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (“JinkoSolar” or the “Company”) (NYSE: JKS), a global leader in the photovoltaic (PV) industry, today announced that it is ranked 278th on the 2018 Fortune 500 Companies in China and 1st among solar manufacturers.
F
ortune China’s annual
three years,” commented Mr. Kangping
ranking of the top 500
Chen, CEO of JinkoSolar. “Our rank-
Chinese companies
ing on the list demonstrates the rapid
in 2018 reflects the
growth we have experienced over the
achievements China’s largest listed
past few years and our leading posi-
companies have made over the past
tion in the industry. I remain confident
year. JinkoSolar ranked 330th in 2016
in the long-term prospects of the solar
and 284th in 2017.
industry and our ability to take full advantage of our brand, technology, and global infrastructure to further
“We are excited to see our ranking on the Fortune 500 companies in China steadily increase over the past
28
consolidate our leading position in the industry.”
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Vivint Solar Announces Innovative Industry-First Financing Vehicle
Vivint Solar, Inc. (NYSE: VSLR), a leading full-service residential solar provider, today announced it closed an innovative multi-party forward flow funding arrangement that includes project-level debt, a levered tax equity partnership, and the company’s first cash equity investment. The transaction provides up to $327 million in total funding commitments, with an aggregate 30
value of approximately $410 million, which is structured to generate upfront cash margin for the company for approximately 95 megawatts of future solar energy systems. This transaction is the first of its kind in the residential solar industry that incorporates a multi-party forward purchase commitment anchored by a levered tax equity partnership.
ank of America Merrill Lynch acted in multiple roles in this transaction, including acting as sole structuring and placement agent for the cash equity and multi-draw term loan. Additionally, Bank of America Merrill Lynch acted as the sole tax equity investor. Hannon Armstrong (NYSE:HASI) is participating as the structured cash equity investor.
B
“This delivers another
Regional Office: LG Electronics Gulf FZE, P.O Box 61445, Dubai. Tel: +971 4 279 9222, UAE, Mr. Dharmesh Sawant, Tel: +971 50 559 9361, email: dharmesh.sawant@lge.com; Fortune International Trading LLC, Mr. Wail Halbouni, Tel: +971 50 481 3570, email: fortintl@emirates.net.ae; Ghantoot Trading, Mr. Nour Haboush, Tel: +971 50 109 4109, email: nour.h@ghantootgroup.ae; District Cooling Company, Mr. Ahmed Henedi, Tel: +971 50 658 4832, email: ahmed@districtcoolingcompany.com; Al Yousuf Electronics, Mr. Moitra, Tel: +971 50 457 6170, email: pmoitra@alyousuf.com; Bahrain, AJM Kooheji and Sons, Mr. Jayachandran, Tel: +973 36888801, email: v.jayachandran@ajmkooheji.com: Kuwait, Al Babtain Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Co., Mr. Naji Kataya, Tel: +965 5 051 5771, email: nkataya@albabtaingroup.com kw; British Link Kuwait, Mr. Imad Rhayel, Tel: +965 5 157 1229, email: irhayel@blk.com.kw; Oman, Oman Gulf Enterprise, Mr. Narender Kumar, Tel: +968 9 747 4505, email: narenderk@otegroup.com; Aspire Projects and Service, Mr. Vivek Wagh, Tel: +968 99357694, email: vivekwagh@aspireoman.com; Qatar, Video Home Electronics Centre, Mr. Adharsh N Kumar, Tel: +974 5 019 0206, email: adharsh@jumboqatar.com; Mohammad Hayil Group, Mr. Yousif Rustom, Tel: +974 7 001 7067, email: yousif.rustom@alsarh-holding.com; Azerbaijan, NBC LLC., Mr. Elkhan Sadikhov, Tel: +994 50 216 3363, email: elkhan.sadikhov@nbc.com; Al-Con Maxiwell Group, Mr. Vagif Alexperov, Tel: + 994 50 216 2092, email: maxiwellbaku@inbox.ru; Armenia/Georgia, ARAY Gulf, Mr. Vilson Melikjanyan, Tel: +374 9 307 7755, email: vilson@aray.am; Yemen, Modern House Exhibition, Mr. Khaled Jabr, Tel: +967 71 172 0202, email: mail@mhe-yemen.com; Pakistan, Iceberg Industries (Lucky Goldstar), Mr. Imran Jamil Khan, Tel: +923 21 277 6100, email: ceo@icebergindustries.net
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landmark financing transaction for the company in 2018, and we look forward to using this vehicle to continue to accelerate solar power adoption across the country,” said Vivint Solar CEO David Bywater. “We are grateful for the continued support of Bank of America Merrill Lynch in this transaction and the faith and trust that investors continue to place in the future of our business. Hannon Armstrong’s programmatic investment is a key piece of the capital structure in this transaction.” “The cash margin provided by this vehicle for a portion of our future PPA and lease assets is an important step to increase Vivint Solar’s financial flexibility and to solidify a sustainable funding model for the business,” said Vivint Solar’s Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Capital Markets, Thomas Plagemann. “We expect similar results to selling systems directly to homeowners, allowing us to continue focusing on providing the products best suited for each homeowner.” Vivint Solar expects to raise approximately $3.37 per watt in upfront proceeds in addition to $0.41 per watt in retained value and renewal value. In addition, the company recently closed a $50 million tax equity partnership with a new investor. This multi-party forward flow funding arrangement, together with 32
the undrawn committed capital under Vivint Solar’s other tax equity partnerships, is estimated to provide funding to install more than 170 megawatts of residential solar energy systems.
“Providing solutions that aid in the adoption of
“Providing solutions that aid in the adoption of renewable energy is core to Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s environmental commitment. We value our relationship with Vivint Solar and Hannon Armstrong and look forward to continuing to grow the partnership,” said Omer Farooq, Managing Director in Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Cross Asset Solutions and Strategies team.
renewable energy
“Hannon Armstrong is pleased to support Vivint Solar with capital to facilitate the continued expansion of their business,” said Jeffrey Eckel, President & CEO of Hannon Armstrong.
and Hannon Arm-
is core to Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s environmental commitment. We value our relationship with Vivint Solar strong and look forward to continuing to grow the partnership,”
27 November 2018
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Trina Solar Chairman Jifan Gao elaborates on the PV maker’s continued steady growth in 2018 Trina Solar has been under the spotlight since the company delisted from the US stock market and became a private company in March 2017. Although the majority of the players in the PV sector have recently dealt with obstacles, Trina Solar Chairman Jifan Gao recently said in an interview that, the company’s cash inventory remains at a high level. The company sold more than 4GW of sales volume including modules and solar farms in the first half of 2018, generating more than 2.04 billion USD in revenue, up more than 13 percent compared to the prior year period. For the full year of 2018, it remains quite likely that the company’s total sales revenue will exceed that booked in 2017.
T A sound globalization strategy reduces risk At present, Trina Solar has expanded to 103 countries and regions globally, with offices in around 40 countries and employ-
34
ees that come from 38 countries. Statistics show that the Company realized over 9GW in global coverage. Mr. Gao believes that establishing a globalized business system bolsters Trina Solar’s ability to withstand market volatility; when volatility occurs in a market, other markets may provide a balance.
“Even when the market is at its best - both in China and overseas - we are still able to guarantee the supply overseas. In 2017, Trina Solar’s overseas sales exceeded China’s sales. From the supply point of view, overseas market contributed over 55%. This is why Trina Solar remains
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unruffled by the fluctuations in the market and also forms the basis for confidence in achieving annual growth as opposed to the market outlook.” Mr. Gao said. Trina Solar has 6 major management centers in China, Japan, Singapore, US, Europe, and Latin America. The target is to not only achieve globalization, but also gradually achieve localization. In addition to mature markets such as the US, Europe, and Japan, Trina Solar began exploring emerging markets since 2016, including those where Trina Solar has grown rapidly such as Ukraine, the Middle East, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Trina Solar has achieved over 60% market
36
share in some emerging countries, and at least 20-30% market share in others. Staying the course with a healthy cash flow Mr. Gao reveals that in the first half of the year, Trina Solar sold some solar farms. Total capacity of the farms was about 900MW. This helped Trina Solar to raise a lot of cash and effectively lower the company’s debt ratio. “Furthermore, we will still continue to provide mid-term and long-term management services to help operate these solar farms.”
Trina Solar’s debt ratio has now been reduced to 62% as of middle of the year, compared to 67.5% at the start of the year. Trina Solar’s cash reserves have also been maintained at a relatively healthy level. As of end of last year, Trina Solar’scash reserves were 643 million USD, and as of 30 June 2018, it had grown to 687 million USD. At the same time, Trina Solar’s total credit limit has exceeded 2.9 billion USD. It still has a balance of 1 billion USD. In the face of adjustments in the industry, Trina Solar can still grow with ease. Under the robust management of Gao Jifan, Trina Solar has long established a risk management committee. “We eval-
uate the major risks that are forecast and provide dedicated management of these major risks.” Mr. Gao said. Stay at the top of one’s game with capacity upgrades and iterations The rise of international trade barriers is happening in total contradiction to the globalization trend of business development. Trina Solar took both into consideration when the PV maker began to sketch out plans for the globalization of its capacity a few years ago. Following putting 1GW of cell capacity and 1GW of module capacity into production in Thailand, Trina Solar’s 1GW cell plant in Vietnam and
Trina Solar’s total credit limit has exceeded 2.9 billion USD. It still has a balance of 1 billion USD. In the face of adjustments in the industry, Trina Solar can still grow with ease.
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700MW module plant in Malaysia have recently become operational. The company also has module manufacturing partners in Turkey. Combined with domestic capacity, the company’s global module and cell capacity has now reached approximately 8.5GW and 8.5GWrespectively. “In terms of capacity, we made sure to have in place a structurally meaningful production portfolio rather than simply pursuing scale, as we need to maintain the competitiveness and leadership of our own capacity,” Mr. Gao said. Collaboration in terms of capacity with external partners must at all times be in strict compliance with Trina Solar’squality system, including the requirements for material and suppliers, in order to close our capacity gap while preserving quality of product. While planning out the structural portfolio, Trina Solar kept a focus on capacity iterations. After an overall consideration of market supply capability and the technology roadmap, Trina Solar upgraded and transformed its capacity this year. At this time, 2GW in capacity is undergoing a conversion to a polycrystalline high efficiency MCCE process. The company will complete the conversion to PERC and PERT of approximately 3.5GW in capacity by the end of the year followed by an addi-
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tional 3GW in mid-2019, bringing the total PERC and PERT capacity to 6.5GW. Furthermore, Trina Solar is also seeking to further expand capacity while undertaking a labor reduction through automation and intelligent upgrading. In 2010, Trina Solar had 16,000 employees managing a capacity of 1.5GW. The company’s workforce has been reduced to 15,000 while capacity is being continually increased to more than 8.5GW. The company is also engaged in intelligent and integrated PV solutions and the energy internet, among other new areas of development. The way to meet challenges is through a full-scale transformation of the business Facing the challenges of the digital age, Trina Solar is experiencing profound innovation and revolution, on both the management side internally and product side externally. Trina Solar has transformed from the previous professional manager model to a model similar to a business partnership. Since 2017, Trina Solar has decided to aggressively drive the business units and platforms inclusive of production sectors, sales and also cover downstream solar module solutions and Energy Internet aspects.
From an outside perspective, another example that best showcases Trina Solar’s reform directions, besides the above mentioned management systems, would be the launch in March 2018 of “TrinaPro” smart PV solutions. Mr. Gao says TrinaPro as an ‘all in one’ smart solar system that includes premium components, optimized system integration and smart O&M interconnection. “The TrinaPro system can sense the entire environment and calculate automatically how best to maximize electricity generation. TrinaPro, by optimizing the combination of bi-facial solar module, tracking system and smart inverter, can boost up to 30% the power output,” said Mr. Gao “We no longer use simple power generating modules, but by harnessing the power of data and the optimized design of the entire system, we further increase the overall efficiency. By bringing greater value to our customers, Trina Solar can transform from a product supplier to a value-add supplier for our customers.” Gao Jifan believes the development of Trina Solar’s business is progressing well thanks in part to TrinaPro and other smart power generation systems. “This is the main reason for Trina Solar’s growth in the first half of this year.” he added.
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Europe adds 4.5 GW of wind energy in first half of 2018
Europe added 4.5 GW of wind energy capacity in the first half of 2018, according to figures released today by WindEurope. The figure is down on the same period last year (6.1 GW) though is in line with expectations.
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here was 3.3 GW of onshore wind, driven by Germany (1.6 GW), France (605 MW) and Denmark (202 MW).
The 1.1 GW of offshore wind was mainly in the UK (911 MW), Belgium (175 MW) and Denmark (28 MW). Germany is set to install new offshore wind in the second half of the year. For the whole of 2018, we expect to see 3.3 GW new offshore wind and
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10.2 GW of onshore wind. This will mean 13.5 GW of new wind capacity in total for the year. WindEurope Chief Policy Officer Pierre Tardieu said: “We are on track for a solid year in new wind farm installations but the growth is driven by just a handful of markets. The figures also mask some worrying trends. “France has installed a lot of new onshore wind this year but they haven’t issued a single new permit for onshore wind permit in the last eight months because of an administrative issue – which has also resulted in their latest auction being under-subscribed. So there’ll be a drop-off in their new build now, creating uncertainty in the supply chain. “In Germany it’s good that projects now need a permit to bid into onshore auctions, but that rule now needs to be made permanent. Also, there’s no clarity yet on when the 4 GW new onshore wind promised in the coalition agreement for 2019-20 is going to be auctioned. And the new Govern-
ment is slow in confirming the auction volumes beyond that. Like all Member States they now need to give five years’ visibility on future auction timetable and volumes – under the terms of the new Renewables Directive. “This visibility is key to the supply chain and to keep wind energy jobs and growth in Europe. Investments in manufacturing, skills and R&D only happen when governments give longterm visibility to the supply chain. This clarity helps them to make new investment decisions and bring down costs. Addressing these issues will be key to enable Europe to meet its target of 32% renewable energy by 2030 cost effectively. “And in offshore wind, Europe is too dependent on the UK, which is striding ahead in current installations and in committing to future volumes. By contrast, the rate of new installations has slowed down in Germany. Other countries also need to beef up and speed up their plans on offshore wind.”
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First plug-in on the market to measure unbalance
• Prototype success-
fully provides plant operator with regular updates on balance condition. • The assessment of un-
balance becomes fast and cost effective. • Blade Unbalance
Calculator will be first demonstrated at WindEnergy Hamburg
fter successful testing of the prototype, a new plug-in to Bachmann’s Condition Monitoring System provides plant operators with regular updates on the balance condition of their wind turbines’ blades. This makes the condition monitoring specialist from Germany the first wind energy supplier to provide a measurement of unbalance without a lengthy and expensive process. In field tests with development partner BKW Wind Service GmbH involving mass addition to blades, the calculated unbalance has shown excellent agreement with the weight actually fitted. The product, by the name Blade Unbalance Calculator, will be seen at the Wind Energy Hamburg trade show.
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The plug-in to the CMS runs to provide an estimate of the mass unbalance in kgm, based upon a few structural parameters and the output from a tower sensor fitted at the centre of the nacelle. Not only does the output provide a direct measure of balance quality, it also distinguishes between aerodynamic and mechanical effects, ensuring plant operators prepare
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for the correct maintenance action.
„Studies by BerlinWind GmbH (1) suggest that up to 50 percent of wind turbines suffer from undue unbalance on the rotor” remarks David Futter, product manager at Bachmann Monitoring GmbH. “We estimate that today the majority of turbines running with moderate unbalance remain undetected. Only an extended full survey would be able to assess them” David Futter explains. That is lengthy and expensive, but the implications of an undetected unbalance are also severe: increased fatigue loads on the entire structure, including the tower and nacelle, as well as the drivetrain components. Providing a cost-effective estimate of the balance quality allows owners to target those wind turbines where balancing will make a significant improvement to the operational life.
(1) Dr. Christoph Heilmann, Anke Grunwald, Michael Melsheimer, BerlinWind GmbH: “Auswuchten von WEA-Rotoren: Wirtschaftliche Vorteile und technische Umsetzung” in Windindustrie in Deutschland (WID) Whitepaper 03/2015
Breaking New Ground in Electricity Marketing: VSB and Mercedes-Benz Enter Into Long-Term Supply Contract for Wind-Generated Electricity Project developer VSB helps Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Poland pave the way towards carbon-neutral manufacturing with a strategic investment: For the first time, the automaker will power an engine plant using electricity from renewable energy sources only. Bringing together the industrial sector and the wind energy sector, the long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) is the first of its kind in Poland. The agreement allows VSB to expand its operations and assume a pioneering role in the Polish energy market. he new Mercedes-Benz manufacturing site in the Polish town of Jawor will not only raise the bar with state-ofthe-art man- ufacturing methods and Industry 4.0 technologies, but set new power supply standards as well. As of 2019, Taczalin wind farm, which is located around 10 km from the plant, will supply green energy for the entire high-tech facility.
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The 22 wind turbines were commissioned in late 2013 and have a combined installed capacity of 45.1 MW. VSB Group developed the wind
farm and operates it as well. “In choosing locally-generated electricity from renewable sources, Mercedes-Benz has assumed the role of an international pioneer in the automotive industry. We appreciate this opportunity to assist Mercedes-Benz on their path to carbon-neutral manufacturing,” says VSB Managing Director Marko Lieske. The manufacturing site will produce four-cylinder engines for Mercedes-Benz cars. The automaker is able to choose wind-generated electricity to power its plant thanks to Poland’s renewable energy scheme. The scheme permits suppliers to offer their electricity on the market or sell it as part of a PPA. PPAs are becoming an increasingly popular marketing tool for suppliers of wind-generated power in Europe and around the world. Suppliers enter into these agreements with major power consumers to coordinate a long-term purchase of electricity at a contractually agreed fixed rate. That
way, consumers are able to protect themselves against rising electricity rates, while suppliers of green energy can rely on stable revenue that facilitates more reliable budgeting. “Our job as project developer far exceeds putting a wind turbine in a field. We develop business models that make energy from renewable sources attractive for high-volume consumers and customers from the industrial sector. Our collaboration with Mercedes-Benz is a milestone for both the wind energy sector and the automotive sector,” explains Marko Lieske. Michael Graf from Daimler International Procurement Services, Procurement of Energy and Fuels, is pleased with the agreement as well: “Our partnership with VSB offers multiple advantages, both economically and ecologically. Daimler also recognises the added value that the wind farm’s proximity to the Jawor engine plant represents.”
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FINDING MORE ABOUT THE
“Generation G” ENGINEERS
In this age driven by enormous demand for talent, meet the new generation of engineers that will patch the source gap.
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he internet age is an ever-evolving era. It goes without saying that if you do not chase for innovation, you will be left behind. This unending race has also fueled a massive change in our lifestyle that altogether shaped an entirely new breed of mankind. Thus, causing chaotic disagreements between the generations that overlap. Today, discussions over work ethics of the millennial generation and Gen Z often lead to negative criticisms without giving them a chance. Engineers of the said generation share the same prejudice from 44
Today, discussions over work ethics of the millennial generation and Gen Z
employers who do not properly understand its disruptive potential. But they must understand, that this generation is extensively growing and will soon inherit our lands. And even before you miss that chance to appreciate this remarkable human resource at hand, allow us to introduce the global generation of engineers or the Generation G that will adequately address the skills gap your company needs in order to stand out.
often lead to negative criticisms without giving them a chance.
Advantages of Engineers that are Multicultural You can’t call it innovation unless it addresses massive transformation. And you cannot create a revolution if you’re not willing to transcend cultural limitations. Gen G engineers are inherently multicultural and are very
accepting and tolerant towards diversity—be it racially, ethnically, religiously and gender-based. When traveling they aim to live like locals, looking for authentic experiences in an effort to learn from the
culture and people around them. This skill is innate among them and enhances their ability to appreciate, rather than judge, other cultures. Now, that is the perfect quality you need when you hire an
engineer to work in a team. In fact, Harvard Business Review recently highlighted a project that researched performance on multicultural teams. The study resulted to a conclusion that more creative ideas
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can be driven from a much diverse team than from a homogenous one. But inherent barriers like the presence of cultural norms often lead to ineffective coordination and misunderstanding when the team is diverse in composition. But Gen G engineers are known to be multicultural brokers who possess deep experience in empathetic team participation that leads to a greater team performance—a powerful tool in fostering innovation and non-stop progression.
How to Attract Gen G Engineers? With careful thought, you should now understand the value of this new breed of engineers. The challenge, therefore is how to keep them around. As we all know, this generation can be extremely volatile. So, unless you do something they’ll just slip away with all their ideas with them. First, you need to make an effort not to always antagonize them. Open up your heart and mind into considering the environment they have grown up. Constantly challenge them and harness their overflowing curiosity to bring forth benefits for the company. While doing so, see to it that their needs are also met.
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Gen G engineers also seek out opportunities that allow them to translate their passion into purpose. Encourage them to do volunteering and social entrepreneurship while aligning it with the company’s core values and principles.
Welcome to the Future We have wasted enough time deliberating which generation
should be hailed the best. But this age is rapidly evolving and we need to act fast in order to survive. Don’t drive away the present generation along with their talents. We need them now not because prior generations pale in comparison but because they are the future.
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Tips in Answering The Most Difficult Engineering Job Interviews 48
Bring your game face on and learn to answer the most difficult job interview questions.
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ou’re one step towards landing on that dream job you so eagerly want— the only thing that’s keeping you from it is that interview door and the dread of responding to those hard-hitting questions. Engineers especially the more introverted ones are often denied the chance to get the job they so desire despite their very impressive resumes just because they failed miserably during the interview round. But fret not, you can nail even the toughest questions when you prepared beforehand. Dr. Thomas J. Denham, a career counselor at Careers in Transition LLC in Colonie, New York stressed out that the interview portion is indeed an elimination process to weed out those who are not worthy of the position. For an employer, it serves as the last window period to have a glimpse on the applicant’s true nature so that he won’t wind up with the wrong hire. And so, for an engineer like you struggling to finally get the job this time around, Denham offers you some advice to answer the toughest interview questions around.
1. What is your biggest weakness? Questions like these trigger a mental block. And as an engineer posing to have a sterling mind, we don’t want that.
Questions like these, trigger a mental block. And as an engineer posing to have a sterling mind, we don’t want that. According to Denham, this question is in fact thrown to rattle the applicant into admitting weaknesses that may cause him the position he wants. As brilliant escape, try responding with: “I have a tendency to say yes and get overcommitted.” This is then to be followed with an example of how you are working on prioritizing and setting personal limits. Remember not to draw negative attention to yourself through weaknesses. An
interview should always resemble a majestic display of your strengths.
2. What salary do you think you deserve? Yes, indeed. This is one of the question you’ve been itching to ask since you walk through the office door. But, Denham says, “The person who states the salary is the loser.” He followed by explaining, that if you are the first to throw out a number, the number you give could be less than what the employer was planning to pay. It’s a dangerous trap so wait for the employer to give a range, and when it does ask you for a figure you expect to be mak49
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ing, choose a salary that is higher than the median they provide. To be safe, fair advice is to not talk about salary on the first interview.
3. Why should I hire you? This is the moment you’ve rehearsed a million times for. It’s time to show your cards and prove to him that you own the title and the job. But before that, review your resume and pick three to five things that you think makes you outstanding and back them with facts. Denham added, “The notion is that past performance is always the best predictor of future performance.”
4. What didn’t you like about your last job? Reserve your anger and chill out. Take a deep breathe before you impulsively step into another trap. The employer asks this question to fish for answers that would then
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again hint through a weakness. So instead Denham advises you answer this way, “I did not feel my responsibilities were challenging enough.” Then the employer will feel confident about you.
5. Where do you see yourself in three to five years? I know what you’re thinking. “How on earth would I know that?” or better yet, “I’m living in the present so, let’s forget about the future for once.” These answers are definitely a fall out. It’s basically like giving the employer an idea that you do not have any sort of plans or direction in life. According to Denham, you can try a response like, “I’ve done a lot of self-assessment, and what I’ve learned about myself is that I want to make a commitment to this career and I want to build my career here.” That should be enough. Job interview or not, as an engineer you will have to face a lot
of situations in your life when you needed to speak up. You have to be as quick as you can and throw the tides on your side. Often times, practice is just the secret sauce in every triumph. However, honesty will always forge a more lasting work relationship that will make you desirable for who you truly are. At the end of the day, getting that job still requires a tiny bit of luck.
Job interview or not, as an engineer you will have to face a lot of situations in your life when you needed to speak up.
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