Environment and Energy Management by Colin Murphy

ireland’s leading environment & energy management publication

HARNESSING CORRIB NATURAL GAS €2 BILLION INVESTMENT IS TRANSFORMING BORD GAIS

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

THORNTONS RECYCLING – REPAK RECOVERY OPERATOR OF THE YEAR

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C o n t e n t s

- 2 F INANCING

- 29-32 E NERGY P OINT

Water treatment firm makes a splash with R&D Funding from InterTradeIreland.

Latest energy developments in Ireland and overseas.

PA G E 2 0

PA G E 2 - 5 E NERGY P ROJECT

Repak Recycling Awards.

Financing.

- 29 T IDAL E NERGY

Harnessing Corrib Natural Gas.

OpenHydro is CPD Company of the Year 2011.

- 15 C ONSTRUCTION M ANAGEMENT Environmental management excellence at Corrib Gas Terminal.

- 31 O IL & G AS PA G E 5

- 17 A IR Q UALITY

BP and Partners investing £10 billion in UK oil and gas projects.

PA G E 2 3 Thorntons Recycling.

Corrib gas terminal.

Air Quality in Ireland amongst the best in Europe.

- 32 R ENEWABLE E NERGY Alarming slowdown in pace of renewable energy development in Ireland.

- 18 P OWER G ENERATION

PA G E 2 9 Tidal Energy.

€2 billion investment is transforming Bord Gais. Managing Director: Colin Murphy Sales Director: Ronan McGlade Editor: Mike Rohan

- 20 R ECYCLING

PA G E 1 7

Musgraves wins top Repak Recycling Award.

Air quality.

Production Manager: Susan Doyle

Environment & Energy Management is published by Premier Publishing Limited, 51 Parkwest Enterprise Centre, Nangor Road, Dublin 12. Tel: + 353 1 612 0880 Fax: + 353 1 612 0881 E-Mail: colin@prempub.com Website: www.eandemanagement.com London Office: Premier Publishing Limited, CTS, 34 Leadenhall Street, London, EC3A 1AT Tel: 0171 247 3238 Fax: 0171 247 3239

- 23 W ASTE M ANAGEMENT

Premier Publishing Limited can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of contributors’ articles or statements appearing in this magazine. Any views or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Premier Publishing and its Directors. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the authors, contributors, editor and publisher. A reader should access separate advice when acting on specific editorial in this publication!

Thorntons acclaimed for recycling performance.

- 27 W ASTE M ANAGEMENT Less than a third of plastic waste being recycled in Ireland.

PA G E 1 8 Dave Kirwan, md, Bord Gais Energy.

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ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

I FINANCING

Water Treatment Firm Makes a Splash With R&D Funding From InterTradeIreland Newry-based waste water engineering company; FM Environmental has launched an innovative online asset and facility management system after a funding boost from InterTradeIreland through its cross-border R&D programme, Innova. hrough Innova, FM Environmental partnered with Central Solutions from Limerick, an information management services firm, to develop a web-based system that will improve water quality compliance and monitoring for industry and local authorities. Combining their respective skills in water management and IT, FM Environmental and Central Solutions have developed a system to consolidate data from across water treatment plants and integrate this with existing systems and monitoring units, building on EU environmental standards and legislation.

had as a result of the Innova programme, we have now created a joint venture company– InvistaTech, which will be the vehicle for bringing additional product developments to market.” £3.5m Available For Collaborative R&D Projects FM Environmental and Central Solutions’ partnership is just one of the success stories from InterTradeIreland’s Innova programme which supports two companies, one North and one South, to undertake a strategic and collaborative innovation project. InterTradeIreland has announced it has up to £3.5 million left to invest through Innova in 2011 and 2012. The programme

with significant resources and expertise – and enables them to be successful.” Companies are currently invited to apply for Innova funding and in particular, projects in the areas of environment and ICT, life and health sciences, including polymers and plastics, agri-food, advanced engineering, advanced materials, and telecoms are being sought. SMEs that take part on InterTradeIreland’s Innova programme typically benefit from development of new products or services, increased rate of commercialisation, shared knowledge, technology and expertise as well as access to new markets.

Making Waves Finding Your Perfect Match Michel Fitzpatrick from FM While the funding on offer through Environmental, explains: “Launched Innova will be attractive to many in early 2011, Invista SiteVu Asset firms, there are some practical considManagement is already bringing cost erations companies should consider saving benefits to its clients, by makbefore ‘taking the plunge’. ing the task of compliance reporting Liam Nellis explains: “Working immediately available at the click of a with another firm in the opposite mouse button, and being able to monjurisdiction enables companies to itor, trend and report the energy usage access invaluable expertise, knowledge and performance profile of each motor and technology that may otherwise or sensor. Our public sector clients are have been unavailable to them. now engaged in rolling out a second However, for strategic R&D projects phase of deployment, and prospects to be successful – they require the are developing in markets as diverse as trust, effort and commitment from South Africa, Mexico and Australia, both parties and in most cases this is including in non-water related sectors not achieved overnight. The best such as industrial complexes. Our pro- Left to right: Ken Stockil and Paul Conheady from Central Solutions Innova partnerships are those where jected turnover for this year is expect- pictured with Michel Fitzpatrick and Justin Trainor from FM the company already has some form of ed to exceed £250,000 - less than 12 Environmental and Noel Mills, InvistaTech. working relationship in place before months after launching to the market. applying for Innova funding.” Though, we would not be surprised to see a aims to stimulate and support R&D coCompanies interested in applying for considerable boost to those expectations – operation between companies North and InterTradeIreland's Innova programme such is the reaction to the product.” South to accelerate new product, process or should complete a short expression of inter“We wouldn’t be where we are today with- service development and up to est form which is available on the out support from InterTradeIreland’s Innova £250,000/€285,000 per project is available. InterTradeIreland website. programme. Our partner, Central Solutions, Liam Nellis, chief executive of Shortlisted companies will be invited to introduced us to the programme and we InterTradeIreland, says: “As well as the submit a business case for support and fundjointly applied. We provided the knowledge financial support on offer, Innova compa- ing is also available to cover costs incurred in and requirements of the industry as well as nies benefit from pooling their expertise and compiling the business case submission. For the hardware technology which complement- resources with another firm anywhere on the more information contact Bernadette Doed the data management software brought to island to bring their innovations to market ran on +44 28 3083 4148 or email the project by Central Solutions.” faster than if they were working alone. The Bernadette.doran@intertradeireland.com. FurHe continues: “Joint ventures are at the programme helps SMEs to undertake ‘game- ther details on the programme can be found core of both our and Central Solutions’ changing’ forms of innovation that would on the InterTradeIreland website www.interdevelopment. Following the success we have normally be confined to larger organisations tradeireland.com/innova I 2

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

BUILDING & CIVIL ENGINEERING NISO REGIONAL AWARD WINNER 2010

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I ENERGY PROJECT

Harnessing Corrib Natural Gas Discovered in 1996 but not scheduled to come commercially on stream until 2014, the Corrib natural gas field has the capacity to meet up to 60% of Ireland’s gas requirements at peak production. reland is currently importing 96% of its gas and about 55% of electricity generation is produced using gas. Corrib gas is consequently expected to replace a major proportion of imported gas and significantly improve Ireland’s energy security position and balance of trade. Located about 80 kilometres off the Mayo coast line, the Corrib field contains an estimated 0.9 trillion cubic feet of gas. While definitive figures are not available, it is likely – based on published accounts to date – that drilling the wells and constructing the infrastructure to bring the gas ashore, process it and then deliver it into the Bord Gais Eireann national grid pipeline will cost in the region of Eur2.5 billion - about three times the original estimate of Eur800 million.

Corrib Partnership The Corrib gas field was discovered fifteen years ago by Enterprise Energy and was subsequently acquired by Shell in 2002. Shell E&P Ireland, the energy giant’s Irish exploration and production subsidiary, is the operator of the Corrib gas enterprise and also the lead partner (with a 45% stake in the venture) in a consortium, which also comprises Statoil of Norway (36.5%) and Vermilion Energy of Canada (18.5%). The costs and profits relating to the Corrib gas project will be divided between the three partners in proportion to their relative stakes in the business. The Corrib gas partners will pay 25% tax on profits, dou-

Construction workers at the Bellanaboy Terminal.

ble the standard corporate tax rate. The controversial Corrib gas project consists of four elements - the offshore infrastructure including the wells and subsea facilities; the offshore section of pipeline; the onshore section of pipeline; and the gas terminal at Bellanaboy Bridge in County Mayo. Three of these elements have been effectively completed. Offshore Infrastructure and Pipeline Five wells have been drilled 3,000 metres below the seabed at the Corrib field and have been ready for production since

December 2008. The 83 kilometre offshore stretch of pipeline has been laid. This was completed in a month during the summer of 2009 by the Solitaire, a specially designed pipelaying vessel, on which 7,000 sections of pipe, each 12m in length and 20 inches in diameter, were welded together and then laid on the seabed. The pipeline runs from the central manifold of the gas wells on the seabed about 350 metres below sea level to the landfall site at Glengad. Controversial Onshore Pipeline Construction work on the 8 kilometres

Located about 80 kilometres off the Mayo coast line, the Corrib field contains

The gas terminal site is located on 160 hectares of land at Bellanaboy Bridge.

an estimated 0.9 trillion cubic feet of gas.

However, the actual terminal footprint is about 15 hectares.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

onshore section of pipeline connecting Glengad to the near-complete gas terminal finally began in July of this year. This part of the project has proved to be highly controversial. To address local concerns about the gas pipeline running too close to housing, the planned route has been changed since permission was first granted in 2002. The final route and design were approved by An Bord Pleanala in January of this year. To minimise impact on wildlife and habitat, this will entail laying 4.9 kilometres of the 8.3 kilometres onshore pipeline in a specially constructed tunnel beneath Sruwaddacon Bay, which is designated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA). Tunnelling will be in one direction only, from Aughoose to Glengad, using technology similar to that employed during the excavation of the Channel Tunnel between England and France. The tunnel will have an internal diameter of 3.5 metres and an external diameter of 4.2 metres. The closest house to the pipeline will be 234 metres away, compared to 70 metres under the route approved in 2002. The design pressure of the pipeline has also been reduced with the maximum allowable operating pressure onshore being 100 barg with the normal operating pressure being 85 barg. The onshore pipeline is expected to take 26 months to construct. The tunnel carrying the pipeline under Sruwaddacon Bay will be the longest in Ireland.

For the project as a whole, including offshore development, two million hours and 365 days were worked without a lost time injury, in June of this year.

flow into the Bord Gais (BGE) network. The gas terminal site is located on 160 hectares of land at Bellanaboy Bridge. However, the actual terminal footprint is about 15 hectares. The entire site is surrounded by woodland, which ensures minimal visual impact in this remote rural area. Drying the Gas The terminal has been designed to remove liquid from the gas by using natural methods such as reducing pressure and adjusting temperature. Cooling gas or reducing its

The terminal has been designed to remove liquid from the gas by using natural methods such as reducing pressure and adjusting temperature. When the terminal is finally connected to the Corrib gas field, it will break the natural gas down into three basic components – dry gas, condensate (hydrocarbon liquids contained within the stream) and treated produced water (there is a certain amount of suspended water in the gas).

Gas Terminal The fourth element of the project is the gas terminal, which will process and dry the gas by removing liquids so that it is suitable to 6

pressure will cause any suspended liquids to drop out. When the terminal is finally connected to the Corrib gas field, it will break the natur-

al gas down into three basic components – dry gas, condensate (hydrocarbon liquids contained within the stream) and treated produced water (there is a certain amount of suspended water in the gas). While the maximum operating pressure of the onshore pipeline coming into the terminal will be 100 barg, the normal pressure at which natural gas will arrive at the terminal is 85 barg. After treatment, the dry gas will be exported to the Bord Gais network at 85 bar pressure. Gas arriving at the terminal will firstly be passed through a slug catcher, a seven fingered structure which effectively removes the ‘slugs’ of liquid which gather in the pipeline as the gas travels from offshore. “In passing through the slug catcher, the gas goes from a 20 inch pipe into seven 42 inch pipes and the velocity drops. Liquids drop out and are collected,” explains John Botterill, terminal project manager, Shell E&P Ireland. “The slug catcher effectively shaves off the slugs of liquid.” The gas will then pass into the inlet separator to remove other entrained liquids before going to the heart of the terminal plant – the gas conditioning unit. Gas conditioning entails passing the gas through a special valve to reduce the pressure to again remove liquids as it continues to be ‘conditioned’ to produce a gas that meets BGE specifications and is ready to be supplied to domestic customers. While conditioning the gas removes fur-

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

Artec · ISO 9001:2008 Quality Manangement Systems · ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Systems · OHSAS 18001:2007 Health & Safety Mananagement Systems · Artec's ethos is based on a personalised client relationship Artec is an Irish owned company with over 30 years experience

Artec Construction & Facilities Management provide a range of services to our clients needs: Civil Engineering Supply of Plant and Labour to the construction sector Domestic/Commercial and Industrial Cleaning Facilities Management Catering Facilities Building Maintenance Landscaping and Tree Felling Surface and Ground Water Treatment Waste Management Other services provided are:

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Bellanaboy Bridge Gas Terminal Glenamoy, Ballina Co Mayo Tel: 097-87792 Fax: 097-87792 Email: info@artecconstruction.ie Web: www.artecconstruction.ie

of the greatest benefits for the local area has been the up-skilling of local contractors and employees during the project,” says John Botterill.

ther liquid, it will also reduce the pressure below that required by Bord Gais. The next stage of the process – compression – will raise the pressure of the gas from about 5-7 barg up to 85 barg. The two compressors are driven by gas turbines. “The gas turbines have been made more environmentally friendly by the addition of waste heat recovery. We will use some of the gas coming into the plant to fuel the gas turbines and the waste heat recovery system will draw heat from turbine exhausts and transfer this to a liquid heating medium, which will be used elsewhere in the terminal for heating purposes,” he says. The conditioned gas will then go through the sales meters, to measure the amount of gas being delivered into the Bord Gais network. The connection between the gas terminal and the Bord Gais network was completed in August 2009. Condensate Stabilisation The liquids removed by the slug catcher will comprise condensate (liquid hydrocarbons) and water containing methanol. Methanol is used to stop the gas flow coming ashore from freezing and will be pumped from the terminal out to the gas field and injected at the well heads, before returning in the gas stream. The methanol is recovered in the plant and reused. The slug catcher is used to remove the liquids but liquids including condensate are also drawn off at the inlet separator and gas conditioning stages of the gas treatment process. Because the condensate is coming off at various process points, it is at different pressures and so needs to be stabilised. During condensate stabilisation and storage, the liquid reaches atmospheric pressure and will be stored ready for removal from the site by road tanker to a refinery. Methanol Recovery The water containing methanol, which will

be separated by the slug catcher and also at the inlet separator and condensate stabilisation stages, will have the methanol removed and recycled. After recovery, the methanol will be stored, ready to be pumped offshore. The recovered methanol is also supplemented with additional methanol brought in by road tankers as and when required. Once the methanol is removed, the remaining produced water is treated prior to disposal. “The treatment of the produced water is probably the most complex process on the plant. This is to ensure that we treat the produced water to a very high standard before it is then delivered 83 kilometres back off shore,” he points out. In addition to treating the produced water from the gas field, any surface water from the terminal, which may contain traces of hydrocarbons, is also carefully treated. This surface water flows into drains and is treated to a very high standard before being discharged with the produced water to the gas field. The water treatment plant has a number of innovative features, such as tilted plate separators, multi-media filters, ultra-filtration membrane packages for oil removal, and nano-filtration membranes together with carbon filters and ion exchange resin for the removal of metals. The surface water treatment plant has a capacity of up to 30 cubic metres per hour. The produced water plant’s capacity is 6 cubic metres per hour. Surface water run-off from nonhydrocarbon areas is also treated, and discharged to local watercourse. At the height of construction in 2009, about 1,200 people were employed at the gas terminal site. Indeed, at one stage it was the largest construction site in Ireland. Local contractors and people were employed, where feasible, on the Corrib Gas project with Eur17 million per month being spent on wages and supplies during peak construction. “Probably one

Focus on Safety and the Environment According to Shell, the safety of staff, contractors and the community has been the number one priority at every phase of the Corrib natural gas project. Shell strictly enforces its ‘Life Saving Rules’ on site. These are twelve clear and simple rules applied to everyone working on Shell projects, both staff and contractors, designed to achieve ‘goal zero’ – Shell’s global safety target of no incident that might put its staff, contractors, neighbours or facilities at risk. During construction on the terminal, several major safety milestones were achieved. One million hours worked without a person taking time off work due to injury was achieved on four separate occasions. For the project as a whole, including offshore development, two million hours and 365 days were worked without a lost time injury, in June of this year. Environmental features on the terminal site include the construction of a bespoke water treatment plant incorporating electro-flocculation technology. This is to ensure compliance with the very strict water discharge standards set by Mayo County Council during the terminal construction phase. During construction almost all of the run-off from the 15 hectares site was

The water treatment plant designed specifically for the Bellanaboy Bridge terminal project is the largest of its kind in the world and similar applications have since been developed on other Shell sites in Europe and the US.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

ing and hydrotesting Preservation and Laying the Umbilical Because the onshore pipeline will take two years to construct, the gas plant at the terminal site has effectively been placed in storage with appropriate preservation and maintenance routines ongoing with nitrogen being used to render the plant inert. An umbilical to carry power and services to control the operations at the Corrib gas field will be laid in 2013. It will house the line for delivering methanol to the gas field. The umbilical will also incorporate a discharge pipe to take the treated produced water from the gas terminal back out to sea for disposal.

Construction work on the 8 kilometres onshore section of pipeline connecting Glengad to the nearcomplete gas terminal finally began in July of this year.

contained and pumped back for treatment to very strict standards, marking the first time such an approach had been taken on a major Irish construction project. The water treatment plant designed specifically for the Bellanaboy

Bridge terminal project is the largest of its kind in the world and similar applications have since been developed on other Shell sites in Europe and the US. As the water is treated to such high standards, it can be re-used for tank test-

Energy Security At peak, the Corrib Field is expected to supply 60% of Ireland’s gas needs. “The peak will be reached relatively quickly – within about a year of the first gas, assuming the plant comes on stream fairly rapidly. It will last probably between two and five years and then will start to come off that plateau and begin to decline gradually,” says John Botterill. Corrib gas is what is known as a ‘sweet’ gas, meaning that it is 97% pure methane/ethane, 3% nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

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Established in 1999, Belcross Enterprises Ltd are committed to construction of the highest standards. Our contract scope ranges from small domestic extensions and renovations to commercial projects.

Excellent Workmanship and Personal Service We pride ourselves on excellent workmanship and personal service, a fact demonstrated by the high proportion of our business which comes from recommendations from satisfied clients. All staff are competent in all operations carried out. We employ qualified personnel in all disciplines, in addition to a highly skilled group of sub-contractors who have been associated with us since the company was formed. Again, we have long established association with these parties. For further information please contact us:

Belcross Enterprises Ltd., Belmullet, Co. Mayo, Ireland

Phone/Fax: +353 (0)97 82449 Mobile: +353 (0)86 8031099 E-mail: info@belcross.ie

Complexity So how does the Corrib gas project compare in scale and complexity to other Shell exploration and development ventures internationally? “Corrib would be considered and classified as a small field. It is big for Ireland but small on a global scale,” replies Mark Carrigy, operations manager of Shell E&P Ireland. “It would be considered a major project from a capital expenditure stand point but from a technology deployment aspect it is very straight forward. With regard to processing the gas, it is as simple as it gets, which is liquid removal. Probably the most complex part is the sub-sea system. Although controlling the wells over such a long distance has now become the norm.” Mark Carrigy expects the field to last for about 20 years before being depleted. It is projected to contribute Eur3 billion to Irish GDP over its lifetime. Capital Intensive and High Risk Business The Irish State has no equity stake in the venture and the Irish Government has been criticised for disposing of its natural energy resources cheaply. So is it common for the State not to take a stake in Shell energy

number of finds is considered high risk. The Atlantic seaboard is also technically high risk so there has not been a huge amount of interest in Irish exploration. Being invol-ved in the front end of exploration is financially very high risk,” Mark Carrigy adds.

projects? “It depends upon how mature a hydrocarbon region it is. Ireland is still considered very high risk,” Mark Carrigy responds, pointing out that more than 140 deep water exploration wells, costing an average of Eur65 million each, have been drilled off the Irish coast in the last 35 years but only four have been successful. Apart from Corrib the other discoveries are the Kinsale Head Gas Field, found in 1970, Ballycotton, a single satellite well close to Kinsale Head discovered in 1989, and Seven Heads discovered in 2002 and developed as a satellite to Kinsale,. The Corrib field is roughly 60% the size of the Kinsale field. “So the amount of wells drilled versus the

Exploration and Licensing Minister for Communica-tions, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte, TD recognises this situation. “Unfortunately, with only four commercial finds of natural gas in Irish waters to date, the optimism of the 1970s has proved to be unfounded,” the Minister states. “Ireland competes with other countries, both in Europe and much further afield, to attract mobile international exploration investment. The revisions to the licensing terms since 1975 have reflected this reality and have sought to incentivise exploration in the Irish offshore.” Pat Rabbitte continues: “While I will keep the licensing terms, both fiscal and non-fiscal, under review in light of relevant future developments, at this point in time I believe that the focus should be on attracting a larger share of mobile international exploration investment to Ireland, to increase the chances of new commercial discoveries being made.” I

I CONSTRUCTION & MARINE

Construction, Civil Engineering and Marine Services From Belcross Enterprises ased at Belmullet in County Mayo, B Belcross Enterprises specialises in providing construction, civil engineering and

Union and Lavelles Retail & Residential Development.

marine services. Belcross Construction and Civil Engineering handles projects ranging in scope from small domestic extensions and renovations to commercial projects. The company prides itself on providing excellent workmanship and personal service, a fact demonstrated by the high proportion of business which comes from recommendations from satisfied clients. Belcross employs qualified personnel in all disciplines, in addition to a highly skilled group of sub-contractors who have been associated with the company since it was formed in 1999. Safety is of the highest priority for Belcross and all sites are managed under HSE Management Systems and standards. Belcross owns sufficient plant to carry out projects efficiently, and can supply specialist or additional equipment upon request. The company also has a full survey

Marine Services Belcross Enterprises also provides marine services for a wide and diverse range of clients. It has a large range of vessels available from 6 metre (P3's) to 11 metre (P5's) fully licensed passenger RIBS, work vessels, survey vessels, standby vessels, anchor handling vessels/tugs and supply vessels. Belcross Enterprises provided safety, survey, passenger and vessels, marine co-ordination, oil spill response and associated amenities in Broadhaven Bay and Sruwaddacon Bay for the Site Investigations work on the Corrib Natural Gas project for the 2010 season. The company has also provided Shell E+P Ireland with a Guard Vessel (Forth Hunter) and Offshore Fisheries Liaison Officers for guard duties at the Corrib Field. I

Belcross Enterprise provided safety, survey, passenger and vessels, marine co-ordination, oil spill response and associated amenities in Broadhaven Bay and Sruwaddacon Bay for the Site Investigations work on the Corrib Natural Gas project for the 2010 season.

team and the latest GPS/GNNS survey system for all aspects of surveying on land and marine, and all types of setting out. Recent projects completed by the company include: Belmullet GAA Clubhouse Development, Bruach Na Mara Residential & Commercial Development, Erris Credit

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

I SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

Successful Delivery of Building Works By Kilcawley Construction ounded in 1934 by brothers Matthew and Tom Kilcawley, Kilcawley Construction is one of Ireland’s longest established and financially stable contracting companies. Indeed, a recent credit report by ratings agency Vision Net assessed Kilcawley Construction as performing better than 97.73% of other companies in the industry and highlights the fact that the company has no exposure to development loans.

Tubbercurry Civic Offices.

Brendan Henry, managing director, attributes the longevity and success of the company to adhering to its core business of main contracting while remaining committed to the philosophy of ‘Excellence in Construction’, instilled by the founders 75 years ago. “This philosophy forms the heart of our commitment to our clients and construction partners. To this end, we consistently monitor and improve our accredited Safe-T Health & Safety and ISO9001 Quality Management systems. We constantly incorporate the principles of sustainable construction into our work places. In July 2009, we rolled out our Environmental Management System (EMS) and gained accreditation and certifi-

Cineplex, Carrick-On-Shannon.

cation to operate ISO 14001. The EMS is now operational in all Kilcawley work places and is internally audited by our Environmental Management team and externally by the NSAI.” Award-winning Projects Kilcawley Construction has carried out numerous award-winning projects such as Ceide Fields Visitor Centre, ESB Regional Head Offices Sligo, Leitrim Central Library, Ceide Fields Visitor Centre. Sligo County Hall, Johnston Central Library & Council tially complete and Kilcawley was part of the Headquarters Cavan, IT Sligo team that, on no less than four separate occaAdministration Block and sions, achieved ‘One Million Manhours without Lost Time Incident’. Claudia van den Tubbercurry Civic Offices. Over the past twenty years, Berg, SEPIL’s HSE Manager, expressed her Kilcawley Construction has diversi- delight at the success. “I’d like to commend fied into the pharmaceutical, manu- staff and contractors for their efforts in reachfacturing and utilities sectors, suc- ing and exceeding the milestones achieved in cessfully completing projects for the past. It’s not unusual at this stage of conmultinationals and indigenous clients struction for workers to become complacent; alike, such as Abbott Ireland, Elan, however, we never lost sight of our ‘goal zero’ Bioniche Pharma, Oriflame safety target,” she said. Reflecting on the successful delivery of the Cosmetics, Fort Dodge Laboratories, Elanco, Kinerton Pharmaceuticals, Ballina building works at Bellanaboy, Brendan Henry Beverages, ESB and of course, Shell pinpoints some other reasons for the continExploration & Production Ireland Ltd ued success of Kilcawley. “We are a small-tomedium sized business. In other words, we are (SEPIL). small enough to be flexible, but large enough to be considered for significant and complex Corrib Gas Project The Corrib Field was discovered off the projects. We are fully staffed, with 45 fullwest coast of Ireland in 1996 and has been time employees and our team is young and developed by SEPIL with PM Group as well qualified. The average age of our employConstruction Manager for the development ees is 30-35 and most have a first degree in of the on-shore terminal at Bellanaboy, engineering or quantity surveying. Staff retenCounty Mayo. tion is high. We continue to acquire interestKilcawley Construction worked with ing projects and we believe our team enjoy SEPIL and the PM Group Construction working for us because we are a young, Management team from early design stage dynamic and progressive company. It’s easiand pre-contract stage, where all project er to make a name for yourself in a compaexpectations in terms of Health and Safety, ny like ours - we’re not a monolith.” I Environmental, Quality, Design issues, Buildability, Programme and Flawless start-up were clearly defined. The works involved the construction of thirteen buildings split into two packages and the Kilcawley Construction management team had to undergo a series of special training requirements to be fully conversant with SEPIL World Standards. These works are now substan- Corrib Field Construction Team.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

I CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Environmental Management Excellence at Corrib Gas Terminal By Mags Dalton, EHS Manager, PM Group rom the outset of the development of the Corrib Gas Terminal, environmental management excellence was one of the key goals of the entire project team. Protection of the environment has been a prime consideration from inception of the project to handover and will continue throughout the operational lifetime of the terminal. In 2005, PM Group was employed as the Construction Management Contractor by Shell E&P Ireland Ltd (SEPIL) for the Corrib Gas Terminal. A key element of our role was the implementation and enforcement of a comprehensive environmental management programme covering all activities associated with construction. The main construction activities included site set-up involving clearance and construction of site roads, drainage systems and facilities to house the construction teams during the course of the project. As the site was overlain by up to 4m in peat, it was necessary to undertake peat removal to create a level surface and reduce the visual impact of the terminal. Following this stage, side slopes around the site were top soiled and seeded to prevent erosion. Civil and Structural works followed, with piling and foundation works. Structural steel pipe racks and site buildings were then constructed. The installation of equipment was then undertaken, prefabricated where possible, and finally the testing and commissioning phase. Effective management of the construction site was achieved by combining elements of the PM Group and SEPIL site management teams. The environmental management system in place at the terminal was rated class-leading among Shellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global construction operations. The systems and documentation developed on the Bellanaboy site have now been recommended for use on all Shell construction sites including the ongoing Corrib pipeline project.

tion or raise any issues. Project notices and newsletters are distributed regularly within the local community and information is also freely available on the project website.

Protection of the Water Environment The construction site was set up and oper-

ated to the highest standards. The Axonics plant, where all surface water is treated, is the largest of its kind in the world. Capable of treating over 1,000 m3 of surface water per day, the Plant uses an electrochemical treatment process involving the use of electricity and small quantities of chemicals to remove fine particles from the water. Rainwater is treated to ensure full compliance and settlement ponds are linked to the internal drains to allow potential silt to settle out prior to releasing water into local watercourses. Limiting Risk An emergency response framework operates on site to alleviate the risk of any potential environmental emergencies. All contractors are required to be fully briefed. This was managed by PM Group during the construction stage through a combination of bi-monthly training exercises with the Emergency Response Team, strict regulations around the positioning and requirements for permanent and mobile plant spill kits and specific briefings on emergency response rules at induction.

The standard for Environmental Management in Construction The Corrib Gas Terminal Project has an enviable record of environmental management to the highest standards. It was designed to meet and exceed the most stringent requirements and to continue to be a fully sustainable presence in the local community. PM Group believes that the experience of this project will bring long term performance benefits to the Irish construction industry. PM Group is an international provider of professional services in engineering, architecture and project management. Headquartered in Ireland, PM Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1,600 strong multidisciplinary teams deliver complex capital projects to clients in the Biopharmaceuticals; Advanced Manufacturing; Medical Technologies; Energy, Food and Nutritionals; Research and Development; Transportation; Healthcare; Education; Environmental and Commercial sectors. I

Communications & the Community With input provided by PM Group, the SEPIL Terminal Environmental Manager prepared and presented a report addressing any issues thus providing a forum for discussion of local issues at each Project Monitoring Committee meeting. A public information office was established in Belmullet to provide services such as a drop-in centre and free phone service where members of the public can request informa-

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

I CONSTRUCTION & FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Artec Construction and Artec Facilities Management at Corrib Gas Water Management In January 2011, Artec took over the operations of is successfully carrying out Axonics Surface and facitlies management and Ground Water Treatment maintenance contracts at Plant at the Corrib Gas the Corrib Gas Terminal. Terminal. Artec techniArtec’s scope of works cians ensure that all surinclude construction of: face water does not exceed • Temporary civil and strthe authorised limits. The uctural works for tempoAxonics Water Tre-atment rary offices, ware house, Plant, the largest of its cantee and other site faciltype in the world, is capaities, Brian Foley (Shell), Tony Doyle (Shell), Gearoid O Riain (PM), Sean Keane (MD Artec), ble of treating over 1,000 • Surface and Ground Reynagh Keane (Artec HSEQ Manager) and Aidan Higgins (Artec Project Manager) m3 of surface water per celebrate Artec’s accreditations in 2010. Water Treatment. day. This type of plant is • Ongoing modifications purposely designed to and maintenance to offices ,warehouses, Quality Management Systems. Now the meet the Mayo County Council discanteen, toilets, sewerage, fencing, company has achieved accreditation in charge limits for suspended solids, tur• Temporary civil and building works in Environmental Management Systems and bidity and aluminium. support of construction rangin Occupational Health and ing from protection of openSafety Management Systems. ings on pipe racks to prevent All three awards are global ratfalls to the construction of ings developed by the roads, International Organisation for • Domestic cleaning to site Standardisation and provide an offices complex and site wide international reference for quality industrial cleaning in support management requirements as well of main contractors in the conas monitoring the regulatory struction and operations, obligations of the company’s busi• Personal management service ness. The accreditations demonand supply of onsite catering strate the company’s efficient and Clarifying Process. serving up to 1000 people reliable working procedures and daily, reflect a continued dedication to Artec also provides other ser- Flocculation Process. ongoing improvements in carryAxonics Plant uses an electro coagulation vices for the client, including lifting out its contracts on the site. treatment process involving the use of elecing and hoisting, tree felling, waste man- Artec has been on the site at Bellanaboy tricity and small quantities of chemicals to agement, landscaping, onsite painting, since September 2006 and had a workforce remove fine particles from the water. The haulage and transport. of 43. first stage entails inducing an electrical Artec MD Sean Keane is extremely charge into the mineral rich water through Artec Achieves Top Standards proud of his dedicated and hard working aluminium electrodes. This allows a posiArtec continues to set standards of excel- staff without whom it would have been tive charge into the water. Before water lence in its operations at the Bellanaboy impossible to achieve such goes through a treatment process Bridge Gas Terminal. In 2008, Artec accreditations. “We constantly the water has a negative charge. achieved ISO accreditation 9001:2008 in monitor and update our proceWhen treated both the negadures and systems and strive to tive and positive charges combine make a safe, quality-driven and together causing the particles to environmentally friendly workattach to each other. The partiplace for our staff,” he says. Sean cles form larger grouped particles Keane also thanks all his suppliknown as flocs. ers and fellow contractors for The water containing these their support and pays special grouped particles is then passed tribute to Shell and Project into a large settling tank known Management (PM) “for giving us as a clarifier where settlement of the opportunity in the first the particles occurs in the bottom instance to develop our manageof the tank and the cleaner water ment, safety and quality control Treated Water as a on top is discharged as treated finished product. Electrocoagulation Process. systems. water. I rtec, the Erris-based A facilities and construction management company,

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

AIR QUALITY

Air Quality in Ireland Amongst the Best in Europe he EPA report â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Air Quality in Ireland 2010 - Key Indicators of Ambient Air Qualityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shows that air quality in Ireland is of a high quality throughout the country, meets all EU standards and is amongst the best in Europe. The report provides an overview of air quality in Ireland for 2010, based on data obtained from a national monitoring network consisting of 27 monitoring stations spread throughout the country. New air monitoring stations in 2010 included Longford town, Bray in County Wicklow and Celbridge in County Kildare. Data from the EPA monitoring program shows that air quality in Ireland continues to be amongst the best in Europe. Air quality in Ireland is generally of a high standard across the country due to prevailing Atlantic airflows, relatively few large cities and the lack of widespread heavy industries. However, levels of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide remain of concern and

Air quality in Ireland is generally of a high standard across the country due to prevailing Atlantic airflows, relatively few large cities and the lack of widespread heavy industries.

polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) may be a problem pollutant in the future. PAH arise from domestic solid fuel burning and vehicle exhaust emissions. Traffic is the primary source of nitrogen dioxide and is also one of the main sources of particulate matter. Domestic solid fuel use is the other main source of particulate matter in air in Ireland and particularly impacts air quality in areas where the sale of bituminous coal is permitted. As a result, levels of particulate matter in smaller towns are similar or higher than those in cities or in towns above 15,000 population, where bituminous coal is banned. To help with this, from 2011 new regulations will require that all bituminous coal placed on the market in Ireland for residential use has a sulphur content of no more than 0.7 per cent. In addition, the sale of bituminous coal has been banned in four additional towns in 2011 - Ennis, Clonmel, Carlow and Athlone. I

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

I POWER GENERATION

€2 Billion Investment is Transforming Bord Gais Bord Gais is investing in the region of €2 billion in developing its power generation infrastructure, both conventional and renewable, as part of its transformation from a gas supplier into a fully fledged energy group. ord Gais has been generating electricity at its new 445 megawatts natural gas-fired power plant at Whitegate in Cork since last November. Costing Eur400 million to build, the Whitegate facility marks a major strategic move for Bord Gais and supports its growing retail electricity business, which was launched in February 2009 with the company’s highly successful ‘Big Switch’ campaign. The Whitegate power station can provide electricity for 445,000 homes. Construction commenced in March 2008 and at peak about 800 people were employed on the 25 acre site. Thanks to the company’s focus and insistence on strict safety procedures, the project accomplished over 1.8 million man-hours and 19 months accident free.

division, and was responsible for the development and operation of the company’s generation portfolio, including the Whitegate power station. As head of Bord Gais Energy, he is now also in charge of the retail side of the business.

Advanced Technology The new power plant is one of the most efficient electricity generation facilities in the world. At its heart is a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT), with an efficiency of 58.5%, supplied by GE. Indeed, GE and Gama were the principal contractors for the project, and GE is currently running the plant for Bord Gais. The CCGT chosen by Bord Gais is the 9FB model, GE's most advanced air-cooled 50Hz gas turbine.

The Sorne wind farm in County Donegal.

Flexibility The Whitegate plant also incorporates a supplementary firing system in the boiler which makes it highly flexible in serving fluctuating power demands from the National Grid. “The plant is nominally rated at 434 megawatts but if we so choose, we can turn on burners in the boiler that can use the excess heat, which is high in oxygen, running through the boiler from the back of the gas turbine to raise the capacity of the overall power station by 10 megawatts,” he explains. “That gives us the opportunity, at very short notice, to pick up extra power by re-comDave Kirwan, managing director of Bord Gais Energy.

“When we decided to go with the GE 9FB, which is the technology on which the power station is based, there were only four or five running in the world but there are about thirty now,” says Dave Kirwan, managing director of Bord Gais Energy. “So it represented the next generation of 9F technology, which is a very popular and well proven technology that has been developed by GE down through the years. It has brought about higher efficiencies than previous CCGT generation plants so we can achieve 58% combined cycle efficiency.” He adds: “This is good news for our customers because it means a high percentage of our precious fuel goes into the transmission of electricity for homes and businesses etc.” Before assuming his current position, Dave Kirwan, was director of Bord Gais’s assets

Bord Gais has been generating electricity at its new 445 megawatts natural gas-fired power plant at Whitegate since last November.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

adjacent to Ireland’s only oil refinery, operated by ConocoPhillips. The power station is unusual in that it is connected to the Whitegate oil refinery by a pipeline for the delivery of low sulphur distillate. This ensures security of supply to the Bord Gais facility should there be any disruption to its primary fuel of natural gas.

In addition to its high efficiency and flexibility, the GE technology installed at Whitegate is also characterised by its low NOX levels.

bustion in the boiler.” In addition to its high efficiency and flexibility, the GE technology installed at Whitegate is also characterised by its low NOX levels. “Our power station can cycle from 100% load down to 31-32% within the emission constraints set by the EPA. The problem for older generation CCGTs is they can’t cycle down as far as that because their combustion systems become unstable and they find it hard to stay within the rigid EPA guidelines.” He elaborates: “The combustion technology we acquired is particularly good from an environmental aspect as it allows us greater flexibility in operation and EirGrid is using the plant to this effect. On a summer’s evening our power station might cycle back down to 33% but at 6am the following day can ramp up smoothly to meet the morning load – all within environmental limits.” Security of Supply The Whitegate power plant is situated

An aerial view of the Whitegate power station.

both conventional and renewable. While Whitegate was being constructed, Bord Gais built up its retail business by entering the residential electricity market through the Big Switch campaign. Last year, Bord Gais increased its number of electricity customers to over 460,000, bringing its total customer base, including gas users, to nearly one million people. “Whitegate in effect supplies all our residential electricity customers, based on its capacity,” Dave Kirwan remarks. Bord Gais has simultaneously been building its renewable energy generating capacity, both organically and by acquisition. In 2009, it acquired SWS Natural Resources, one of the largest wind generators in Ireland, for over Eur500 million. Based in West Cork, SWS was operating 179MW of wind generating assets at the time and also had an advanced development pipeline of 460MW in the Republic

Huge Challenge Developing the Whitegate power station constitutes the largest single investment ever made by Bord Gais. The project’s complexity and the fact that it represented a new departure for the company presented a major challenge for the team responsible for Whitegate. “When you build a power station, you will spend in the region of 80-85% of all the money for the project a full year to eighteen months before it is ready to go commercial. Every day the project is delayed is costing your P and L, so there was massive commercial pressure to complete the project on budget and in time for the winter of 2010,” says Dave Kirwan. The various plant and equipment for the project was sourced from all over the world, for example, the gas turbine was manufactured in the US and the boiler in Asia. Co-ordinating delivery and installation of all the component parts followed by rigorous testing before going live, posed a daunting Bord Gais has been building its renewable energy generating challenge. “All of the different capacity, both organically and by acquisition. The Kilgarvan wind parts were assembled for the farm in County Kerry. first time on site. There were about 14,000 control signals to configure of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Bord to ensure that the plant operates at the Gais currently operates 13 wind farms push of a button,” he points out. totalling 225MW across Ireland. Bord Gais first started planning its “We have another 40MW in construcdevelopment as a dual energy provider in tion and we have in excess of 150MW about 2002, when it entered the commer- planned for the next twelve months. We cial/industrial electricity market. “To will have a wind generation portfolio become a credible player we had to be approaching 450MW by the end of able to take on residential customers and 2012,” Dave Kirwan comments. offer them choice in Ireland. We reckThe SWS business has since been inteoned we needed to have a port- grated into Bord Gais to create a new folio of generation behind us so assets division. “We now have about 60 we were not reliant on our com- people based in Cork who can handle all petitors to back our power gen- aspects of developing power generation eration electricity play,” he says. infrastructure, including conception and planning, wind analysis, electricity grid €2 Billion Investment design and tender specification,” he says. Bord Gais consequently embarked upon establishing its Long-term Ventures electricity generation capacity, Bord Gais is involved in Greener Ideas, a with the construction of the joint venture with Mountside Properties ?400 million Whitegate power to develop a series of Open Cycle Gas station and by investing about Turbine (OCGT) power plant projects ?1.6 billion to develop its asset across Ireland. “They would act as a portfolio, particularly in renew- bridge and make it cheaper to balance able energy. Bord Gais’s strategy between large scale power stations like is to develop a balanced portfo- Whitegate and small wind projects,” he lio of electricity generation, explains. “The current Irish electricity

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

Developing the Whitegate power station constitutes single investment ever made by Bord Gais.

market does not support that investment at the moment but we will be ready and waiting when it does.” Another long-term enterprise is the North East Storage project, a joint venture between Bord Gais and Storengy, a subsidiary of GDF Suez, the French energy group. The North East Storage Project is initially a geological investigation to determine if salt layers located deep below the surface of the Larne area of County Antrim could potentially be used for underground natural gas storage. “We have carried out seismic studies to see if the salt layers can support the underground storage of natural gas. In January, we are doing a test drill, going down over a mile below the earth’s surface, to assess

whether the salt storage project is commercially viable.” Dave Kirwan goes on: “From Ireland’s point of view, to have indigenous, reliable storage of natural gas close to pipelines would provide additional security of supply.” Bringing such a project to fruition would be some years off, given the complexity of the preparation and planning process involved, assuming it is commercially viathe largest bility. Bord Gais also recently invested in the marine energy sector by taking a stake in OpenHydro, the Irish tidal renewable energy company. Customer Focused According to Dave Kirwan, Bord Gais Energy’s development strategy is totally customer focused. “What we spend our money on has to be of demonstrable benefit to the customer. We developed Whitegate to deliver competitive energy to Irish consumers. We couldn’t have done project ‘Switch’ or started retail competition without that investment.

We are investing in wind for the same reason, to keep the price of electricity low for Irish customers,” he comments. Similarly, the Northern Ireland storage project and the OCGT venture are intended to enhance the company’s asset base in order to allow it to be competitive on energy prices. “All our investments should add value to the customer, otherwise they are just an overhead.” He concludes: “The Irish energy customer can’t afford projects that don’t deliver value and so that informs everything we are doing or are going to do in the next five to six years and beyond.” J

Costing Eur400 million to build, the Whitegate facility marks a major strategic move for Bord Gais and supports its growing retail electricity business, which was launched in February 2009 with the company’s highly successful ‘Big Switch’ campaign.

I RECYCLING

Musgraves Wins Top Repak Recycling Award usgrave Group has received the M best Member Award at this year’s Repak Recycling Awards. Musgrave Group was recognised for its excellent waste management record with 100% of its packaging waste being recycled. For example, Musgrave’s Light weighting initiatives such as the 20% packaging reduction of the company’s 5 litre plastic water bottle has helped to reduce the amount of packaging placed on the market. The Repak awards acknowledge best practice and prevention in packaging recycling of companies, schools, local authorities and waste contractors around the country. In total there were twelve awards presented. The winners were: * The Best Practice in Industry Award Baxter Healthcare. * Best Prevention Initiative Award 2011 Arvato Digital Services. * Repak Best Practice Award – Independent Retailer 2011 - McInerneys SuperValu Supermarket, Loughrea, County Galway. * Best member Award - Musgrave Group. * The Repak/An Táisce Recycling School of 20

* * * *

the Year 2011 – Summercove National School, Kinsale, County Cork. Best WEEE and Waste Battery Recycling Event of the Year 2011 – Tesco Ireland. Best Waste Battery Collection Area of the Year 2011 (sponsored by WEEE Ireland) – Wicklow County Council. Best Practice Hospitality 2011 (sponsored by Rehab Glasco) – Castleknock Hotel and Country Club. Repak Civic Amenity Site of the Year

Award 2011 (sponsored by Fehily Timoney) – Dundalk Recycling Centre – V and W Recycling, * Repak Recovery Operator of the Year – Large Company Award 2011(sponsored by Tetra Pak) – Thorntons Recycling. *` Repak Recovery Operator of the Year – Small to Medium Company Award 2011, (sponsored by Chartered Institute of Wastes Management) – Envirogreen Recycling. * Repak Local Authority of the Year Award 2011 (sponsored by Rehab Glasco) – Louth County Council. Dr Andrew Hetherington, chief executive of Repak (pictured right), comments: “What is clear is that all organisations can make a real impact but this needs commitment and a structured approach which Repak is able to provide to its members. This developing support for recycling and for removing excess packaging will have a lasting and profound effect on Ireland’s environment.” J

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

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I WASTE MANAGEMENT

Thorntons Acclaimed For Recycling Performance Operating facilities in Dublin, Meath and Kildare and offering a variety of waste services nationwide, Thorntons Recycling has just won the Repak Recovery Operator of the Year Award 2011, in recognition of its recycling initiatives and performance. ounded in 1979 by Padraig first facilities in Ireland to start and Carmel Thornton, the producing Solid Recovered Fuel company has developed into (SRF) from waste materials. a €28 million turnover busiThe company’s MRF and Civic ness, employing 250 people and Amenity site at Dunboyne operating and maintaining its own Industrial Estate, Dunboyne, fleet of more than 130 vehicles. County Meath is licensed to hanSpecialising in Waste Management dle 50,000 tonnes of material per and Recycling services, Thorntons annum. This facility predominately Recycling handles a variety of difhandles skip waste from commerferent waste streams and currently cial, domestic and construction operates three EPA Licensed and demolition customers. The Facilities, and four Waste civic amenity site is open to the Permitted facilities, (issued by public for dry recyclables, textiles, Local Authorities). It also holds a batteries and waste electrical and multi regional collection permit, Thorntons Recycling has just won the Repak Recovery Operator of the electronic equipment. which allows the company to oper- Year Award 2011. Pictured are (left to right): Bill Dolan of Repak; Gary Licensed to handle 20,080 Brady, managing director of Thorntons Recycling; and Mercedes tonnes of material per annum, the ate in all counties of Ireland. The company’s activities and Kavanagh, group environmental manager of Thorntons Recycling. company’s Composting facility is facilities encompasses Waste Transfer Stations, Dry Recyclables MRF’s of Waste Management and (Material Recovery Facilities), SRF (Solid Recycling services to both domestic Recovered Fuel) production, Brown bin and commercial customers. In addiorganic waste Composting, Security tion to its Recycling and Recovery Shredding of Confidential paper and Waste services, Thorntons products, Wood/Timber recycling and a Recycling also offers Skip hire, Liquid Waste (tankers) business. Tanker and liquid waste services, Thorntons Recycling serves over 40,000 Secure Confidential Shredding of household customers and 2,700 commer- paper both on and off-site, WEEE cial customers. (Waste and Electrical Equipment Thorntons offers a comprehensive range and Electronics) collection, Food waste collection which it turns into compost, End of Life Vehicle (ELV – cars and vans) collection Thorntons Recycling’s new state-of-the-art Mixed Dry and processing, Dem- Recyclables (MDR) processing/sorting facility in Park West, olition/site cle-arance, Dublin 10. and Product Destruction. based at Kilmainhamwood in County Meath. Taking in brown bin/biodegradSites and Facilities able waste, it produces a high grade comThorntons Recycling’s MRF post which is suitable for arable farming, at Killeen Road, Dublin 10 landscapers and soil enhancement projects. is licensed to handle The ELV facility at Kylemore Park, 250,000 tonnes of material Dublin 12 is permitted to de-pollute End per annum. This facility of Life Vehicles and abandoned cars in an handles commercial, indus- environmentally friendly manner. The ELV facility at Kylemore Park, Dublin 12 is permitted to de-pollute trial, household and conThe Wood Recycling facility is located End of Life Vehicles and abandoned cars in an environmentally friendly struction and demolition at PDM, Kill, County Kildare, where manner. waste and was one of the waste timber is recycled and shredded and

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

I WASTE MANAGEMENT

Turnkey Recycling Solutions From Turmec Engineering urmec Teorenta has been in business since 1972 and over the past 40 years has built up a strong reputation for its outstanding quality in design and manufacturing of turnkey recycling plants and general engineering projects. Through its continuous investment in technology, equipment, research and development and personnel, Turmec is committed to achieving the highest of standards with all of the projects that they work on. With their main focus on the recycling industry, it proves to be one that continues to change and evolve on a constant basis and Turmec invests heavily in research and development ensuring that they stay up to date with new technologies and processes that are always coming onto the market.

With waste being the greatest resource on our planet, Turmec pride themselves on staying ahead of the marketplace so that they can offer clients the most up to date solutions that are tailored to needs and budget with the focus on maximum recover and minimum landfill. They have the experience of working with some of the most successful recycling companies in Ireland and the UK.

Not only do Turmec offer experience and expertise in providing these turnkey recycling solutions, but they offer an after sales service that is second to none. They have back up teams strategically located in Ireland and the UK which means that they can provide on-site back up to all of their clients in a very short time. Turmec strives to go that extra mile to ensure any disruption to the facilities that they have installed is minimal with as little downtime as possible. They also provide a single point of contact and service includes the management of all third party vendors so clients don’t have to deal with a multitude of suppliers. Tailored Plants The plants themselves are tailored to process Mixed Dry Recyclables, MSW, C & D/C & I waste. They are also at the forefront at manufacturing SRF/RDF facilities to move with the ever changing markets. They have a robust design and offer efficient separation with maximum throughput and minimum labour. Turmec’s plants are manufactured, assembled and tested to the BSEN ISO 9001 2000 standards, ensuring the highest quality standard is adhered too. To this date, Turmec have diverted more than 2 million tonnes of waste from landfill through the new plants that they have commissioned over the years and this number is still increasing. This could only be achieved in their relentless approach to adapt and react to the every changing waste industry and working closely with so many of their clients on a day to day basis. All you need to do is look at Turmec Engineering’s customer base to see that they are the market leaders in providing both general engineering services and turnkey recycling solutions. They have always worked to the “no job is too big or too small” ethic so if you require general engineering, spare parts, maintenance, a single solution or a turnkey solution, feel free to call them or go to their website to see how they can help you. I

Turnkey Package The most recent project Turmec completed was at Thorntons Recycling where a full turnkey package has been designed, manufactured and installed to process mixed dry recyclables. Turmec takes pride in having long working relations with all of their clients, and for the past 12 years they have worked continuously with Thorntons Recycling to help streamline their recycling process with the main focus of increasing their recycling rates across the board. To date and through a constant working relationship with Thorntons Recycling, they have helped them to dramatically increase their recovery rates from 50% to 95%, which ultimately means that more and more waste is being diverted from landfill every day. 24

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

New Dry Recyclables Materials Recovery Facility Thorntons Recycling has invested over €3 million to develop its new dry recyclables MRF in Park West, Dublin. Dry recyclables from commercial and domestic customers enter the new facility mixed and unsorted. These are mechanically and manually sorted so that materials are segregated into individual waste streams such as cardboard, paper, plastic bottles polyethylene PET, plastic bottles high density polyethylene HDPE, plastic films clear and coloured, Tetrapak, aluminum cans and steel cans. The facility has in place different technologies to ensure material is mechanically sorted into as a high a grade as possible for recycling. The plant incorporates a metering drum, a series of screens, ballistic separator,

magnets, eddy currents, optical sorters and a baler to bale segregated materials into sizes suitable for processing in mills. Thorntons recycling had been processing dry recyclables materials previously at its Killeen Road facility but was very limited for space. “The company believed that in order to remain competitive and to improve process efficiency that it was necessary to develop a new facility in a larger footprint with more sophisticated technology,” says Gary Brady. Thorntons Recycling employed Turmec Engineering for the design and build of the new facility. The company’s other key technology suppliers include AMCS for software and Bryan S Ryan for IT systems.

Thorntons Recycling has invested over €3 million to develop its new dry recyclables MRF.

further €2 million has been spent turned into a product for re-use. to expand this process to all waste At the Group’s Headquarters at delivered to the Killeen Road Parkwest Business Park, Dublin 12, facility. The company expects to Thorntons Recycling operates a produce some 35,000 tonnes of Secure facility for the shredding of SRF in 2011. This material Confidential documents. Also based would have previously gone to at Parkwest is the new Mixed Dry landfill. Recyclables (MDR) Materials Thorntons Recycling’s latest Recovery Facility, which was opened investment is in its new state of in June 2011. This is the latest addithe art Mixed Dry Recyclables tion to the group and is permitted by (MDR) processing/sorting facility Dublin City Council to process in Park West, Dublin 10. 24,500 tonnes of Mixed Dry Costing over €3 million to develRecyclables from Green bins collected in Dublin, Meath and Kildare. Thorntons Recycling operates a secure facility for the shredding of op, the facility processes and sorts Mixed Dry Recyclables (green bin The facility uses state-of-the-art recy- confidential documents. material) into various product cling equipment and technology (see stream in 2001 at Kill, County Kildare streams such as cardboard, paper, plasPanel). tic bottles, Tetra Pak and plastic film All services and facilities owned and to handle waste wood and timber. In 2005, as part of its long term for recycling. operated by the company are certified to international standards for ISO 9001 Strategic Business Plans to provide a “Thorntons Recycling is currently Quality, OHSAS 18001 Health and ‘One Stop Shop Solution’ to customers, one of the most progressive and the company opened its MRF in advanced recycling companies and has Safety and Environmental ISO14001. Dunboyne, its Composting facility in in invested over €50 million in assets Single Solution County Meath and its company head- and facilities,” says Gary Brady. “The “Thorntons Recycling offers a ‘One Stop quarters to accommodate the expansion company will continue to grow and Shop single solution’ to all our cus- of services and personnel employed by invest in the Best Available tomers’ waste needs. Over the past num- the company. Technologies (BAT) for Recycling in ber of years Thorntons has developed its Following these developments order to improve our recycling rates. products, sites and services to meet its Thorntons identified and opportunity We believe in continuous investment in customers’ requirements. All our facilities in the market for the de-pollution and the company processes and technologies have been developed with the ethos of recycling of End of Life Vehicles to ensure that we can provide the most maximizing recycling and recovery and (ELV’s) and opened its first ATC at cost effective solution to our customers.” minimizing the amount of waste going to Kylemore Park in 2006. Its Confidential landfill,” points out Gary Brady, Secure Managing Director at Thorntons Shredding facility was develRecycling. “Thorntons endeavors to offer oped two years later along all of its customers a cost effective, pro- with the purchase of a numfessional and compliant single solution ber of mobile shredding trucks. for their waste.” In 2009, Thorntons Group Development Recycling became one of the Thorntons Recycling has grown consis- first companies in Ireland to tently over the past 16 years since open- start producing a Solid ing its first EPA licensed facility on the Recovered Fuel (SRF) from Killeen Road in Dublin in 1995. This waste which is used to facility is now one of the largest replace fossil fuels in the Materials Recovery facilities (MRF) in cement manufacturing Ireland. process. Following an initial A wood chipping facility came on investment of €2 million, a Thorntons Recylcing provides tanker and liquid waste services. ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

Major Expansion ment system for quality, environmental and health and safety systems. The use A major recent development for of this integrated management system is Thorntons Recycling is its expanincorporated into all waste managesion into the Dublin domesticment service contracts to provide top /household waste collection market level control of robust and proven proin October 2010. The move has cedures for all management plans. In resulted in the group’s domestic this way the company can guarantee a customer base growing by about high standard to all client contracts.” 20,000 householders and has Indeed, in recognition of its recycling entailed significant investment in initiatives and performance Thorntons trucks, system and bins to provide Recycling has just been presented with a quality premium service. The the Repak Recovery Operator of the company offers domestic cusYear Award 2011, having also won the tomers a three bin system - black accolade in 2008. bin for waste material, green bin for dry mixed recyclables, and The new MDR facility, which was opened in June 2011, is brown bin for food/green waste for permitted by Dublin City Council to process 24,500 tonnes of Outlook composting, with the emphasis Mixed Dry Recyclables from Green bins collected in Dublin, The recent increase in the landfill levy from €30 per tonne to €50 per tonne firmly placed on ‘recycling more’ Meath and Kildare. with further rises likely to bring the rate results in paying less for the service. to €75 per tonne by 2013 are expected to However, while its domestic customer Recycling Rate base has expanded substantially, the As a group Thorntons Recycling recycles benefit Thorntons Recycling. “We have commercial business has faced signifi- and recovers over 80% of what it actually always strived to recycle and recover as cant challenges precipitated by the dra- receives on all its sites, according to Gary much waste material as possible. In 2009 matic downturn in the construction Brady. “Thorntons is not just the tradi- Thorntons Recycling made a commercial industry. “Our commercial skip busi- tional ‘waste collection operator’ but pro- decision to invest in the production of ness has seen a decline in revenue due vides a holistic service. We do not own or solid recovered fuel from skip waste. The to the collapse and indeed closure of operate a landfill and therefore have no company is now diverting away from many of the top construction compa- commercial interest in ‘filling a hole in the landfill some 35,000 tonnes of waste nies,” he explains. “Fortunately, we ground’. Our sales process revolves material to SRF which can be used in have not been solely reliant on con- around diversion of waste from expensive cement kilns as a substitute for fossil fuels struction and have absorbed many of landfill, increasing recycling levels through in the cement manufacturing process in the losses by creating success in other education and awareness programmes, Ireland.” business sectors such as healthcare, edu- which result in cost reductions for all our Gary Brady concludes: “Thorntons cation and manufacturing. The market clients.” Recycling will continue to evolve in line place, while being very volatile, has He elaborates: “Thorntons Recycling with customer requirements and to invest remained exceptionally competitive, has differentiated itself from other private in the best available techniques in the where value for money is the priority waste management companies with the market for recycling and recovery of waste for many clients.” introduction of an integrated manage- materials.” I

Software Solutions From AMCS s a major user of AMCS Group soluA tions, Thorntons Recycling are in many ways a perfect illustration of significant changes in the Group in 2011, and the possibilities now open to the recycling and waste management industry. Like many companies in Ireland, Thorntons have been successfully using the

WIMS software system as their main customer database and operational job management, weighing and invoicing solution. Supported by the development team out of Glasgow, the solution has grown with Thorntons since it was first adopted back in 2004. Independently of this, Thorntons also recently selected AMCS on-vehicle computer, weighing and RFID technology as the best solution for their REL collection activities. Then, earlier this year, AMCS Group acquired the company providing the WIMS solution, and thus became the complete end-to-end software solutions provider to the industry, covering everything from bin chips to batch invoicing. Moving forward with AMCS Group, Thorntons now have one

port of call with responsibility for all their operational software and on-vehicle computing. They can rest assured that the future direction of the solutions is aligned and driven forward by progressive market leaders with the unique perspective that AMCS Group now has, and the experience of working on all aspects of software and hardware solutions for large and small organisations across Ireland, the UK, Scandinavia and the USA. I

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

Less Than a Third of Plastic Waste Being Recycled in Ireland Reliable Data The aim of the study is to provide business people and entrepreneurs and manufacturers import plastic with reliable data on the quantity, waste and recyclate as raw materials quality, type, origin, destination for their operations here. The study, and end use of plastic waste generthe first of its kind on the island of ated on the island of Ireland to help Ireland, finds that while manufacturthem form ideas and make deciers have a need and demand for recysions on what they can do to clable plastics as raw materials, in reprocess plastic waste here on the 2009 less than a third of the estimatisland. ed 482,366 tonnes of plastic waste Manufacturing demand for plasgenerated in Ireland was collected for tic in 2009 was 465,381 tonnes and recycling. The plastics and polymer there was an estimated use of sector currently employs 17,978 peo153,760 tonnes of plastic recyclate ple on the island of Ireland with an Pictured (L-R) are Phil Hogan, TD, Minister for the Environment, that year. Quality is the main manannual turnover of approximately Community and Local Government, Olivier Gaillot, rx3, and Alex ufacturer criteria and the rx3 study €2,913 million comprising 179 firms Attwood, MP, Minister for the Environment, Northern Ireland, launching found that there is manufacturing in the Republic and 67 in Northern the Plastics Arising Study at Croke Park. demand for Irish recyclate where Ireland. the standard of quality can be met. This study was commissioned by rx3, the response to initiatives established under the The value of plastic materials varies Department of the Environment, North South Ministerial Council and the depending on its position in the supply Community and Local Government pro- work of the North South Market chain. A tonne of waste plastic bottles may gramme to develop markets for recyclable Development Steering Group (NSMDSG). be worth €200, whereas when the bottles materials in Ireland. The scope of the rx3 The study is part funded by the undergo further processing, recyclate such study was originally to investigate arisings Department of the Environment Northern as flaked or pelletised plastic from plastic on an all island level and to examine the Ireland (DOENI) and the Department of drinks bottles is worth €820 to €1,070 per supply chain and market development the Environment, Community and Local tonne while a finished recycled product opportunities in the Republic of Ireland Government (DECLG) and is in conjunc- such as new plastic bottles are worth only. However the scope was extended in tion with WRAP NI. approximately €2,350 per tonne. I study on plastic waste arisings on A the island of Ireland has identified that many plastic reprocessors

I INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

IT Solutions From Bryan S Ryan ith IT playing such a key role in busiW ness today, partnering with the correct IT solutions provider is a businesscritical decision. This decision will allow you to concentrate on your core competencies safe in the knowledge that Bryan S Ryan will competently manage your IT infrastructure. Bryan S Ryan has been in business for over 60 years providing office technology and IT solutions to some of Ireland’s leading private and public sector organisations. Bryan S Ryan can provide you with a wide range of IT solutions to make your business activities more efficient with its seamless integration and professional approach. The company’s IT solutions include: * Managed IT Services, * Virtualisation planning and Implementation Services, * Cloud Planning and Hosting services,

* Voice and Data, * On line Backup and Restore. Bryan S Ryan’s project team recently tailored an IT solution to meet Thorntons Recycling’s requirements. Bryan S Ryan implemented five key services, Virtualisation, Disaster Recovery, Network Security, Managed Print Services & Network Monitoring. Bryan S Ryan reduced Thorntons Recycling’s server sprawl by 70% and its power usage by 60%. This was achieved by implementing Microsoft’s server virtualisation solution Hyper-V. It has con-

tributed to a vast improvement in System reliability which is currently measured at 99.9% uptime. Bryan S Ryan also designed and implemented a Disaster Recovery solution that uses application to application replication tools that ensure all data and applications are safe in the event of a disaster. Network security is provided by Sonicwall appliances, advanced anti-virus and anti-spam shields and print services are provided by Bryan S Ryan’s Managed Print Services team. All Thorntons Recycling IT inventory is monitored 24/7 from Bryan S Ryan’s network operation centre (NOC) based at its HQ in Tallaght and the contract is underpinned by a Bryan S Ryan Managed Services SLA agreement. Bryan S Ryan is accredited partners with Microsoft, Citrix, Cisco, Dell and Sonicwall. I

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

E E N N E E R R G G Y Y

P P O O II N N T T

TIDAL ENERGY

OpenHydro is CPD Company of the Year 2011 Louth technology company OpenHydro, which is currently building the world's first large-scale, grid-connected tidal energy farm with energy giant EDF off the north coast of France, is the overall winner of the prestigious Engineers Ireland Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Company of the Year title. The company has won the award for using CPD to go from a start-up R&D firm to becoming a global player in marine turbines that generate renewable energy from tidal streams. The awards, now in their eighth year, assess which organisations use CPD to improve performance, by breaking into new markets, developing new products and innovating with cutting-edge technologies. Other groups to receive awards include Jennings O’Donovan & Partners Consulting Engineers, Sligo in the small-sized category; MCS Kenny, Galway in the medium-sized category; Farrans Construction, Belfast in the large-sized category and Cavan County Council was honoured in the public sector category.

OFFSHORE ENERGY

Major Study on Ports and Shipping Requirements for the Marine Renewable Industry The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) in conjunction with the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) has published the first report on the future shipping and ports requirements for the Irish marine renewable energy industry. The study highlights the importance of developing Ireland’s shipping and ports facilities in order to facilitate the future growth of our marine renewable industry. It contains a detailed analysis of the existing ports infrastructure and shipping facilities that are available to support the industry’s development. Examining the appropriate port resources needed for developments at various coastal locations, the report finds that the east coast is best placed to support fixed offshore wind and tidal installations, whereas the south and west coasts are best placed to support wave, fixed and floating wind installations. It recommended bring-

ing forward the first phase of dedicated port locations and also specifies the further requirement for shipping support vessels to support large offshore renewable energy developments. While the larger ports in particular could potentially service first-phase requirements with some reorganisation of activities, it is likely that new infrastructure will be required for larger-scale offshore developments. Many of the ports are actively planning new developments or improved facilities, which would further enhance their capability to service the wind sector in the future. Following a comprehensive assessment of Irish ship-owning companies, the report notes that some additional specialised vessels would be required to service large offshore wind developments and the associated opportunities are identified. Irish ports and shipping vessels

OpenHydro is currently building the world's first large-scale, grid-connected tidal energy farm with energy giant EDF off the north coast of France.

are also well-placed to benefit from the substantial ramp-up in the development of offshore wind farms in the North Sea, where the total capital expenditure in the UK alone is estimated to be between Eur88 billion and Eur102 billion.

£12.5 Million Offshore Wind Technology Centre A new £12.5 million centre to develop next-generation offshore wind technology in Scotland has been officially opened by leading international turbine manufacturer Gamesa. The Spain-based company has located its Offshore Wind Technology Centre at Strathclyde Business Park in Bellshill, some eight miles from Glasgow city centre, and is already employing 40 engineers. Gamesa is working to launch two offshore platforms - G11X5.0 MW and G14X-6/7.0 MW - and has announced that the UK will be the centre of its offshore wind business, with plans to invest over Eur150 million there by 2014. The company estimates the construction and development of its offshore wind business in the UK will create over 1,000 direct jobs and another 800 indirect jobs at local suppliers.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

Double Boost For Scottish Offshore Renewables A £35 million fund to support production of new offshore wind technology in Scotland has been unveiled. The Scottish Government has also announced that 'Oyster' wave energy developer Aquamarine Power has secured £7 million of new funding and a commitment of further investment from existing shareholders over the next two years to help take the company to commercialisation in 2014.

The £35 million POWERS fund builds on recent successes in attracting world-leading turbine manufacturers to locate R&D bases in Scotland and aims to leverage up to a further £80 million of private investment to bring the production of full-scale prototypes to Scottish sites. Aquamarine Power has closed a £7 million funding round comprising £3 million each from existing major shareholders SSE Venture Capital and ABB and 29

E N E R G Y

P O I N T

ENERGY SERVICES

Airtricity Introduces Home Energy Services Division Airtricity, Ireland’s largest independent energy utility, has launched a new division, Airtricity Home Energy Services, which will provide gas boiler servicing for all Irish householders – including those who are not existing Airtricity energy supply customers. Stephen Wheeler, managing director of Airtricity, says: “Over 600,000 Irish households have gas boilers installed and it’s crucial that homeowners using gas understand the importance and benefits of having their gas boiler serviced annually. Airtricity Home Energy Services is an exciting new departure for Airtricity which demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing the best energy services to customers in Ireland – whether to our existing customers or to non-Airtricity customers” Airtricity Home Energy Services Engineers are registered and certified RGII gas installers. Each of Airtricity’s engineers can provide gas boiler servicing, repairs and installations services to all domestic gas customers. £1 million from Scottish Enterprise, via the Scottish Investment Bank. The three shareholders are also working together to develop a further funding package of £18 million to take the company to commercialisation in 2014.

Interconnected European Offshore Grid to Save Billions of Euros Offshore grids, connecting North and Baltic Sea wind farms to electricity consumers, will be substantially cheaper to build than expected, according to the analysis of the newly released EU ‘OffshoreGrid’ report. Building ‘hub connections’ at sea instead of using cables to connect single wind farms individually to the shore will result in investment costs that are Eur14 billion lower. Additionally if these hub connections were combined with an even more interconnected ‘meshed grid’, the necessary additional costs of Eur5-7 billion would be compensated by Eur16-21 billion of additional benefits over 25 years of grid operation. The cost for creating the complete meshed offshore grid including wind farm connections would amount to about 0.1 Eurocent per kWh con30

sumed in the EU27 over the project life time. There have been numerous estimates as to the costs such a grid may involve and the form it may take. The OffshoreGrid project, co-financed by the European Commission, proves the financial benefits of building a meshed European grid offshore and outlines two cost-efficient designs. However, it warns that a new regulatory framework is needed to enable its construction.

Broadcaster and sports pundit George Hook (extreme right) joined Will O’Shaughnessy (left), Airtricity Home Energy Services, and Stephen Wheeler (centre), managing director of Airtricity, to announce the details of the new division, Airtricity Home Energy Services.

States will put in place penalties to help stop and prevent market manipulation. There are several hundreds of companies involved in wholesale electricity and gas trade in Europe and up to 10,000 transactions take place every day.

ENERGY SERVICES

New EU Rules on Wholesale Electricity and Gas Trading The EU has adopted new rules on wholesale energy trading. The main objective is to prevent use of insider information and other forms of market abuse which distort wholesale energy prices and normally mean that businesses and consumers pay more for their energy than they need. The new law will enter into force by the end of this year. For the first time energy trading will be screened at EU level to uncover abuses. National authorities in Member

been unveiled. Aimed at farmers, householders, retailers and small business owners, the ‘Voltis Home’ unit sits beside the fuse board using ‘intelligent’ technology to optimise voltage. By taking out the wasted voltage that electrical equipment can use, the company behind the product, Carlow-based Energy MCS claims that home owners and small businesses can save at least 10% on their energy costs. Already available to larger companies, the miniaturised version of the unit has been enthusiastically welcomed. Energy MSC was established in 2010 and currently employs four full-time and one part-time staff members. The company recently won a contract with NUI Maynooth for voltage optimisation.

WIND POWER

EU Wind Power to Triple By 2020 Irish Company Aims to ‘Optimise’ Electricity Consumption A new product from an Irish company that automatically reduces energy consumption has

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

Wind energy in the EU will more than triple its power output by 2020 with Eur194 billion invested in European onshore and offshore wind farms during this decade, predicts the European Wind Energy

E N E R G Y

P O I N T

OIL & GAS

BP and Partners Investing £10 Billion in UK Oil and Gas Projects BP and its partners are developing four new oil and gas projects that together will involve a total investment of almost £10 billion in the UK’s oil industry over the next five years and help to maintain BP’s production from the North Sea for decades to come. The UK Government has granted BP and its partners - Shell, ConocoPhillips and Chevron - approval to proceed with the £4.5 billion Clair Ridge project, the second phase of development of the giant Clair field, west of the Shetland Islands. For BP - whose share of the total investment in the four projects will be around £4 billion - this represents the highest level of annual investment the company has ever made into the UK North Sea. Over the next few years, BP will be bringing on stream more new major project developments in the UK than it has ever done over a comparable time period. “Although it began over forty years ago, the story of the North Sea oil industry has a long way yet to run. BP has produced some five billion barrels of oil and gas equivalent so far from the region and we believe we have the potential for over three billion more,” says Bob Dudley, BP’s group chief executive. “After some years of decline, we electricity equivalent to the consumption of 50 million average EU households.

Permission Granted For Construction of Ireland’s Biggest Community Owned Windfarm Association (EWEA). Electricity production from wind power is expected to increase from 182 Terawatt hours (TWh) or 5.5% of the total EU demand in 2010, to 581 TWh or 15.7% of the total demand in 2020. By 2020 the electricity production from wind energy will be equivalent to the total electricity consumption of all households in France, Germany, Poland, Spain and the UK together. By 2030 1,154 TWh (28% of total demand) would be produced by wind power, more than the EU's predicted 241 million private households are expected to consume in 2030. Today, wind power produces

A wind energy development cooperative in County Clare has now received planning permission from An Bord Pleannalla to construct the largest community owned wind farm development in Ireland and one of the biggest

now see the potential to maintain our production from the North Sea at around 200,000-250,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day until 2030. And we are working on projects that will take production from some of our largest fields out towards 2050.” The Clair Ridge project, which will install two new bridge-linked platforms with the capability to produce an estimated 640 million barrels of oil, is planned to come on stream in 2016 and to extend production from the greater Clair area to 2050. in Europe. West Clare Renewable Energy (WCRE) now plans to begin construction of the windfarm consisting of 29 3MW wind turbines on the western slopes of Mount Callan, a 391-metre high mountain located between Ennis and Miltown Malbay. The company says the Eur170 million project will be capable of generating enough electricity to power every home and business in County Clare.

three Gaelectric on-shore sites Roosky in County Roscommon, Leabeg in County Offaly and Crowinstown in Westmeath totalling 13.6 MW of wind power. The value of the initial co-development projects amounts to Eur18 million. XEMC is one of the larger industrial groups in China. XEMC group chairman, Zhou Jianxiong, comments: “Gaelectric’s pipeline of wind farm projects in key locations, combined with our shared focus on

Gaelectric Forms New Alliance to Develop Wind Farms Dublin-based renewable energy and energy storage group Gaelectric and XEMC VWEC, part of the Chinese XEMC Group, are codeveloping three Irish wind farms. The venture will see the first commercial deployment of XEMC VWEC wind turbines in Europe with the deployment of the new XV90 turbines at

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

E N E R G Y

P O I N T

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Alarming Slowdown in Pace of Renewable Energy Development in Ireland The Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) has warned that Ireland has witnessed an alarming slowdown in the pace of renewable energy development in the last two years and is falling way behind European competitors with significantly less resources. Uncertainty for investors, an over-complicated regulatory framework and resultant grid connection delays are choking the sector. The result is that competing nations in this sector, including near neighbours Scotland, are stealing a march on Ireland because of its prevarication and that thousands of jobs and billions in investment are being lost by us in the process. A European wide league table based on targets from National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAP) submitted by member states in 2010 shows that Ireland, by the end of this year, will have achieved just 68% of its target for 2010. This contrasts with Belgium (120%), Sweden (115%) and Denmark (105%). Ireland could connect as little as 200MW this year when 400MW is the NREAP target. The final figures for Ireland at the end of 2011 will look poor again as we will likely only reach 1,620MW when 2,290MW was the 2011 Target.

“The absence of a coordinated and cohesive system for facilitating the delivery of required wind farm installations to meet our 2020 targets is resulting in an unstable market for investment and that is driving the investment and thousands of jobs elsewhere,” says Kenneth Matthews, newly appointed chief executive of IWEA. “Take Scotland, for instance; they intend to deliver 100% of all energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. With that clear market signal they are attracting significant Foreign Direct Investment and jobs. People think we are ambitious by targeting 28,000 jobs but Scotland intends to replace the 120,000 jobs at risk in oil and gas as the North Sea fields are wound down with green energy jobs.” He continues: “Closer to home, in Northern Ireland, they are investing heavily in Belfast Port and recently secured 450 jobs with DONG energy – Denmark’s leading energy company - with a £40 million investment. Our nearest neighbours clearly have their house in order and are attracting significant investment as a result. We don’t have ours in order and we are losing out heavily.”

innovation in renewable energy technologies, makes us ideal allies in co-developing Gaelectric’s portfolio of renewable power projects.” “Our alliance with XEMC is a significant strategic step for Gaelectric. With the backing of XEMC’s industrial strength and technological capacity, and their track record and commitment to long term relationships, we are confident that Gaelectric’s portfolio of wind farm sites will be realised to the highest commercial and technical standards,” comments Brendan McGrath, chief executive of Gaelectric.

its $3.2 billion acquisition of Converteam. Converteam is a leading provider of power conversion and automation systems and high-efficiency power electronics, motors and generators. Converteam’s solutions enable customers in a variety of industries to replace or improve mechanical processes with highefficiency electric alternatives

C&F Green Energy Ramps Up Commercial Production of Innovative Small Wind Turbines C&F Green Energy is to create 145 new jobs in Athenry, County Galway over the next 32

three years supported by Enterprise Ireland. The jobs are aligned to the commercial manufacturing of the C&F Green Energy’s range of new small wind turbines which have been in development over the past two years. These turbines, ranging from 6kw to 50kw, are much smaller than the large megawatt rated turbines associated with large wind farms. They are designed to power farms, factories, individual residential dwellings and export any surplus electricity back to the local grid.

POWER CONVERSION

GE Energy Completes $3.2 Billion Acquisition GE Energy has strengthened its position in $30 billion power conversion and automation sector following the completion of ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

that deliver better reliability, less maintenance and lower emissions. The acquisition furthers GE Energy’s commitment to create a centre of excellence for power conversion technology. Converteam’s addition also complements GE Energy’s existing capabilities in energy conversion, industrial automation and process efficiency.