RENEWABLE ENERGY Ivormatie magazine - September 2021
HYDROGEN IS NOT AN “ ENERGYSOURCE; IT PROVIDES 2
A POSSIBILITY TO STORE ENERGY”
This edition of Ivormatie has been given the title
It’s important to realise that hydrogen is not an energy
‘Renewable Energy’. It contains examples of recent
source; it provides a possibility to store energy. When
projects Iv-Groep has been working on, all of which
there is too much (solar or wind) energy, it should be
are characterised by the energy transition. Something
reserved for moments when there is too little.
very positive, of course. We must stop burning hydrocarbons to prevent the temperature on earth
This understanding is slowly sinking in. There are more
from rising further.
and more initiatives unfolding in the field of hydrogen. I was surprised to read in the newspaper last week that
But still, I have to get something off my chest.
the minister had suggested that Tata Steel could make
Despite all the developments, I have the feeling that
steel with hydrogen, which could provide a solution to
policymakers (let’s say ‘politicians’) do not sufficiently
environmental pollution (CO₂ emissions). Tata Steel is
understand what it’s about.
an excellent example of a continuous process. The idea, therefore, is that we will use hydrogen as an energy
We already began years ago with solar and wind
source instead of as an energy buffer. It remains difficult
energy. However, the chain is not yet complete. Sun
to make a distinction between the two.
and wind provide electrical energy, but we are unable (or hardly able) to store this energy. As a result, we
Rob van de Waal
remain entirely dependent on conventional power
CEO Iv-Groep
plants in the absence of wind or sun. It already happens that too much solar energy is generated on a sunny day, and because we cannot store this energy, it is lost. Then, when the sun disappears a few hours later, we are again dependent on these same power plants. So, we have to start storing energy; buffering. This can be achieved in different ways. Currently, the most heard solution is hydrogen energy storage. It’s slowly beginning to dawn on politicians that all previous initiatives will not work without this step.
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Volume 35, Number 1, September 2021 Editorial Staff Iv-Groep, Corporate Development & Marketing Ivormatie A publication of Iv-Groep b.v. Editorial Office Iv-Groep b.v. P.O. Box 1155 3350 CD Papendrecht The Netherlands marketing@iv-groep.nl www.iv-groep.com Sign out Would you prefer to receive Ivormatie digitally? Or do you want to unsubscribe? Let us know via marketing@iv-groep.nl. Copyright © 2021 Iv-Groep. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part requires written permission.
CONTENT
6 A significantly lower industrial CO2 footprint with CCS solutions 10 Sustainability sets the standard for new milk factory 16 Stepping stones towards large-scale offshore hydrogen production 24 GeoDuct, joining forces with nature 28 Energy from water 32 Energy-neutral premises for the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management 36 De Altis: a circular and energy-neutral sports complex 42 Work for the future
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A significantly lower industrial CO2 footprint with CCS solutions Is Carbon Capture and Storage the best way to
CCS solutions are therefore an ideal option for
reduce industrial CO2 emissions in the short term?
reducing CO2 emissions quickly and cost effectively,
Escher certainly considers this a realistic solution.
and to continue working in parallel on the
“Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) solutions
development of green energy production and
can be seen as a transition within the energy
sustainable solutions such as electrification.”
transition. The impact could be enormous, as these solutions focus primarily on the largest CO2
The CCS principle in a nutshell
emitters,” says Maarten Brandenburg, Commercial
The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has never
Manager at Escher. “If you want to reduce CO2
been as high as it is now. In 2020, with 54.1 Mt
emissions drastically and cost-efficiently in the
of CO2 (eq) emissions, Dutch industry accounted
short term, then this is the low-hanging fruit.
for approximately 32.5% of the total emissions of
And it’s because these solutions are so accessible
the Netherlands (166.4 Mt of CO2 (eq)), making it
that they are an ideal tool to facilitate the energy
the largest polluter. This data is according to an
transition.”
initial estimate by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the RIVM/Emission Register for greenhouse gas
Electrification unachievable in the short term
emissions in 2020 and is in accordance with the
The desire is to electrify many processes in the
IPCC guidelines. This data is published annually on
future. A transition in which industry will run on
the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register website.
sustainable electrical technologies instead of gas-
In particular, the steel, cement, waste processing,
fired technologies. Maarten: “This, however, will not
refining and petrochemicals industries and gas-fired
be achievable in the short term. Partly because the
power plants produce large quantities of CO2.
amount of green energy available both now and in the near future is not nearly enough to meet the
As part of the European Green Deal, the European
industry’s total energy needs. But also, because not
Commission proposed in September 2020 to
all processes can be electrified. Even if processes
increase the target for reducing greenhouse
can be electrified, huge investments are required
gas emissions by 2030, including emissions and
because entire factories must be overhauled to
removals, to at least 55% compared to 1990 (220.5
achieve electrification.
Mt of CO2).
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The European Commission has proposed this target in the 2030
the water and other pollutants must first be removed. Removal
Climate Target Plan. If we want to achieve this ambitious goal, we
of these elements can be performed via several methods. The
must implement measures in the short term capable of delivering
most suitable technique is dependent on the application and the
a significant reduction in CO2. But what exactly are CCS solutions?
wishes and requirements of the client. For example, the CO2 can be
And what makes them so accessible for industry?
treated using glycol or molecular sieves. When the treated CO2 is clean, it can be compressed for transport or underground storage.
CCS solutions can be realised from design to completion in approximately two years. Shortly summarised, CCS solutions entail capturing flue gases released during industrial processes in a capture system, whereby
Once the CO2 is safely and hermetically sealed underground, the CO2 can be stored there for eternity.
Our CCS solution is fit for purpose and can be customised if desired.
the CO2 is separated from other gases. The captured CO2 is dried in a subsequent process to prepare the remaining clean and dry CO2
Maarten: “The CO2 drying process can be standardised. Since CO2
for underground storage in either depleted oil and gas fields or old
is not an explosive gas, there are a lot less stringent requirements
salt caverns. This technology significantly reduces a factory’s CO2
for the drying process. At Escher, we have developed a
emissions while the necessary adjustments to the site, downtime
standard solution, which is fit for purpose and based on proven
of systems, and costs remain manageable. Carbon Capture
technologies.
and Storage is a temporary but easily accessible solution for at least the next 50 to 60 years and can be realised from design to
We critically studied the process and the set requirements during
completion in approximately two years, without large-scale factory
development and did not introduce unnecessary redundancy
modifications. CSS is therefore much cheaper than other options
in our standard, enabling us to realise a well-functioning cost-
to reduce industrial CO2 emissions by double digits.
efficient system. Of course, we can customise the CCS solution if desired. Our goal is to work seamlessly with our clients to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the short term, with
Drying CO2 is necessary to prevent the release of acids which
accessible, effective and affordable applications.”
causes corrosion in the pipes. The CO2 drying process is almost identical to that of natural gas drying. The design, manufacturing and delivery of such installations is something that Escher, as a supplier of process solutions, has been providing since 1925. The basic principle of the CO2 drying process is the supply of CO2 from the capture system to the drying system under a certain pressure. At this stage of the process, the CO2 is still saturated with water and sometimes contains other elements. Before the CO2 can be injected into a depleted oil and gas field or old salt cavern,
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The CO2 drying process
AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE “ SOLUTION FOR THE NEXT 50 TO 60 YEARS” X
CO2 CO2 transport
CO2 storage
Salt Caverns (Domal and Bedded)
Aquifers and Depleted Fields
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Sustainability sets the standard for new milk factory To realise the expansion of the production capacity, a
From the beginning of the master plan design to the
completely new factory for drying goat’s milk will be
delivery of the factory, Iv-Industrie, on behalf of Emmi,
built opposite Emmi’s existing factory in Etten-Leur.
will be responsible for the engineering, procurement,
Iv-Industrie was awarded the entire EPCM contract for
and construction management. Iv-Industrie has also
this new milk factory. Food safety and sustainability
drawn up the technical documents required for the
are of paramount importance in this project.
permits. From the master plan design to the final design, the development demanded close coordination with
From goat’s milk to powder
the client and the supplier of the process installations,
Swiss parent company Emmi focuses on supplying
selected and involved early on in the project. Iv-Industrie
leading brands and niche markets in the dairy sector.
is responsible for the multidisciplinary coordination
Emmi sought expansion outside Switzerland and
and the design of the building, the building-related
acquired goat’s cheese producer Bettinehoeve in the
installations, and the utilities.
Netherlands several years ago. “Goat’s milk is more of a seasonal product than cow’s milk,” explains Martin van Putten, Project Manager at Emmi Javelin. “Especially
Synergy in energy recovery and the optimisation of installations.
in the spring and summer, there is a surplus of milk. For this reason, it was decided to convert the surplus
A location with synergy
milk during these periods into goat’s milk powder.
“The location opposite the existing factory was not the
This proved so successful that goat’s milk powder is
first intended site for this factory,” says Ruud Verheul,
now produced all year round. Emmi saw a growth
Senior Project Manager at Iv-Industrie. “But when the
opportunity within the market. Demand in Asia, where
opportunity arose to acquire the plot across the street, it
there is a high level of cow’s milk allergy, is particularly
was immediately seized to utilise the synergy between
high. The goat’s milk powder is subsequently processed
the two locations.” The synergy can be observed in the
elsewhere into infant nutrition. Why do we produce this
operational benefits, possibilities for energy recovery
in the Netherlands? Partly because the original base of
and the optimisation of utility installations, including
Bettinehoeve is here but also because we have a lot of
compressed air and wastewater disposal.
goats here. It’s also important to produce and process the product locally.”
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Structuring a layout
Prepared for the future
One of the challenges in the project is integrating the buildings
Sustainability is one of the most crucial principles for a factory that
with the process installation. It must form an integral design in
uses a relatively large amount of energy. “There are two reasons
which the arrangement of the process equipment and the routing
we attach high importance to sustainability,” explains Martin. “The
for people, materials, product and residual streams are optimally
first is that Emmi aspires to be fully energy neutral by 2050, and
provided. The hygienic zoning of the factory is a crucial variable in
this factory will still be operational then. The other is that Emmi
this regard. Thus, the layout design is structured using block flow
has sustainability goals: every new factory must be more efficient
diagrams, using a method related to Value Stream Mapping (VSM).
than the standard that is set. Of course, we too have to comply
The essence lies in devising a well-thought-out layout, which is
with the regulations.” An integral heat pump system provides the
where the exceptional collaboration came to the forefront. Where
heating and cooling. The heat pump pulls residual heat from the
Iv-Industrie approached the project from an interdisciplinary
process, the building and the wastewater and provides the entire
technical design perspective, Emmi approached it from the user’s
process and the hot and cold-water utilities with water of 90 and 5
point of view. “We examined how to proceed through the factory,
degrees Celsius, respectively. Gas is used only to support the high
with both products and people in mind,” says Martin. “The layout
temperatures required by the spray dryer. Heating the spray dryer
must be as efficient as possible, meaning that the factory should
electrically was also considered, but this idea has been set aside
be staffed with as few people as possible. The combination of
for the time being. Martin continues: “We use green gas to heat to
Iv-Industrie developing the layout worked well; it was easy to
this high temperature. Using electricity could be possible but is
attain the appropriate expertise within Iv’s divisions, as the most
not yet economically interesting. The factory has been prepared
competent people from the group could take part in discussing
for the future and will support the use of electricity later.” Electricity
the various issues and optimising the design. The fact that Iv has
consumption has also been minimised by using frequency-
done this more often also helps. Since this is not standard in-house
controlled motors in the highest energy efficiency class, LED
knowledge for Emmi, a separate project team has been set up for
lighting, and night-time lighting.
the construction.” CAPEX and procurement A hygienic factory
At the beginning of the master plan, Iv-Industrie developed
Iv-Industrie applied Emmi’s hygiene standards as a basis to
the CAPEX budget. The budget will be adjusted to the available
facilitate arriving at an integral design. In consultation with the
information for each phase, starting with estimates, key figures,
client, the risk, level of finish, costs and practical usage were
and percentages. During the project, the scope will become more
evaluated for various elements. Iv-Industrie’s extensive knowledge
concrete and the budget more accurately determined.
of hygiene guidelines for all relevant disciplines has proved a valuable asset in this process. Through active participation in platforms such as EHEDG, HDN and SFF, Iv-Industrie is involved in and aware of the latest developments in hygienic design and can apply this awareness and knowledge in practical situations.
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EVERY NEW FACTORY “ MUST BE MORE EFFICIENT THAN THE STANDARD THAT IS SET”
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THE FACTORY IS PREPARED “ FOR THE FUTURE”
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Iv-Industrie played a leading role in determining the
Optimal project
procurement strategy for all non-process-related
The strength of this project lies in the excellent
activities, including guiding the selection process,
collaboration between skilled and experienced
drafting technical quotation requests, questions
professionals seeking synergy and the best solutions.
and answers, technical quotation evaluation and
The collaboration in the project has been fantastic
meetings to discuss quotations. Emmi’s team was
from the beginning. “The collaboration was pleasant,”
responsible for the commercial contracts.
says Martin. “Iv did what they promised, and the team were pleasant to work with. They were positive
Every new factory must be more efficient than the standard that is set.
and contributed input. Just professional and proactive, that’s great. We don’t often do these kinds of large projects, so it’s great when a party thinks
An accident-free workplace
along the same lines and provides practical input. It
During the construction and installation, the
also makes a difference that Iv has already delivered
functional supervision will be provided by Emmi’s
a similar project at Vreugdenhil.” Despite the project
lead engineers, and the qualifications will be
execution taking place during the corona pandemic,
conducted under the supervision of the Emmi
the project is running on schedule.
project team. During this phase, Iv-Industrie will assume the role of engineering back office, design
The construction of the factory will begin in June
coordinator and construction management. Safety
2021 and is scheduled to be completed by the
is crucial in this phase and has been addressed right
summer of 2022. “Emmi is a very professional client
from the beginning of the project in the master plan
that understands what is needed to design such a
developed by Iv-Industrie.
factory,” says Ruud. “This also enables us to do our job effectively. The tender for this project suits us very
•
The goal is to ensure an accident-free, safe
well; this project is completely within our comfort
workplace for all employees of all parties present on
zone!”
site from the first day onwards. An independent third party contracted directly by Emmi will carry out site security and access control.
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Stepping stones towards large-scale offshore hydrogen production Offshore wind carries vast potential and is pivotal
energy system while decreasing social costs and
in reaching the Paris Climate Agreement. The
ecological impact of offshore energy generation.
growth of offshore wind in Europe has been
Besides ‘regular’ consumers, heavy industry and the
significant over the last years, and further high-
transport sector (notably aviation) are expected to
capacity growth is anticipated for future decades.
drive the demand for green, affordable electricity and
The current installed capacity in the North Sea is
hydrogen as they too transition from fossil fuels to
17 GW, and projections for future offshore wind
renewable sources. It has been recognised that a suite
capacities vary between 34 - 100 GW for 2030
of flexible energy system solutions and services across
and up to 250 GW by 2050. Offshore wind forms
the offshore wind value chain is needed to facilitate
a critical pillar for the Netherlands to reach the
the implementation of offshore wind at lowest social
climate change mitigation targets set in the Paris
costs.
Climate Agreement. There are tangible plans for 11.5 GW in 2030, and towards 2050 this could grow towards 60 GW of installed capacity or even higher. The North Sea area is therefore a true
The North Sea area is therefore a true powerhouse for both the Netherlands as other North Sea countries.
powerhouse for both the Netherlands as other North Sea countries.
Strongly related to offshore wind is the foreseen development of hydrogen as a key energy carrier in
Implementing offshore wind at lowest social
energy system storage, transport and usage.
costs The ’Green Powerhouse North Sea‘ ambitions as
Significant challenges
set in the Paris Climate Agreement include the
The integration of large-scale offshore wind into the
expansion of electricity grid interconnections,
energy system bears some significant limitations.
conversion to hydrogen, smart grids, demand
The initial challenge is that the current energy
response, storage options, and artificial islands to
infrastructure is insufficient to cope with the high
expand the role of offshore wind energy in the
influx of electricity from offshore wind farms after
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2030. A further challenge is the fluctuating supply and changing
The world’s first offshore green hydrogen plant
demand patterns, which creates a mismatch between supply and
Iv-Offshore & Energy is one of the partners of the PosHYdon pilot
demand.
project. This project aims to integrate three energy systems in the North Sea: offshore wind, offshore gas, and offshore hydrogen, by
Conversion of wind power into hydrogen by means of electrolysis is a way to mitigate the risk of grid overload.
producing hydrogen from seawater on Neptune Energy’s Q13-A platform in the Dutch North Sea. The objective of this 1 MW pilot is to gain experience in integrating working energy systems at sea and the production of hydrogen in an offshore environment.
As the development of offshore wind accelerates in the Netherlands, the share of intermittent renewable energy in the
The use of the existing offshore pipeline infrastructure for other
electricity grid is significantly increasing, which presents enormous
gasses will be available after 2030. PosHYdon will be the first in
challenges for the stability of the power grid and the balance of
the market to explore the use of these offshore assets for other
supply and demand. Furthermore, the capacity of the onshore
purposes. The subsea pipelines extend towards the North Sea
grid may cause a bottleneck by 2030 and prevent the further
borders of the UK, Germany and Denmark and can transport up to
acceleration of offshore wind deployment.
12 GW of wind power to shore in the form of hydrogen.
With wind parks being developed further offshore, the transmission of generated power via cables requires expensive
PosHYdon will be the world’s first pilot for offshore hydrogen
high voltage direct current (HVDC) connections to shore. The
production and transmission on a working platform. The project
greater the distance, the higher the costs. At a certain point, a
is seen as a stepping-stone towards large scale, far offshore
trade-off must be made between transmitting energy in the form
hydrogen production, which will be necessary after 2030.
of electrons or molecules. Iv-Offshore & Energy will define the requirements for the Conversion of wind power into hydrogen by means of electrolysis
electrolyser system to fit the offshore application.
is a way to mitigate the risk of grid overload by bringing wind
A series of adaptations are required to accommodate the
power into the energy system in the form of molecules instead
electrolysis system at the Q13-A platform.
of electrons. This creates balanced options for the electricity grid
Iv-Offshore & Energy will provide the engineering for the necessary
by enabling peak shaving and promotes further growth of wind
platform modifications and the system integration to facilitate
power capacity far beyond that of the onshore power grid.
offshore hydrogen production.
Since hydrogen can be injected and transported via the existing
Because the costs (energy losses) of cable transport increase over
offshore natural gas grid infrastructure, new pipelines are not
greater offshore distances, the option to convert electricity to
immediately required to transmit the offshore produced energy to
hydrogen offshore is considered an attractive solution. Higher
shore. Thus, providing opportunities to use existing platforms as
power output, offshore hydrogen production and transmission
entry points for offshore hydrogen.
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INVOLVED IN NEW OFFSHORE “ ENERGY SINCE THE FIRST FRONT-END DEVELOPMENT” 19
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over greater offshore distances could be cheaper than cable connections and onshore and offshore conversion.
Iv-Offshore & Energy believes hydrogen will play an essential role in the energy transition. 500 MW offshore green hydrogen production platform Much larger green hydrogen production systems will be necessary to integrate the upcoming large-scale offshore wind energy in the system. Iv-Offshore & Energy has contributed to many oil and gas projects worldwide and has been actively involved in the early stages of various offshore wind projects. Iv-Offshore & Energy believes hydrogen will play an essential role in the energy transition, both onshore and offshore and strives to be involved in the first front-end developments in hydrogen production. Iv-Offshore & Energy not only contributes to multiple studies, pilot and demonstration projects in this field but has also developed a concept of a full-scale offshore green hydrogen platform with a capacity of 500 MW. This platform will produce enough hydrogen in one day to power more than 300,000 hydrogen cars for more than 100 kilometres! Iv-Offshore & Energy is responsible for the complete design of the offshore hydrogen platform, from the
•
process design and the Balance of Plant (BOP) to the design of the jacket and the auxiliary systems.
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WHAT MAKES IV SO SPECIAL? Friendly and open culture
Down to earth
Iv feels like a family business: you can always drop by other colleagues to discuss your ideas. You receive a lot of freedom as well as room for entrepreneurship.
Instead of just following trends, we examine the content critically. We innovate because we really want to contribute to the world of tomorrow.
Unique projects
Work hard, play hard
At Iv we work on projects that challenge us to push the boundaries of what is technically possible.
We like to have fun at Iv, which is why, for example, it has become a tradition to attend the UEFA European Championship and FIFA World Cup.
Diversity From infrastructure to submarines: we are the most diverse engineering company in the Netherlands.
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A selection of our vacancies: ✓✓ Senior Mechanical Engineer ✓✓ Junior Naval Architect ✓✓ Lead/Senior Electrical Engineer ✓✓ Structural Engineer ✓✓ Junior Marine Designer
View all vacancies on
jobsativ.com
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GeoDuct, joining forces with nature Infrastructure projects typically bear a sizeable ecological
reinforced with steel. When steel-reinforced concrete reaches the
footprint and often lead to significant environmental impact
end of its lifespan or is removed, it no longer retains the value of
due to the extraction, processing, and transport processes. At
primary raw materials and can only be recycled.
the same time, large segments of existing Dutch infrastructure must be replaced and/or renovated (Replace & Renovate
Lower CO₂ emissions
programme). The Directorate-General for Public Works and
The use of materials largely determines the CO₂ emissions of a
Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) has set its objective
viaduct. The production of materials such as concrete and steel
to become fully circular from 2030 and has appealed to the
generates high levels of CO₂ emissions. When geotextile and soil
market via the SBIR Programme (Strategic Business Innovation
are used, these emissions are significantly reduced or not even
Research) to develop innovative circular viaducts that can be
applicable, respectively. Based on indicative calculations, the
reused repeatedly. Iv-Infra took on this task and developed
development (production materials + construction site activities)
the so-called GeoDuct with various partners, including Dura
of the GeoDuct emits 50% less CO₂ than a conventional viaduct
Vermeer, Geotec Solutions, Heusker, Wagemaker, Ploegam and
made of concrete and steel.
Zwarts & Jansma Architects. The GeoDuct
The raw materials of the GeoDuct are highly reusable.
The GeoDuct is a viaduct built entirely from area-specific, local soils confined within geotextiles. The natural curve of the
Constructive feasibility
arch distributes the forces and eliminates the need for a pile
Currently, the constructive feasibility has been established
foundation. The soils are not bound or mixed, and the geotextile
mathematically, and we now aim to demonstrate the GeoDuct
can be recycled, biobased or designed to be fully removable. Thus,
in a suitable test environment. The design needs to be further
resulting in a lower environmental impact in terms of circularity
developed to build the prototype on the desired scale. Following
and CO₂ emissions.
this, the prototype will be constructed and extensively tested. If the innovation achieves the prototype level TRL6, the participants
A circular concept
will consider the GeoDuct concept sufficiently proven to be
The lower environmental impact with regard to circularity stems
included in innovative tender projects. The remaining detail
from the use of primary and secondary materials. The GeoDuct
engineering will subsequently take place within the first
uses 95% less primary materials compared to a traditional viaduct
commercial project.
made of concrete and steel. And because the GeoDuct is 100% removable, the raw materials are highly reusable, unlike concrete
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25
A CIRCULAR “ BRIDGE CONCEPT”
Impression GeoDuct (source: Zwarts & Jansma Architecten)
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Energy from water When we think of green energy, we often think of
board has become a gas supplier, which places high
solar energy or wind energy. But energy can also
demands on the operational management at the
be generated from water. Iv-Water is currently
wastewater treatment plant. There are many other
working on a series of projects that focus on
aspects related to safety which must be considered.”
generating energy from water.
In Sleeuwijk, approximately two million cubic metres of natural gas is now produced per year. This
Sludge fermentation
is undoubtedly an exciting project in light of the
Obtaining energy from water is no new concept for
objective for the Netherlands to be natural gas-free
water boards. When wastewater is treated, sludge is
by 2050. Iv-Water provided the integral design of the
collected and is often fermented, whereby biogas
Energy Factory and supported the water board with
is produced. This biogas can be used in a combined
the land permit application. In addition, Iv-Water
heat and power installation (CHP). A gas engine
took care of the start-up and coordinated the entire
powers a generator to generate electricity. The heat
installation’s technical process.
released in this process is reused to optimise the sludge fermentation process and to heat adjacent
The Dutch water boards produce approximately 125
buildings at the treatment plant.
million cubic metres of biogas. This is approximately 17% of the biogas production in the Netherlands;
Energy can also be generated from water.
currently, only a small portion of this biogas is upgraded to green gas for external consumption.
“This works differently at the Sleeuwijk Energy
Thermal energy
Factory,” Paul Kloet, Deputy Director of Iv-Water
Sludge fermentation is not the only way to produce
explains. “At Sleeuwijk, the sludge is collected from
energy from water. Aquathermal heat is another
the nine surrounding wastewater treatment plants.
variant. After all, water is a crucial carrier of heat
Because of the size of this operation, a large amount
and is suitable as both a transport medium and an
of green gas is produced with the help of sludge
energy source. Aquathermal technology can heat
fermentation. Given the scale of the treatment plant,
and cool buildings using heat and cold recovered
it was an attractive option to upgrade the quality
from surface water, wastewater, or drinking water.
of the gas to that of natural gas to make it suitable
If necessary, heat extracted from the water can
for consumption by third parties. In fact, the water
be stored in subsurface reservoirs and upgraded
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with a heat pump when necessary. This type of centralised heat
“Iv-Water is currently involved in a Vattenfall project via Inenergie.”
generation requires a heating network to transport the water to
Paul continues, “This project concerns the coupling of low-quality
the adjacent buildings. A ’Green Deal’ was concluded in 2019 to
and high-quality heat sources, using a robust heat network with
encourage initiatives to use these types of heat sources.
high availability. This project aims to bring heat and cold from multiple sources to a single distribution station. It concerns a
“Iv-Water is involved in several projects related to heating
combination of heat, and cold storage (ATES) supplemented
networks,” says Paul. “The water temperature of, for example,
with district heating. We are currently working on the design
effluent (treated wastewater) has a constant temperature of 10-15
and determining the space required for the installation and it’s
degrees Celsius, by using an electric heat pump, this heat can
requirements. Vattenfall attaches great importance to safety.”
be extracted. This heat can be used to heat another medium to around 45 degrees Celsius, making it ideal for heating buildings and processes.”
We examine every option integrally; customisation will always be a part of it.
Aquathermal heat is used at the Sleeuwijk Energy Factory as an
Creating a source
alternative heat source for the fermentation process. The energy
It sounds straightforward, extracting energy from water, but is
here is not gained from waste but from the heat of the supplied
it? Paul explains: “With sludge fermentation, a certain scale has
wastewater. Thanks to this initiative by our Project Manager
to be achieved to make it lucrative. There are many stakeholders
Ronny Faasen, we avoided construction hindrance in the context
involved to ensure the achievement of a sound business model.
of unexpected restrictions resulting from the nitrogen problem
Besides this, these types of projects often have a major impact on
(Programma Aanpak Stikstof or PAS). Through this alternative,
the surrounding environment. It’s not just about fermenting the
using a portion of the biogas to provide heating was no longer
sludge and the associated control measures to prevent the risk
necessary, meaning that approximately 10-15% more green gas
of explosion. Collecting sludge from different treatment plants
can be produced and supplied. In this specific project, a heat
creates more transport movements and impacts the surroundings.”
pump with an output temperature of roughly 70 degrees Celsius was chosen.
“With thermal energy, it’s even more complex to organise. Creating
There is a drawback to this method of heating because wastewater
a source close to the end-users is, in many cases, a significant
is not continuously supplied to the installation. By introducing a
challenge. Direct proximity to a sufficient capacity of wastewater,
small buffer, the hydraulic fluctuations in the day/night pattern
effluent or surface water is essential for this. Moreover, most
can be appropriated, continuously supplying the sludge digestion
existing homes are built for being heated by high-temperature
process with the required heat.
sources.
Other high-quality heat sources can also be applied, but then the source is usually residual heat from an industrial process or geothermal energy.
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These new low-grade heat sources are therefore much more
“Energy from water provides a good contribution to the energy
suitable for new builds. The use of Aquathermal heat, therefore,
transition. But replacing fossil fuels will have to be covered by
requires intensive exploration for the feasibility.”
multiple sources. Which source will always depend on the best solution for the location and situation in question. We examine
Energy neutral The energy transition is an essential theme for the water boards.
every option integrally; customisation will always be a part of it.”
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Most water boards aim to operate energy-neutral in the long term, and some aspire to achieve this by 2030. “For the future, there is no single solution in terms of energy source choices,” Paul continues.
FOR THE FUTURE, THERE IS “ NO SINGLE SOLUTION”
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Energy-neutral premises for the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management The Directorate-General for Public Works and Water
needed, among other things, the structural data of the
Management (Rijkswaterstaat) aspires to reach
properties. And if possible, also information about the
complete energy-neutrality by 2030 and equip
load data which was originally applied. Obtaining this
all owned premises with solar panels, charging
information proved more difficult than expected, as the
stations and smart support systems. But what are the
majority of this data was not available digitally and town
possibilities for each property? What is the maximum
halls were either inaccessible, or access was limited
number of solar panels that can be installed on the
due to corona,” says Saskia Frijns, Project Leader and
roof? What are the installation technicalities for each
Registered Structural Engineer at CAE. “We have driven
property? And where should the charging stations be
all over the country visiting town halls and other owned
installed?
premises. We mapped out routes for three days a week and visited three to four locations per day.”
Throughout the country Iv-Infra, Iv-Bouw and CAE (the construction branch of Iv-Bouw) provided insight into the possibilities for each
We visited three to four locations per day.
property and how to achieve realisation as effectively and efficiently as possible. “It was quite a challenge,” says
A specific format
Harry Nienhuis, Project Manager at Iv-Infra. “Everything
To assess all properties as efficiently as possible, a
had to be completed before the summer, so time was
specific assessment format was set up at the beginning
of great urgency in this project, and along the way, we
of the project, enabling each property to be evaluated
were unexpectedly faced with limitations due to the
in the same way. Iv-Infra and Iv-Bouw carried out the on-
corona lockdown. In the end, the 81 properties we were
site inventories. Iv-Infra inventoried the parking spaces
initially investigating turned out to be 118.”
and, together with Iv-Bouw, formulated an inventory of the roofs and electrical building installations. “With
One of the challenges in this project was carrying out
regard to the roofs, the condition and structure type
the archival research. “To assess whether the roofs
were examined and determined, but also the surface
are structurally suitable for applying solar panels, we
area and available space for solar panels. We measured
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this for all roofs and further determined the positioning and
“What was nice is that we gradually identified a common
energy yield of the solar panels with the software program
thread in the different types of properties (buildings with a
HelioScoop. We had never worked with this program before,
concrete structure, steel structure or with wooden joisting).
so we first put a lot of effort into customising the program.
It became apparent that similar buildings typically produced
CAE then calculated and assessed the structure of the roofs.
the same outcome. For example, buildings with a concrete
We also ascertained which electrotechnical installations are
structure could almost always withstand the extra load from
present in the properties and the capacity these installations
the solar panels. This made it easier later in the project to
can tolerate. Based on this data, we provided a definite
assess the properties with a concrete structure. We were
indication for each property for the maximum number of
able to examine many different structures and bundle the
solar panels that could be installed,” says Sjaak Verheijen,
observed common thread as a learning point, enabling us
Senior Designer at Iv-Bouw.
to utilise this knowledge further to provide insight into the possibilities for various buildings.”
Sometimes, a gain can still be made by positioning the solar panels slightly differently.
CAE and Iv-Bouw investigated the possibilities for a number of buildings whereby the structural calculations revealed that the limit value was not met in terms of strength.
How many solar panels on each roof?
Sometimes, a gain can still be made by positioning the solar
The wish of the Directorate-General for Public Works and
panels slightly differently. In particular, no archival data was
Water Management was to place as many solar panels as
available for the older, smaller buildings. The structure was
possible on each roof. CAE made structural calculations
examined on-site for these buildings, and the possibilities
for each building to determine how many solar panels the
calculated with structural assumptions in weights (on the
roofs could withstand. The applicable renovation standards
safe side, of course). These calculations were also based on
were hereby applied. The load-bearing capacity, which was
the data obtained from assessments of similar buildings for
calculated in the original situation, was compared with the
which structural archival data was available. An advantage
load associated with the new situation. “In our calculations,
of older buildings is; the older the building, the more safety
we have assumed a standard type of solar panel for the
was built into the original structural calculation.
area and weight. These limit values were formulated by the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management. By applying the safety factors associated with
Finding the most efficient place for charging stations.
renovation, we were often able to create scope for placing the solar panels on the roof without having to include extra
Where should we install charging stations?
facilities in the existing structure,” says Saskia.
Another aspiration of the client is to electrify the fleet fully. With this, all buildings must be provided with sufficient charging stations. The Directorate-General for Public Works
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and Water Management indicated the desired number
cabling routes. The inventory showed that a number
of charging stations/fast-charging stations for each
of premises do not have private parking spaces, and
location. Iv-Infra and Iv-Bouw have ascertained for
the surrounding area around the building is used for
each premises the number of existing private parking
parking. In these cases, it was investigated whether and
spaces, the location of the existing charging stations,
where it could be possible to realise parking facilities
the cable and pipeline routing and the location
and charging stations.
of the transformers and mains facilities. Following this, advice was given for the optimal positioning of
One step closer
charging stations and the routing of energy supplies.
In December 2020, Iv satisfactorily submitted the last
For the buildings with existing charging stations, it was
inventory report to the client. The Directorate-General
recommended to cluster the new charging stations
for Public Works and Water Management is currently
at that location as this promotes optimal efficiency in
tendering the work to contractors, bringing it a step
terms of cabling. It was recommended for premises
closer to achieving its ambition to be energy neutral by
that do not yet have charging stations to realise these
2030.
close to the building to prevent unnecessary long
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ALL BUILDINGS WILL BE “ PROVIDED WITH SUFFICIENT CHARGING STATIONS”
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De Altis: a circular and energyneutral sports complex De Altis. The new, multifunctional sports complex
We won the tender because of the appearance, the
in Rijswijk named after the place in ancient Greece
proposed parking solution, and the expected energy
where the prizes for the best athletes of old
consumption of our plan. Iv-Bouw as EPC partner
Olympus were made. In Rijswijk, it is ‘the’ place
assumed the risk-bearing responsibility for designing
where residents can play sports and exercise both
all electrical and building installations, purchasing
indoors and outdoors, and meet each other. The
the systems, and the installation and delivery thereof.
sports complex is constructed to be fully circular,
Iv-Bouw devised all technical installation designs and
whereby recycled materials have been utilised.
purchased the installations from various parties. As
The complex is also fully energy neutral. 100%
EPC partner, we were also ultimately responsible for
renewable energy is used, and 0% fossil fuels. But
the implementation.”
what does this involve, technically? Using the space smartly Responsible for design, procurement, and
De Altis is a multifunctional sports complex with
delivery
an appearance unique to Rijswijk. The complex
Iv-Bouw as EPC partner was involved from start
has a total floor area of 6,150 m2. It consists of two
to finish in the realisation of this sports complex.
large sports halls that can be used for volleyball,
Jaco Mooijaart, Head of Department of Electrical
basketball, badminton, and physical education,
Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, explains:
among other sports and activities. In addition, there
“The municipality of Rijswijk issued a request that
is a weights room for strength training, a large budo
roughly stated: we have a budget of 13.5 million
hall, and two sizeable catering facilities linked to
euros, and for this, we would like at least two
the stands. A parking garage with an area of 2,400
connected sports halls with a clear height of seven
m2 has been realised beneath part of the complex.
and nine metres, a weights room, dance/budo hall
A smart solution whereby extra space has been
and two catering establishments. Together with
created at the front of the terrain for outdoor sports
project developer OLCO and AGS Architects, Iv-Bouw
such as running and boot camp activities and room
presented a plan for an energy-neutral building.
for future residential construction.
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Applications for a self-sufficient building
consumption for cooling with an ATES installation is
The roof of De Altis contains no fewer than 1,100
85% lower than with air heat pumps. This is because an
solar panels, covering almost the entire (high) roof. In
ATES installation only requires energy for pumping, and
addition, the shaded roof areas were given a green
the compressor for the heat pump does not have to be
roof – with moss and sedum plants. An advantage of
running to produce cooling. A beneficial solution for the
this is that green roofs provide a buffering function and
number of operational hours and thus the lifespan of the
cool the building with the rainwater retained by the
heat pumps.”
moss and plants. The application of many solar panels is just one of the sustainable measures used in this new sports complex.
An ATES installation contributes to optimal self-sufficient energy generation. A Heat and Cold Storage (ATES - Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage) installation was applied for the heating and cooling of the building. Heat is also recovered in the building from the return ventilation air. Therefore, the cooling of the rooms and the ventilation air is achieved without using the heat pumps but instead with cold water from the subsurface. The ATES installation satisfies the building’s requirements for optimum heating and cooling, whereby a maximum temperature of 23 degrees will be achieved inside the sports halls during the summer months. Jaco: “An all-electric energy supply with as much as possible self-generated energy is the most future-proof solution. We, therefore, advised the application of an ATES installation instead of a heat pump. The ATES installation was installed in the ground to a depth of approximately 225 metres. The effect on energy consumption in the spring and summer, when cooling instead of heating is required, is that the electricity
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How the Heat and Cold Storage system works The energy for heating rooms is generated by heat pumps that exchange energy with groundwater. The heat pumps upgrade the heating energy extracted from the subsurface to an operating temperature of 45 degrees Celsius. By extracting heating energy from the subsurface, the groundwater cools. This cold groundwater is then used during the summer months for cooling rooms. Therefore, cooling for the rooms and the ventilation air is freely available without having to use heat pumps. Exchanging energy using groundwater takes place at a reasonably constant groundwater temperature. The heat pumps are designed to work optimally at this temperature, and the efficiency of these pumps (SCOP) is high. Conversely, heat pumps that exchange energy using outside air typically have a much lower SCOP value.
The building can be optimally heated and cooled with the ATES installation. A comfortable indoor temperature The sports halls are heated and cooled through climate panels. This is similar to a radiator on the ceiling and consists of a steel plate over which pipes run. In this case, the steel plate is perforated and becomes hot or cold depending on the season. An advantage of radiant panels is that they can maintain a room’s temperature during the nighttime hours, thus eliminating the need for fans, which again saves energy. Another advantage is that they react considerably faster than underfloor heating to varying loads (such as the number of people occupying the room). When a greater number of people occupy a hall, it naturally becomes warmer, and the radiant panels cool the room to the desired temperature.
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The same applies the other way around. This is how the
example, when the location is used for physical education
radiant panels ensure a comfortable climate for sports and
purposes during the daytime, the lighting is set to 300 lux,
exercise.
for regular sports 500 lux and 750 lux for top-end sports.
The building is equipped with a control system that regulates all climate equipment and ensures that the
Leakproofness results in lower energy consumption.
energy sources are used optimally. As a result, only the rooms in use are climatised. The control system is easy to
An extremely leakproof building
operate for the building management, and all controls can
Jaco: “A fun fact that doesn’t have much to do with the
be organised as desired. The installation is also equipped
technical installation work of Iv-Bouw, but which does
with an energy module. By way of an energy consumption
influence the energy consumption of the building, is that
trend analysis, omissions in technical installations, such as
the building is extremely leakproof. This means that hardly
incorrect setpoints or incorrect operational times, can be
any air escapes through, for example, cracks and seams
identified.
in the building’s exterior envelope. The legal requirement for leakproofness is a qv10 value of 0.4. Our team aimed
Ventilation
for a value of 0.3 for De Altis. But because of the fine
The building’s air conditioning units are equipped with
architectural detailing and the attention given to this
high-efficiency energy recovery. To limit the transportation
during the implementation, it appeared after a test that
of ventilation air, the quantity per occupied area is
De Altis boasts a leakproofness of 0.15, which is extremely
regulated according to the CO2 content. By aligning the
leakproof. As a result, almost no outside air enters through
ventilation quantities to the required volume of air, the
the building’s exterior envelope, which results in lower
energy consumption of the fans in the air conditioning
energy consumption.”
units is limited. In addition, the air conditioning units are situated close to the demand areas, which means the
Rightly proud
ductwork is relatively short and limited.
The new sports complex was completed in April 2021. De Altis was officially opened in May 2021. Alderman of sport Björn Lugthart is proud of the result and rightly refers to it
All fixtures in the sports complex have been realised with
as an asset to Rijswijk.
LED lighting. To limit energy consumption as much as possible, the lighting in each room is activated through presence detection. All lighting is switched off at fixed times via a sweep switch. The lighting is fully dimmable and automatically dims according to the type of use. For
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Sustainable lighting
MULTIFUNCTIONAL AND “ FUTUREPROOF”
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Work for the future In the coming years, the transition from fossil
sea-fastening design, but also the lift studies. We are
fuels to sustainable energy sources will require
increasingly focusing our attention on designing
the realisation of many new provisions and
offshore wind tooling that can be used for installing
countless adjustments to existing infrastructure
wind turbines at sea - yet another component of the
and facilities. The energy transition is therefore
energy transition.
leading the way to a significant development in Iv-Consult’s work. After all, there is still much to be done in the market, and the transition demands
It is the work that is needed now that will secure the future.
innovations. It is the work that is needed now that will secure the future.
Innovation in offshore wind Our ambition in the energy transition, wind energy
Removal of old platforms
and greater water depths was the reason to conduct
“Many of the projects in which Iv-Consult is involved
extensive research into the possibilities of a floating
are related to the energy transition,” explains
wind turbine anchored to the seabed with tendons
Maarten van de Waal, Director of Iv-Consult. “We are
(cables). This eventually led to an innovative method
involved in a very broad sense. We devise solutions
for a wind turbine suitable for greater water depths
for removing various old oil and gas structures,
that can be towed to its destination by tugboats and
including performing feasibility studies, structural
complete the installation itself. This specific system
testing, structural integrity analyses, and lift studies.
proved to be so innovative that it has been patented.
Besides this, we are also involved in the realisation of new, sustainable energy generation.”
Adaptation of the electricity network There is also still much work to be done on land
Offshore wind
to actually realise the energy transition. “On land,
Iv-Consult helps its sister company Iv-Offshore
for example, the electricity network has to be
& Energy to develop the designs for transformer
adapted,” Maarten explains. “In the past, electricity
platforms, providing support in structural steel
came from power plants and was then defused and
engineering.
distributed throughout the country. Now there are
In addition, we also design auxiliary structures
new locations where electricity is generated, which
for the installation of offshore wind fields, which,
demands a different electricity network layout for
among other things, include the grillage and the
the distribution. This requires new or modified
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electrical routing throughout the country. We perform
we need to join in with this development. We must
the calculations and drafting for the new pylons,
continue to gather knowledge to deliver smarter
both the classic framework structures and the newer
solutions continuously. And in doing so, we must
wintrack pylons. Working towards the energy transition
also include the knowledge and experiences of our
reaches much further for us than offshore wind alone.”
customers; they can indicate whether a solution does or doesn’t work in practice. This is just one of
A new type of high-voltage pylon was developed a
the reasons why we value our relationship with our
few years ago: the Wintrack. This innovative pylon is
customers. An excellent example of this type of
characterised by its sleek design, narrow magnetic
collaboration is with HMC, for which we already carry
field, and low maintenance. Based on the lessons
out a lot of complex decommissioning work.”
learned from the first two generations of pylons, further development has taken place for a third generation with a new, more stringent set of design requirements. At the beginning of 2020, the realisation of the Wintrack
The energy transition encourages innovation and development in the market.
III generation for the North-West 380 kV, Vierverlaten – Eemshaven route (Project NW380) and Southwest-
“The greatest challenge is that nobody knows what the
West 380 kV, Borssele – Rilland route (Project ZWW380),
future holds. Due to the rise of solar and wind energy,
was started. Iv-Consult was brought in to conduct
the current electricity network will be overhauled, and
the reviews and provide a second opinion for the
full attention will be given to constructing new wind
pylon foundation designs for these projects. Part of
farms at sea. In addition to this, developments in other
the client’s requirements was the full-scale testing of
alternative energy sources such as nuclear energy or
the integral design for the constructive feasibility of
biomass are also in full swing. Much work is being
the foundations and pylons and the strength of the
focused on the development of hydrogen or other
outrigger connections and clips (component testing).
energy carriers. We’re not exactly sure what this will
The deformation behaviour of the pylons was also
bring, but one thing is certain; we must all join in with
tested and verified. In addition to strength, the dynamic
these innovations.”
behaviour and management and maintenance aspects were also included in the reviews. Challenges in an innovative market “The energy transition encourages innovation and development in the market”, Maarten continues. “To continue to play a leading role in this transition,
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CONTINUE TO GATHER “ KNOWLEDGE TO DELIVER SMARTER SOLUTIONS”
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Working on the future “What is ‘the’ energy project of the future?” Maarten considers for a moment: “In the future, energy will be generated by multiple sources: sun, wind, nuclear energy, oil and gas. All of these have pros and cons. A varied supply will be needed to contend with the peaks and dips in demand for supply. Developments are taking place on a global scale, so it’s also interesting to examine the progress abroad. The energy transition is now building momentum, particularly in the United States. The US is a few years behind Europe in offshore wind development, but a growing demand
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can be observed there too. We in Europe, with our accumulated knowledge, can benefit from this.”
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Engineers with Passion for Technology Iv-Groep is a globally operating multidisciplinary engineering company. Since 1949, Iv has been devising technical solutions for projects of any size and complexity within the following sectors: Industry, Infrastructure & Traffic, Buidings & Installations, Handling, Maritime, Offshore & Energy and Water. No challenge is too complicated for us. We are a team of specialists with a genuine passion for our specialisms: with our knowledge of technology, we can achieve the most for our customer.
