Power and water March 2013 Issuu

Page 1

MARCH 2013

publication licensed by impz

The fifth fuel Energy efficiency is as much a fuel source as coal, gas, nuclear and renewables


elgard® Belite® Flocon® Belgard® Belite® Flocon® Belgard® Belite® Flocon® Belgard® Belite® Flocon® Belgard® Belite® Flo

B

Floco

Flocon®

Belite®

Belite®

Belgard®

Belgard®

Flocon®

Flocon®

Belite®

Belite®

Belgard®

Belgard®

Flocon®

Flocon®

Belite®

Belite®

Belgard®

Belgard®

Flocon®

Flocon®

Belite®

Belite®

Belgard®

Belgard®

Flocon®

Flocon®

Belite®

Belite®

Belgar

Belgard®

Flocon®

Flocon®

Belite®

Belite®

Belgard®

Belgard®

Flocon®

Flocon®

Belite®

Belite®

Belgard®

Belgard®

Flocon®

Flocon®

Belite®

Belite®

Belgard®

Belgard®

Flocon®

Flocon®

Belite®

Belite®

Belgard®

Belgard®

Flocon®

Flocon®

elgard®

ard®

elite®

te®

Clear Solutions for Water Treatment

Belgard® & Flocon® Antiscalant Polymers Sustainable Technologies for Thermal Desalination & Reverse Osmosis

• • • • •

BWA Water Additives has been the global leader in desalination technologies since 1973. Belgard & Flocon ranges are all certified NSF/ANSI Standard 60. Flocon Antiscalant Polymers, Biocides and Membrane Cleaners are approved by leading membrane manufacturers worldwide for a wide variety of uses in Reverse Osmosis. New Flocon 885 Biodegradable Antiscalant Polymer is the latest breakthrough in biodegradable technology for a sustainable water treatment solution. BWA employs the world’s foremost technical experts, available to provide direct support.

Contact us today:

desal@wateradditives.com www.wateradditives.com


Market place/43 | Tenders & Projects / 60 | Events / 65

COVER STORY

28

The Fifth Fuel

ON THE RECORD

26

‘All the pieces in place’

ON SITE

56

DEWA’s green step

Energy efficiency is as much a fuel source as coal, gas, nuclear and renewables

Andrew Shaw, Managing Director of Ducab on why he isn’t afraid of competition

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has set a global benchmark for sustainability in government buildings

automation

SMART CITIES

DESALINATION

36

Tying things together

Rob McGreevy, VP of Platform and Operations Software, Invensys Operations Management (IOM) on the convergence of IT and automation

38

Social innovation agenda

44

MARCH 2013

Industry Notes 19

French desal pioneer sets base in the UAE

22

Green power generator

23

GE bags contracts worth USD500-mn from EMAL

24

Sunny outlook

Pushing the boundaries 47 Water’s worth

Kshitij Nilkanth, Environment & Building Technologies Practice, Frost & Sullivan analyses the significance of desalination in the MENA region and trends driving the market

Recent breakthroughs announced by Masdar Institute puts the UAE at the forefront of innovation in desalination technologies

Makoto Nagashima, Deputy General Manager, International Strategy Division, Hitachi discusses his company’s social innovation strategy for the region

NEWS 8

Mosaic

SUSTAINABILITY 42

Steps towards sustainability

Anjum Hasan, Environment Coordinator, DPS Sharjah on the steps being taken by her school to make sustainability a central part of its ethos MARCH 2013

10

Round up

Special Report 52

Global appeal

Middle East Electricity, which completed its 38th edition last month, has emerged as one of the important events in the global energy sector calendar

12

In the region

SPOTLIGHT 6

NYNAS

20

BENEDICT

17

At large

UAE’s corporate heroes

Private sector pitches in to reduce the country’s carbon footprint.

66

3


Editor’s Note

Publisher Dominic De Sousa Associate Publisher Liam Williams • liam@cpidubai.com Chief Operations Officer Nadeem Hood

Anoop K Menon anoop@cpi-industry.com

Trends that define our future At GIL 2013: Middle East, organised by Frost & Sullivan in Dubai last month, the session on Mega Trends threw up quite a few pointers on the “macroeconomic forces defining our future world and its increasing pace of change.” A mega trend of particular relevance to our region is urbanisation, a prominent theme in our February issue’s cover story. The central proposition is that cities, and not countries, will drive wealth creation in the future. Frost & Sullivan predicts that by 2020, Abu Dhabi will account for 48% of the UAE’s GDP, while Dubai will account for 26%. By 2025, four MENA countries will be more than 90% urban and three of them will be from the Gulf – Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. What this means for industries, in general, is re-orienting their strategy to look at cities as customers. In his book New Mega Trends, Frost & Sullivan Partner Sarwant Singh points that the big four in the transmission and distribution industry – ABB, Schneider Electric, Siemens and GE - have made about 25 acquisitions between 2010 and now worth about

USD8-10 billion to ensure they don’t miss the ‘smart’ bus. Singh also predicts a ‘strong shift in supplier dynamics in the future, if the smart city concept takes off, through cross industry integration, transformation and creation of new players.’ An example of this shift is telecom sector which has come out of nowhere to drive the smart city and smart home concepts. To survive and thrive in this smart world, companies will have to figure out where they belong in the smart value chain. The regional specific trends highlighted at GIL were Transcontinental Power Generation, Water-Energy Nexus and Food Security. Transcontinental energy and power linking are becoming a reality, as exemplified by the GCC Interconnection Grid and to an extent, by the Arab Gas Pipeline. But the potential is far higher across the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region and connecting even further into Southern Europe. The next issue will present a more detailed version of these Mega Trends. Until then, adios!

Read the digital version @ www.powerandwater-me.com

4

Editor Anoop K Menon • anoop@cpi-industry.com Commecial Director Gina O’Hara • gina.ohara@cpidubai.com M: +971 50 341 6671 Director Harry Norman • Harry@cpidubai.com Tel: +971 4 375 1502 Business Development Manager Deep Karani • deep@cpidubai.com M. +971 50 8585905 Business Development Manager Ruan Marais • ruan@cpidubai.com Tel: +971 4 375 1499 Design Marlou Delaben• marlou@cpidubai.com Cris Malapitan • malapitan.c@cpidubai.com Digital Services Manager IT Department Troy Maagma • troy@cpidubai.com Web Developer Waseem Shahzad • waseem@cpidubai.com Production James P. Tharian Rajeesh M Circulation Rochelle Almeida rochelle@cpidubai.com USA and Canada Kanika Saxena Director - North America 25 Kingsbridge Garden Cir. Suite 919 Mississauga, ON. Canada L5R 4B1 kanika@cpi-industry.com tel/fax: + 1 905 890 5031 Published by: Head Office PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 375 1500 Fax: +971 4 365 9986 www.megawhatme.com / www.h2ome.net Printed by: Printwell Printing Press LLC © Copyright 2012 CPI. All rights reserved. While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein. MARCH 2013


Freja 400 the latest in

Protection Testing

n Fully

automated testing using FREJA win software n High current, high power output (60 A/300 VArms) per phase n Operate with or without an external PC n IEC 61850 test capabilities Megger Limited Dubai Internet City Dubai UAE T: 00971 4443 5489 E: mesales@megger.com www.megger.com


Spotlight

Specification and maintenance guide for mineral insulating oil

Mineral insulating oil is the most widely used insulating liquid for cooling and insulation in oil-filled electrical equipment. Standard specifications and guidelines are regularly maintained and used for purchasing and supply of virgin unused oil and also for maintenance of in-service oil. International standard IEC 60296 is used in the electrical industry for purchasing and supply of unused mineral insulating oil. Globally it is the most widely used standard for supply of mineral oil in the electrical industry. Both users and producers realised some weakness in this standard;

At Nynas, we’re passionate about everything to do with power.

therefore during IEC TC10 general meeting in 2005, it was decided to revise this standard. As of MARCH 2013 2012 the revised standard is now published. We urge all our customers to ask for these 2012 standards for all future requirements. Among several improvements the revised standard address lower furfural content of the oil as well as clearer definitions of additives. Demands on testing for sulfur induced copper corrosivity were also finally formalised. For reliable operation of oil-filled electrical equipment, monitoring and maintenance of insulating liquid is essential. The characteristics of the


Spotlight

oil, supplied as unused, may change during service life. Therefore, the oil quality should be monitored regularly during its service life. In many countries, power companies and electrical power authorities have established codes of practice for this purpose. In general these cover monitoring guidelines and corrective actions depending on the oil status. If a certain amount of oil deterioration is exceeded then the possibility and risk of premature failure should be considered. While the quantification of the risk can be very difficult, a first step involves the identification of potential effects of

increased deterioration. Physical contaminants such as water and particles can be removed from the oil restoring oil breakdown voltage, however, chemical contaminants cannot be removed by simple filtration/ degassing of the oil and requires chemical treatment of the oil. This is particularly important issue for repaired transformers and refilling of these repaired units would be best with new virgin oil. IEC 60422 is a guide for supervision and maintenance of mineral insulating oils. This standard is now under revision to take into account development in oil and equipment technology and

inclusion of the best practices currently in use worldwide. Changes are also made to use current methodology and comply with requirements and regulations affecting safety and environmental aspects. Should you have any questions related to the above aspects, feel free to contact: Hendrik Cosemans (General Manager Nynas Middle East) Emial: heco@nynas.com Tel. No. 00971 4 332 71 25

Need to talk to a transformer oil supplier who understands your business? One who’s local enough to be near you, yet global enough to have the expertise you need. Get in touch. www.nynas.com


M o s a i c

Mosaic

Worldwide Smart City 2013 Top 10 Predictions 1.

In 2013, 70% of worldwide spending on smart city projects will be focused on energy, transportation, and public safety; 90% of these will be at least partially funded by national or international governments 2. At least 50% of smart city programmes will be initiated at the line-of-business or cityfunction level 3. Worldwide spending on smart water solutions will reach $1.8 billion in 2013 4. Smart City information challenges will begin to be framed as big data issues 5. Local government will remain in the research and evaluation stage regarding machine to machine, with growth in very specific city functions mostly for medium-sized to large cities 6. Cities with open data initiatives will drive 50% more private, citizen, and crowd-sourced mobile applications 7. In 2013, local government will connect to citizens via mobile devices and social media, accelerating a new type of citizen/government relationship 8. Smart City programmes will experiment with new public/ private, risk-reward-sharing partnership models to make funding sustainable 9. At least three more Tier 1 Global ICT Vendors will enter the market with a branded smart city solution, leading to more intense competition among existing players 10. At least 70% of Smart City programmes that will succeed between 2013 and 2015 will be governed by joint ventures that include city leaders as key stewards Source: IDC Government Insights

8

African cities economic growth potential Out of 19 cities, Accra, Lusaka and Luanda offer highest growth potential in Sub-Saharan Africa. As the entire African continent with its population of over one billion people is going through a fundamental transformation, the MasterCard African Cities Growth Index puts a spotlight on the economic and human factors driving urban growth over the next five years.

Cheaper renewable energy in USA The total installed renewable capacity in the US has more than doubled in the five years between 2008 and 2012, says a new report by research firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance and industry group the Business Council for Sustainable Energy. According to the Sustainable Energy in America 2013 Factbook, the cost of electricity generated by average large solar power plants has fallen from 31 cents per kilowatthour in 2009 to 14 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2012 (excluding the effect of tax credits and other incentives, which would bring those costs down even lower). Over the same period, the cost of power from a typical large wind farm has decreased from 9 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2009 to 8 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Brilliant Wind Turbine GE has launched what the company claims to be the world’s most efficient highoutput and the first brilliant wind turbine. “Our 2.5-120 is the first wind turbine that utilises the Industrial Internet to help manage the intermittency of wind, providing smooth, predictable power to the world regardless of what Mother Nature throws its way,” said Vic Abate, vice president of GE’s renewable energy business. ”Analysing tens of thousands of data points every second, the 2.5-120 integrates energy storage and advanced forecasting algorithms while communicating seamlessly with neighboring turbines, service technicians and customers.” MARCH 2013



Round-up

IdeemaSun energy sets up 2 MW PV project in Romania

BAUER awarded wetland STP contract

Munich-based IdeemaSun energy has set up a 2 MW solar farm in Romania within a short construction period of only three weeks. Approximately 8,300 Hanwha SolarOne modules as well as 66 Power-One inverters were used in construction. The power plant near Bucharest will produce 2,700 MWh of solar power annually, which will be fed into energy supplier ENEL’s grid. Financing in Romania is based on a quote model with emissions credits. The new 2MW power plant is one of the largest PV projects in the country and will receive six CO2 credits for a period of 15 years. These credits can be used by energy suppliers or manufacturing companies which consume large amounts of electric current in order to meet the requirement of 14% electric current from renewable energies stipulated by the government.

BAUER Nimr (BAUER) has been awarded an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract by Hyundai Engineering Company to develop a 300m3/day sewage treatment plant (STP) based on constructed wetland system. The STP, developed and designed by BAUER’s Wetland Competence Centre in Muscat, will be located in Ghumda village in Musandam close to the UAEOmani border post, where Hyundai is constructing a gas processing plant for Oman Oil Company for Exploration & Production. Once completed, the reed

The PV plant will receive six CO2 credits for a period of 15 years

RO international certification programme The International Desalination Association (IDA) has announced a collaboration agreement with David H Paul (DHP) to launch the IDA Desalination Academy Reverse Osmosis Certification (IROC) Programme. IROC is a 24 credit, 675 hour Internet-based training programme that includes both knowledge-based and

10

BAUER has constructed a 95,000 m3/day wetland STP for PDO

beds will handle sewage water from the various contractor campsites. Dennis K Alexandersen, Regional Sales & Business Development, BAUER said: “Our solution will put less pressure on the existing sewage treatment infrastructure in Musandam while at the same time giving the local community an environmentally friendly, energy neutral and simple to operate sewage treatment plant, which can last for more than 25 years.”

Harris Pye, Cyrus-RW form alliance

OIL industry at risk from cyber attacks

Harris Pye Group and Cyrus-RW Group have formed an alliance to co-operate on engineering projects throughout the world. Cyrus and Harris Pye will work together to secure and fulfill power, offshore oil and gas and marine contracts, from large steel installations for oil rigs to power plant equipment. Harris Pye clients include Shell, Chevron, Maersk, Tata, Emirates National Oil Company, Saline Water Conversion Company and Ahlone Power Plant (Myanmar). Cyrus has over 50 years’ experience in heavy mechanical engineering, and is looking to increase its international presence and sales. The company has recently won large contracts with Emirates Steel in Abu Dhabi and the West Delta Electricity Production Company in Egypt.

Oil and gas firms globally are increasingly exposed to cyber threats as a result of converging technological, terrorism and political risks. “Cyber attacks on oil and gas installations can have an added ideological or political motivation, where the ultimate goal is to undermine government agendas or deter investment,” said Robert Robinson, a Managing Director in Marsh’s Energy Practice. “These attacks can potentially trigger unscheduled shutdowns in refineries, platforms and other installations; the consequences of which range from brief interruptions to operations and property damage, to environmental pollution and even loss of life.” Cyber threats facing the global energy sector stem from both malicious intent and low levels of awareness among employees of the risks associated with internet usage and connecting personal devices to company systems. Stephen Wares, Leader of Marsh’s Cyber Risk Practice in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: “While traditional business interruption insurance policies require physical damage before a claim can be made, specific cyber insurance policies providing broader cover are gaining increased attention among oil and gas firms.”

hands-on proficiency certification. The training and testing will be conducted online, bringing easy access to advanced desalination training for professionals around the globe. The programme may be entered at any time and is self-paced with the exception that participants must complete the 24 credits within a year from their entry date

MARCH 2013


Round-up

Transocean pays for Deepwater Horizon disaster

Badr Jafar, MD, Crescent Group and CEO, Crescent Enterprises

Crescent Group focuses on Russian expansion The Crescent Group, parent company of Crescent Petroleum, Middle East’s oldest private oil and gas company, and Crescent Enterprises, the Group’s non-energy conglomerate which also controls the world’s largest privately owned ports operator Gulftainer, has announced plans to accelerate its Russian expansion. The Group expects to conclude two major Russian investments in 2013, both of which are in the ports and logistics industry sector. Crescent Petroleum is also focusing its efforts on developing joint energy ties, working together with its Russian counterparts to identify new opportunities in upstream and midstream natural gas as well as power in the MENA. “Together, these two countries (the UAE and Russia) produce 36% of world oil production and 29% of world gas production, and yet we are only just beginning to realise the full potential of this bilateral relationship,” said Badr Jafar, Managing Director of the Crescent Group and CEO of Crescent Enterprises.

Alfa Laval wins power order in Middle East Alfa Laval, a leading player in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling, has won an order to supply heavy oil treatment systems to a power plant in Middle East. The order, booked in the Energy and Environment segment, has a value of approximately SEK 90 million and delivery is scheduled for 2013. The Alfa Laval heavy oil treatment systems including various separators and heat exchangers will be installed in the power plant to treat the heavy fuel oil in order to make it suitable for use in the turbines. This is the single biggest order for the company’s heavy fuel oil treatment systems. MARCH 2013

Transocean Deepwater pleaded guilty to a violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA) for its illegal conduct leading to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, and was sentenced to pay USD400 million in criminal fines and penalties. In total, the amount of fines and other criminal penalties imposed on Transocean are the second-largest environmental crime recovery in US history – following the historic USD4 billion criminal sentence imposed on BP Exploration and Production in connection with the same disaster. Most of the criminal recovery will go toward protecting, restoring and rebuilding the Gulf Coast region.

DEWA commissions IMPZ substation The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has activated a new main 132/11 kV substation with a capacity of 150 MVA in International Media Production Zone (IMPZ). With total cost of AED140 million, this project aims to enhance the efficiency and capacity of DEWA’s grids to transmit electricity to IMPZ. Additionally, three-kilometre 132KV ground cables have been laid to connect the transmission grids to the IMPZ substation and to the main 132/400KV transformation substation at Jebel Ali Gardens. Currently 19 132KV transformation substations are under construction.

Hyundai Heavy Industries selects Intergraph The Industrial Plant and Engineering division of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has selected Intergraph SmartPlant 3D to establish an integrated engineering environment for its power plant projects. “To maintain our position as the world’s leading heavy industries company, it was critical that we continuously innovate and adopt the latest technology,” said Junghag Mun, general manager of the 3D design department at HHI’s Industrial Plant & Engineering division. “We will use SmartPlant 3D, Intergraph’s industry-leading 3D plant design solution, and the integrated SmartPlant Enterprise portfolio to support the engineering and construction of our industrial plant projects, particularly for the power industry. We are confident SmartPlant Enterprise will continue to deliver great value to HHI, enabling us to improve safety, quality and productivity of our projects.”

First Solar announces new appointment First Solar has announced that Ahmed Nada will join the company as Vice President of Business Development for the Middle East, reporting to Christopher Burghardt, Vice President of Business Ahmed Nada

Development for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). In this new role, Ahmed will be based in the Company’s Dubai office and will lead business development activities in the region outside of Saudi Arabia, where the company is also establishing operations. Ahmed has 20 years of experience throughout the Middle East, concentrated in the energy and power industries. He joins First Solar after 14 years with General Electric. He most recently was the business executive and regional general manager of GE Oil & Gas Global Services in the Middle East.

11


At the ribbon cutting ceremony

In the Region

K.A.CARE projections envision a total of 23,900 MW capacity of renewable power by 2020

Saudi Arabia launches massive solar power procurement programme K.A.CARE has issued its long-awaited White Paper paving the way towards the deployment of 41 GW of solar power projects worth over USD60 billion

S

audi Arabia’s King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE ) has announced the launch of its Renewable Energy Competitive Procurement Portal (CPP) and released a White Paper outlining how this vast procurement process will unfold. A copy of the White Paper can be downloaded free of charge on www.kacare.gov.sa/cpp. This announcement marks the launch of a registration process for interested companies to submit feedback and obtain important information in connection with the Renewable Energy Programme. Crucially, it paves the way towards the launch of the introductory procurement round. The introductory procurement round will consist of five to seven projects with a combined capacity of up to 800 MW. The round is part of Saudi Arabia’s colossal programme to procure 41,000 GW of solar power facilities by 2032. “This is a very important milestone, both for Saudi Arabia and the Middle East solar market as a whole. Emirates Solar Industries Association (ESIA) will continue to work closely with K.A.CARE to make sure this programme becomes a resounding success and a benchmark for excellence,” said Vahid Fotuhi, President of ESIA. According to the Saudi Arabia Solar Industries Association (SASIA), while the White Paper provides information on the procurement

12

programme framework, proposal submission, proposal evaluation, local content and K.A.CARE’s standard power purchase agreement, K.A.CARE has not indicated when the introductory procurement round will be launched or stated if the introductory procurement will be procured on an Independent Power Project (IPP) basis. The first round will target up to 3,000 MW while the second round will target up to 4,000 MW capacity. Training, job localisation, and research and development (R&D) are important objectives of the overall sustainable energy programme in the Kingdom. K.A.CARE is soliciting feedback on the White Paper from interested parties. The deadline to submit feedback on the White Paper is 5th April 2013. Parties need to register on the newly launched K.A.CARE Renewable Competitive Procurement Portal online in order to submit feedback. The Sustainable Energy Procurement Company (SEPC), a separate standalone governmentguaranteed entity, will be responsible for administering the procurement and executing and managing the power purchase agreements (PPA). Apart from solar (solar thermal and solar PV), the Competitive Procurement Process programme will look at wind, geothermal, and waste to energy. Hybrid and other technologies will be included in future rounds.

CG opens first power transformer factory in Saudi Arabia The Kingdom’s Transmission and Distribution (T&D) market is estimated at USD4 billion

S

PTC, a joint venture between CG and STC (Saudi Transformer Company) since 2010, inaugurated its flagship Power Transformer factory in Dammam Industrial City in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last month. The joint venture is dedicated to design, engineering and manufacture of power transformers and mobile substations and offers full service capabilities for products installed in Saudi Arabia. The factory has a capacity of 5,000 MVA. The first transformer manufactured will leave the factory by mid-April, 2013. The joint venture has already received a five-year framework contract for sub-station services. The first orders are for one Mobile Substation and six 25 MVA Power Transformers for Saudi Electricity Company (SEC). Saudi Arabia is the largest T&D market in the Middle East. CG is the first company to establish a power transformer plant and commence mobile substation activities in Saudi Arabia. Mohammed Alsamari, CEO of SPTC, said, “The factory has been built in a record time of 12 months. We are ready to support Saudi customers in their quest for high quality and efficient Power Transformers.” Laurent Demortier, CEO and MD of CG, said: “We do believe that the localisation of our activity in Saudi will bring a high level of responsiveness and understanding of the specific needs of our Saudi customers.” MARCH 2013


The 2nd Middle East

Process Engineering Conference & Exhibition

29 Sept – 02 Oct 2013 Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre

Kingdom of Bahrain

The Premier Process Engineering Event for the Middle East www.mepec.org Updated 12 December

Prime Sponsor

Diamond Sponsors

Supporting Organizations

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors


In the Region

power, water sectors need USD66 billion GCC countries rush to develop new power and water projects

R

Abdulla Kalban, President & CEO of DUBAL with DUBAL EHS senior management

DUBAL gets carbon credits for GHG reduction projecT The installation of regenerative burners in melting furnaces forms part of DUBAL’s 2015 Carbon Management Strategy and Implementation Plan.

A

s production of primary aluminium has an inherently large environmental footprint, power generation and smelting, two major sources of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, tend to be at the centre of GHG mitigation plans. Government-owned Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL), which operates the world’s largest single-site primary aluminium smelter using pre-bake anode technology, has consciously invested in optimising energy consumption levels across DUBAL’s operations to minimise the combustion of fossil fuels and associated emissions. DUBAL’s efforts in this regard was recognised through the presentation of Certified Emission Reduction (CER) credits for a GHG reduction project that has been registered under the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Abdulla Kalban, President & CEO, DUBAL received the certificate from H. E. Dr Rashid Ahmad bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water. The CDM project involves DUBAL’s Casthouse operations, which has four melting furnaces fitted with conventional cold air burners, which are used to melt cold/hot metal at specified rates. Cold air burners work on the principle of an air-to-gas ratio where air and gas are fed through on a proportionate basis. These conventional cold burners will now be replaced with more energy-efficient regenerative burners during the second

14

quarter of this year – an exercise that will reduce gas consumption, thereby lowering DUBAL’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The project follows a pilot initiative whereby a regenerative burner was installed in one of the melting furnaces during 2008/2009. Records show that the furnace’s gas consumption levels declined by 39%. Kalban said: “The installation of regenerative burners in our melting furnaces forms part of our 2015 Carbon Management Strategy and Implementation Plan, which aims to reduce the size of DUBAL’s carbon footprint. The plan outlines how DUBAL will undertake programmes to raise awareness about climate change and carbon emissions; implement systems to measure our emissions; identify carbon reduction and abatement options; and continually reduce carbon emissions from every aspect of our business – using predetermined, quantifiable targets to measure our progress. In the past three years DUBAL has, through various initiatives, reduced 900 000 tonnes of CO2. We’ve also achieved a 54% reduction (145,000 tonnes) in emissions of perfluorcarbon gases (PFCs) – compounds that have GHG warming potential that is up to 9,200 times greater than CO2 – over the same timeframe. We are confident that the installation of the regenerative burners will contribute to even greater reductions in DUBAL’s CO2 emission levels.”

ising oil and gas prices combined with increasing domestic power requirements are prompting governments across the GCC to increase investments in the power and water sector, as well as secure alternative sources of energy. Installed generating capacity in the GCC is forecasted to reach 170,000MW by 2019, according to the latest data from MEED Insight. The cost of the new build requirement alone will be an estimated USD66 billion, with at least the same amount needed to be invested in T&D infrastructure in the next six years. To meet this massive demand, GCC governments’ investments in power and water projects touched USD25 billion last year. In 2012, Saudi Arabia led the GCC with a total of 148 projects in the power and water sector, investing more than USD8 billion; Kuwait followed with 68, valued at close USD3 billion. The UAE is next with 62 projects, worth a little more than USD3 billion; while Oman has 49 projects worth USD1.2 billion. Qatar boasts 35 projects worth USD1.8 billion; and although Bahrain has only 15 projects, the total value of investment is estimated at USD7.3 billion. Becky Crayman, Head of Awards, MEED Events noted that MEED Quality Awards for Projects was established to recognise completed projects, and since its establishment has become a benchmark for project excellence.

100 MW Shams 1 in Abu Dhabi is one of the world’s biggest concentrating solar power (CSP) projects.

MARCH 2013


In the Region xxx

The new system will ultimately result in increased sustainability of Baku’s environment

Azerbaijan project wins 2012 Bentley Be Inspired Award Project brought cutting-edge GIS to Azerbaijan’s water and wastewater infrastructure through use of Bentley software saving Azersu USD800,000 in seven months

A

zersu OJSC, an organisation in charge of state policy and strategy in the field of water supply, drinking water supply, and sanitation services, announced that its GIS-based Infrastructure Asset Management project in Baku, Azerbaijan, has won a 2012 Be Inspired Award from Bentley Systems. The project won in the ‘Innovation in Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Networks’ category. The recipients of the Be Inspired Awards are selected by independent panels of jurors comprising accomplished Bentley users and distinguished industry experts. The awards honour the extraordinary work of Bentley users improving and sustaining the world’s infrastructure, recognising outstanding and innovative project achievements in infrastructure MARCH 2013

design, construction, and operations. Richard Zambuni, Bentley Global Marketing Director, Geospatial and Utilities, said: “With the influx of oil revenues in Azerbaijan, Azersu embarked on a four-year infrastructure development programme. The AzersuCIS project was launched in conjunction with this program to gather and store infrastructure data to improve the operation and maintenance of the system.” The USD3 million GIS project is an advanced urban infrastructure and environmental management solution that provides data security and access to maps and information for planning, construction, operations, and emergency management. Based on MicroStation and Bentley Map, AzersuCIS is web-accessible to more than 100 users in disparate

locations. Azersu saved USD800,000 in just seven months using the spatial database technology. “The project ensures streamlined data gathering, maintenance, and management, embracing extended contractor workflows and mobile GIS,” added Zambuni. Samir Ganili, IT Director of Azersu OJSC, said, “In planning for the AzersuCIS project, we began by carefully analysing weaknesses in the city’s water and wastewater geospatial information system. Then, in keeping with our philosophy of always relying on a ‘create once, use many times’ approach, we set out to prevent the waste of precious time and resources that results when information isn’t consistently reused throughout the design, construction, and management of urban water infrastructure.” He continued, “The integrated geographical information system we created with the help of Bentley software is an open-structured, location-based relational spatial database model that has user-friendly ways for our people to access and edit the information. It also features a powerful decision-support system that can quickly accomplish advanced geospatial analyses and evaluations. Moreover, it provides rich visualisations that make it easier for all stakeholders to gain a good understanding of the project and its objectives. The new system will ultimately result in increased sustainability of the city’s environment as well as enhanced quality of life for all of its residents.”

15


In the Region

During the opening ceremony of Solar Middle East 2013, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry toured ENPARK stand with Saeed Bin Ghubash, Director, ENPARK .

Jean Marc Coupet, Unit managing director GSU with Engineer Ali Bin Saleh Al Barrak, President and CEO, Saudi Electricity Company (SEC)

First Solar sets up Middle East centre at ENPARK

Alstom Grid bags Saudi substation deal

The company is moving its centre for regional operations for Europe, the Middle East & Africa (EMEA) to Dubai

Alstom Grid has several references in the Kingdom including the world’s largest GIS installation

A

lstom Grid has been awarded two contracts by Saudi Electric Company (SEC) in Medina totalling USD116 million. In order to meet rapidly growing demand in Madinah City, a new 380/110/13.8kV BSP located in Medina, named as AL-SALAM BSP and associated 380kV Circuits, will be constructed. This project will cover the interconnection between Al-Salam BSP and other 380kV BSPs in National Grid Network MDN (Medina North) 380KV BSP, PS2 (Pumping Station-2) 380KV BSP, YNB3 (Yanbu-3) 380KV BSP, MDS (Medina South) 380KV BSP, MDE (Medina East). This is the first 380 KV project awarded by SEC since 2007 and is a key part of the Saudi Grid interconnection projects plan. It will improve the network in Medina to cope with increasing demand. Alstom Grid has been present in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for over three decades,

16

bringing to the market strong capabilities in engineering, manufacturing, and project management in addition to the supply of products and solutions for grid and power. Alstom currently has five reporting units, three operating sites and three sales offices in Saudi Arabia. The Alstom Grid turnkey projects will increase the capacity and the efficiency of the electrical grid in the central part of the country. These projects will build on Alstom Grid’s several references in the country, which include successful delivery of the world’s largest Gas-Insulated substation and the Gulf’s largest High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) converter station (3x600 MW) interconnecting the six member GCC states. Alstom is the market leader in the regional control centre market through the regional control centre in Central, Western and Eastern Region with the GCCIA entity as the central control.

E

nvironment and Energy Park (ENPARK), one of TECOM Investments’ 10 business parks in Dubai and a free zone dedicated to the development of the UAE’s environmental and sustainable energy industries announced the award of its flagship trade license to First Solar, one of the world’s premier providers of fully integrated solar solutions. The announcement was made during Solar Middle East 2013, co-located with the Middle East Electricity (MEE 2013) Exhibition. ENPARK was the strategic partner of Solar Middle East 2013. Founded in 1999 and listed in the United States, First Solar is a global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic solar systems which use advanced thin-film modules. First Solar is building the first phase of Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, a 13MW solar PV power plant. This is the first installation being built by First Solar in the MENA region. Additionally, the company is also supplying Masdar with half of the 10MW solar panels for Masdar City. Saeed Bin Ghubash, Director, ENPARK, said: “We take real pride in welcoming a major player like First Solar as one of ENPARK’s business partners. The company clearly recognises the potential of the market in Dubai and the wider region and we are thrilled to be helping provide a base for their operations.” First Solar is moving its centre for regional operations for Europe, the Middle East & Africa (EMEA) to Dubai. It is also in the process of establishing a second operational centre in Saudi Arabia. Ghobash continued: “Apart from the many benefits we provide from being a free zone, we work in close partnership with Government to address the needs of the industry as a whole. ENPARK strives to offer a platform and environment which helps businesses to start or expand their operations in the region.” MARCH 2013


At Large

‘Insomnia’ issues A new World Energy Council report discusses the critical issues driving the global energy agenda this year

C

ontinued uncertainty in the future direction of climate frameworks, political instability of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, energy price volatility, and the global economic recession are what energy leaders consider as the top ‘insomnia’ issues driving the world energy agenda this year, according to the 2013 World Energy Issues Monitor, published by the World Energy Council (WEC). The 2013 World Energy Issues Monitor was unveiled at the World Energy Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi last month where over 70 ministers and CEOs from more than 30 countries gathered to discuss the critical issues affecting the energy world. Speaking at the launch of the report in New Delhi at the World Energy Leaders’ Summit, Pierre Gadonneix, WEC Chairman, said: “With energy now topping the global agenda, our 2013 World Energy Issues Monitor clearly reveals that the critical issues identified by energy leaders are macroeconomic and geopolitical. In particular, uncertainties surrounding climate framework reveal the strong desire of the energy sector to have clearer and more balanced governance. The survey also reveals the need to identify pragmatic, cost-effective, and technology-neutral policies.” The study, which captures the view of the WEC’s energy leaders’ community, also reveals that carbon capture, (utilisation) and storage (CCS/CCUS) is the issue which has changed most radically in energy leaders’ views over the past year. Whereas CCS/CCUS was seen to have high impact, the issue has now moved down the energy sector’s MARCH 2013

priority list. Energy leaders believe that until there is clarity on the price of carbon, CCS/CCUS will continue to be seen as an additional cost on energy, especially given the current recessionary context. This is in marked contrast to previous surveys which identified CCS as a potential panacea. Author of the report, Dr Christoph Frei, Secretary General of the World Energy Council, said: “The report is significant and clearly shows the insomnia issues keeping energy leaders awake at night. For me the most significant change is the way CCS is now being viewed with a clear tension between the desire of energy leaders for a climate framework and the lack of confidence in some mitigating technologies. This change in perception is of considerable concern as the success of new technologies like CCS will be critical if we are to achieve the massive transition required in the energy sector.” Concerns arising from the current depressed economic outlook have overtaken nuclear energy as one of the top critical issues. While nuclear energy continues to be closely observed and debated, its perceived uncertainty and impact have dropped to pre-Fukushima levels. This reflects the prudent reevaluation of nuclear energy in many countries. While unconventional fossil fuels – including shale gas and unconventional oil – are now firmly considered game changers that will impact the sector for decades to come, the WEC study finds that further action is required to realise their potential. Renewable energy and energy efficiency are also areas needing further action, as they can contribute

Until there is clarity on the price of carbon, CCS/CCUS will continue to be seen as an additional cost on energy

to diversity and security of supply, as well as enabling energy access to the 1.3 billion people of the world who still do not have access. For India in particular, the critical uncertainties are volatile energy prices, climate framework, energy-water nexus, and the impact of a weak currency given India’s dependence on energy imports. Meanwhile, developing renewable energy and energy storage requires further action. Dr Frei added: “Renewables and energy storage have huge potential in helping India increase energy access and enhance security of supply. But in order to do so, the sector must find the right innovations and the right investments to integrate those technologies into the Indian power system. The opportunities are huge, and having the right enabling policies are crucial to delivering those opportunities.” To download the report, visit: www. worldenergy.org/publications

17


At Large

Pumpjacks extracting oil from a southern Saskatchewan oilfield in Canada. Photo credit: Mike Kendall, University of Bristol

Environmental hazards or energy solutions? Geophysicists size up energy resources, carbon capture and fracking

D

ecisions about future energy challenges are too often hindered by propaganda, half-truths and a limited grasp of the science that informs the choice and use of hydrocarbon and other resources, according to delegates at the annual conference of the British Geophysical Association (BGA), which took place last month. For example, rather than being a quick fix that helps cut carbon dioxide emissions, poor quality carbon capture and storage may actually make things worse whereas ‘fracking’, the controversial gas and oil extraction technique, may prove to be vital in the years ahead. Leaders from universities and industry came together to discuss these issues at the BGA meeting where delegates discussed sustainability, security and risks of future energy choices. Scientists at the conference argued that evidence from geophysics must be part of the political decision making process, as the UK and other countries consider how to maintain the stable energy supply while simultaneously reducing the emission of carbon dioxide, one of the key greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. At first sight, carbon capture and storage (CCS) appears to be a

18

technological fix that allows countries to carry on using the fossil fuels oil, gas and coal (hydrocarbons) to generate energy. CCS power stations could pump the resulting greenhouse gases to underground reservoirs rather than releasing them into the atmosphere. In reality, it is not so simple. Even handling the greenhouse gases emitted by fossil fuel burning means storing something close to 3.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, a volume comparable to the 27 billion barrels of oil produced annually. And for the storage to be worthwhile the gases must also be stored in reservoirs that leak at rates of less than one per cent per thousand years, at which point their carbon footprint effectively matches that of renewable energy sources. Geophysical modelling and monitoring, to be discussed at the meeting, is needed to ensure reliable storage for the thousands of years required. A related discussion centres on ‘fracking’, potentially a huge new energy source for the UK, but one that is struggling for public acceptance despite the promise it holds of lower energy prices and better energy security. Until now media coverage of fracking has centred on

the perceived environmental risks, such as earthquakes and contamination of groundwater. In his keynote address to the BGA meeting, Professor Mark Zoback of Stanford University pointed to the data from the 10 years of gas production by fracking at 150,000 sites across the United States. US Geological Survey information demonstrates that earthquakes can result from fracking, but that serious effects can be avoided with careful choice of location. Ironically European countries that have banned fracking are now purchasing US coal for power stations and driving up carbon dioxide emissions as a result. Intriguingly, Prof. Zoback drew a comparison between fracking and CCS. The techniques are similar – pumping fluid into rocks – and he argues therefore carry the same risks of earthquakes in some rock types and locations. The problem is that these tremors could then release carbon dioxide too quickly, well above the one per cent loss per thousand years needed for CCS to be effective. If carbon capture and storage is to have any effect on greenhouse gas emissions, reservoir locations will need to be chosen with care. Other sessions at the meeting covered risks associated with nuclear power in the light of Fukushima, renewable energy from wind turbines and criteria for nuclear waste storage sites. Meeting organiser Prof. Mike Kendall of the University of Bristol said: “A reliable, affordable and environmentally friendly supply of energy is one of the major challenges facing society. And although there are numerous different options, there is no single silver bullet that will solve this challenge. The issues are clouded by misinformation and a poor public understanding of the underpinning science. Geophysicists have a key role to play in helping clarify these complex issues and can help governments make the right decisions on how we supply energy to homes and businesses in the 21st century.” MARCH 2013


Industry Notes

French desal pioneer sets base in the UAE TMW to introduce new generation of desalination and wastewater treatment units to the Middle East

TMW’s products are based on its proprietary multistage humidification/dehumidification (MHD) technology.

I

t took 10 years of research and development for French startup TMW to refine a new concept in desalination units and concentrators for industrial wastewater. The technology is unique for the way it reproduces the natural water cycle, using lowtemperature evaporation at atmospheric pressure. TMW’s Multistage Humidification/Dehumidification (MHD) technology stands out from more commonly used techniques such as reverse osmosis (RO) and mechanical steam compression. The MHD technology is viable for users of all kinds and offers numerous benefits as well. The process generates 80% of the thermal energy needed: the heat produced during evaporation is used to heat the seawater to be desalinated. Moreover, the AQUASTILL module, built entirely of plastic, is fully resistant to seawater corrosion and chemical products, so cleaning the module is a simple task. Its design eliminates moving parts and doesn’t require any sensitive technology, such as electronics, pneumatics, membrane systems, vacuum or compressor systems, etc. These latter two arguments make it clear why no maintenance is needed. “The product is mature, with proven reliability and performance,” said Thierry Satgé, President of TMW-ME, a subsidiary of Parisbased parent company TMW. The company installed and activated its equipment on behalf of a variety of clients in 2012.“Our process isn’t limited to treating seawater—it can be applied to any type of industrial effluent from the moment it contains water.” As a result, a separate version of the module, known as ECOSTILL, has won wide favour for industrial applications, thanks to both its economic and environmental appeal. ECOSTILL reduces industrial wastewater volume by evaporation and produces pure water which can be reused or safely discharged in the environment. Canon, the internationally known Japanese group, was TMW’s first customer. The demineralised water extracted from polluted effluent is channelled back into the industrial process for re-use. “Whether in France or Ouagadougou, we’re preserving water as the critical natural resource that it is,” claimed Satgé. The company has been selected by the Schneider Group and France’s Atomic Energy and Alternative Commission (CEA) to deploy a solution for producing both electrical and thermal energy. The project will involve “building a facility in Ouagadougou that processes 2,000 litres per day”—a capacity that may seem small, but is tailored to local needs. The lack of maintenance was clearly a very strong argument in the project’s favour! Satgé listed the reasons why the UAE is an important location for the company. 1. It provides access to a potential market of two billion inhabitants 2. It has limited water resources that need to be protected by any means possible 3. It’s seeing genuine industrial development that Europe is largely unaware of 4. The region offers a favourable climate for entrepreneurs and innovation 5. It brings us closer to all of the neighbouring regions, from the Middle East to Asia.” “TMW-ME will be our beachhead for growth in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and even beyond,” said Thomas Jacquet, Business Development Manager – Middle East, TMW.

19


Spotlight

BENEDICT has positioned itself as a reliable manufacturer for products in the area of Low Voltage Switchgear with a global footprint. The Austria-headquartered company’s bestselling Capacitor Switching Contactors has made it the world number one in Power Factor Correction (PFC) industry. But that’s not all.

O “

urs is a third generation family business which was started in 1920 by my grandfather,” said Alexander Benedict, General Manager, BENEDICT. “Currently, we have 250 employees and our global manufacturing and R&D activities are based in Austria.” In 2020, the company will celebrate 100 years of existence. In addition to the standard product ranges Benedict also works with customers to provide market and customer-specific product solutions. • Switchgear featuring the latest connection technologies (e.g. RAST 5) • Modern DC controlled contactors with pick-up power < 3 W • Temperature-resistant up to +90 C ̊ as standard and climate-proof • Equipment with improved switching characteristics BENEDICT is a global market leader in Capacitor Switching Contactors up to 100 kVAr. These quality products, used with reactive and non-reactive capacitor banks, distinguish themselves from competing products through specially designed resistors. For example, electricity consumption in factories and increasingly, modern buildings can impose reactive loads on the supply network. Power factor correction capacitors provide needed reactive power to the load. BENEDICT’s specially designed resistors protect not only the contactors (from inrush current peaks) but also the capacitors. Optimised switching and loading of the capacitors not only extends their service life but also contributes to their safety.

“Our capacitor switching contactors last for many years compared to competition,” said Alexander. “Nobody else in the market goes up to 100 kVAr switching capacity.” The key customers for BENEDICT’s Capacitor Switching Contactors are the manufacturers of capacitors for power factor corrections. There are also companies like BMW who have specified these products for their manufacturing plants. BENEDICT also manufactures regular contactors certified up to +90oC ambient temperature as a standard making them very good for the region. Their small footprint “size matters”, Alexander points out, enables them to be used as a replacement for any other contactor. The advantage is that service engineers need just one product on their shelves cutting down inventories. Escalator manufacturer Schindler uses these contactors in its products. Another area where BENEDICT leads the market are modular contactors. “We have the highest lamp switching capacity in the market,” said Alexander. “If you go for a cheaper option, you would end up using two for the same amount of lamps whereas with us, you only need to use one.” Other products where the company has established a global reputation for quality are Switches (Cam and Main switches) and quick tripping thermal overload relays for explosion proof applications. The company has also created special DC-Switch Disconnectors for Photovoltaic

Alexander Benedict General Manager, BENEDICT

(PV) systems. According to IEC 60364-7712 standard, DC switch disconnectors need to be provided on the DC side of the PV-inverter. PV-inverters convert DC current from PV panels to AC current for supply to the grid. Alexander explained: “To switch AC current is very easy; you have a change in the phase which would extinguish the arc. With DC current, you have a permanent current; so you need fast rapid switching module that is designed to switch pure DC. We can switch up to 58A with 1,000V, 1,500V with reduced switching capacity. Our DC-Switch is the first switch worldwide approved UL 508i.” BENEDICT sells a lot of this product to inverter manufacturers. “The IEC standard requires extra switch somewhere else because if the inverter is burning, you have to disconnect it,” said Alexander adding that his company was the first to make DC-switch in the same housing to put cables as with normal AC disconnector. BENEDICT’s go-to-market strategy relies on distributors and local partners. “We don’t have a wide range, but we are global market leaders in most of the products we make,” said Alexander. “ We also offer local partners white label option for most of our products.” BENEDICT has been a regular exhibitor at Middle East Electricity. In Dubai, the company is represented by Doepke International Trading, the local subsidiary of Doepke Schaltgerate, which is based in Germany. The company is looking for more distributors in the UAE and rest of the GCC countries.

The Austrian family business BENEDICT is a leading producer of low voltage switchgear with special distinguishing features that make them stand out from competitors’ products. Decades of experience in Research and Development (R&D) are the basis for the excellent reliability of the contactors, thermal overload relays, motor starters, circuit breakers, load disconnectors, cam switches, and push buttons. 20

MARCH 2013 March


Spotlight

Contactors 10A up to 1200A 400V AC3 AC- and DC-operated Ambient temperature -40°C to +90°C DIN-rail mounting up to 115A AC3 Selfcleaning aux. contacts, High contact reliability

Modular Contactors 2- or 4-pole 20A up to 63A 400V AC1 Space saving design Low switching noise Low power consumption Coil suppressors, Aux. Contacts

Thermal Overload Relays 0,12A up to 800A Direct mounting on contactor Single phase protection Temperature compensation Manual and Auto reset Quick or slow characteristics

Push Buttons Protection degree IP67 Actuators and and lens caps: Program B3 for mounting holes 22mm Program B5 for mounting holes 30mm Contact blocks and lamp holders B3F Filament and LED lamps Assembled Stations

D.O.L. Starters Up to 11kW 400V AC3 Protection degree IP65 with Start/ Stop-buttons Selector switch and/or Reset button

Circuit Breakers M4 Toggle type 32A Rotary type 32A, 63A, 100A Aux Contact Blocks Undervoltage and hunt Releases Insulated 3-phase busbar system Mounting Parts for fuseless Load Feeders Enclosures IP65

BENEDICT has over 90 years experience in production of control gear, designed for operation under extreme conditions and well known for their high reliability. Highly qualified staff, adherence to IS0 9001 the Quality Management System, quick and reliable deliveries even for customised products has won the company lasting co-operation with its big customers over decades.

MARCH 2013 March

Mini Contactors and Mini Reversing Starters Up to 5,5kW 400V AC3 with screw terminals Solder pins or Fast on tab connectors

Main Switches and Switch Disconnectors Up to 160A 690V AC21 3-, 4-, 6-, and 8-pole with EmergencyStop function Protection degree IP66 Aux Contact Blocks Plastic Enclosures IP65

Capacitor Switching Contactors up to 100kVAr 400V Ambient temperature up to +60°C DIN-rail or screw mounting Highest switching reliability International Approvals

Rotary Cam Switches Up to 1200A 690V Unlimited number of switching programs Many different designs available Optional extras and Accessories Plastic and Cast Enclosures Protection degree up to IP65

DC-operated Contactors 4kW up to 18,5kW 400V AC3 Power consumption of coil 3-4W Intergrated coil suppressor Ambient temperature -40°C to +90°C DIN-rail or screw mounting

DC-Switch Disconnectors for Photovoltaic Up to 58A 1000V DC21B Highest switching reliability 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-pole versions Many different designs With and without padlock device Plastic Enclosures IP66/67 UL 508i approved

21


Industry Notes

Green power Generator

Soitec introduces Plug&Sun, first portable CPV mini-tracker designed for remote applications

S

oitec, a leading global player in generating and manufacturing revolutionary semiconductor materials for the electronics and energy industries, launched its off-grid Plug&Sun system based on highefficiency concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) technology at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2013 in Abu Dhabi. The Plug&Sun system is a portable mini-tracker equipped with 4.2 m² of CPV modules and a two-axis tracking system. These features enable the system to generate up to 3.4 kWp of electricity (or 18 kWh/day), enabling it to supplement or replace existing

Soitec’s CPV technology uses triple-junction cells mounted on a glass plate to achieve a module efficiency of 30%.

electrification solutions such as dieseland gasoline-driven power generators. The product comes with an integrated battery system for assuring 24 hour power supply. André-Jacques Auberton-Hervé, CEO and founder of Soitec said: “The Plug&Sun system, derived from our larger systems, provides performance and ease of use to supply electricity

22

to people living and working away from functioning power grids. It is the smallest product of the company but delivers three times more per unit area for the same weight and is ideal for powering remote communities, mobile sites, water-pumping and desalination systems, eco-lodges and telecommunication antennas.” Soitec’s CPV technology uses triplejunction cells mounted on a glass plate. Fresnel lenses (manufactured using silicone on glass) concentrate sunlight 500 times before it reaches these cells, which convert it into electricity. A metal frame holds two glass plates to form robust and durable modules. By combining several modules on biaxial trackers (based on a proprietary algorithm automatically optimising their position based on the path of the sun), Soitec maximises energy generation throughout the day. Auberton-Hervé pointed out in terms of converting solar energy into electricity, CPV Systems are the most efficient when used in sun-belt regions, especially Southwestern United States, North and South of Africa, the Middle East where Direct Normal Irradiation (DNI) is high. “Having three times the efficiency, it makes sense to follow the sun,” he said. “When you don’t have sun; when you have sun, we are very competitive.” Despite its European heritage, SOITEC has decided to focus on the sun-belt and on utility scale projects. In December 2012, the company opened

its solar manufacturing facility in San Diego to locally produce CPV modules for the US market. The new factory has catapulted the company to the ranks of top three manufacturers of solar modules in the US. While the first phase (140 MWp) of the production line is now operational, the factory has been designed to reach 280 MWp in capacity at full production. The new facility will complement existing 70 MWp factory in Freiburg, Germany. Auberton-Hervé believes that his company’s CPV technology is competitively positioned in the Middle East because it does not require the use of cooling water. Moreover, CPV matches day-time peak power load curves and enjoys lower heat degradation rates, making it an optimal solution for the region SOITEC has installed CPV systems in 14 countries on four continents. In the Middle East, it has set up power plants/ demo systems in Jordan, Egypt, the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Recently, the company commissioned a combined solar water pumping system for agricultural farms in Tunisia. In Africa, SOITEC took another step forward in its expansion in South Africa by signing a power purchase agreement covering its soon-to-be-built 44 MWp Touwsrivier power plant. The CPV Consortium, the world’s leading CPV industry organisation, predicts that CPV will grow to represent 5-10% of the total PV market by 2015.

CPV advantages over conventional solar power plants • Lower Cost of Energy (CoE) per kWh compared to conventional PV when used in sunbelt regions • Limited site requirements • High, constant power output curve throughout the day • No need for cooling water • Able to match peak load demand • Low environmental and visual impact on land • Short lead time to operation MARCH 2013


GE bags contracts

Industry Notes

worth USD500 million from EMAL

The contracts cover the supply of a wide range of equipment for EMAL’s Phase 2 Expansion; taps Industrial Internet to deliver lifecycle solution for the one of the largest aluminum smelters in the world

G

E has received contracts totaling approximately USD500 million to provide equipment and long-term services, directly and via engineering procurement contractors, for the Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) smelter complex in Abu Dhabi. The project is expected to result in lower emissions, addressing the UAE’s goal to achieve cleaner and more efficient industrial growth and enabling EMAL to produce aluminum with better fuel efficiency. “A reliable and efficient supply of power is key to the success of our mission, as electricity accounts for a significant portion of the cost of producing aluminum,” said EMAL President and CEO Saeed Fadhel Al Mazrooei. “GE is successfully supporting both our Phase 1 and 2 projects with advanced power generation technology, while the new service agreements for Phase 1 offer equipment upgrades to the latest and most efficient technologies.” GE will supply gas and steam turbines, generators and a plantwide control system for the Phase 2 expansion project that will position EMAL as one of the largest single-site aluminum producers in the world. In addition, GE will provide its latest technology upgrades for its gas turbines currently operating Phase I of the EMAL complex. The technology upgrades will include GE’s latest DLN 2.6+ combustion technology, which is expected to lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, as well as extend the lifespan of gas turbines parts by up to three times. MARCH 2013

GE’s new equipment contract with Samsung C&T, the Korean engineering procurement and construction company building the new combinedcycle power plant for EMAL phase 2, includes three Frame 9F 3-series gas turbine generators and two SC5 steam turbine generators. When complete, the EMAL Phase 2 power plant will have the capacity to generate more than 1,000 MW to support EMAL’s expanded operations. GE’s advanced technology 9F 3-series gas turbines deliver power with high efficiency, availability, reliability and low emissions. The gas turbine is a 50-hertz member of GE’s family of F-class gas turbines, proven in more than 45 million hours of commercial service around the globe. GE’s SC5 steam turbines provide high reliability and availability in today’s demanding energy environment and utilise advanced technology enhancements for combined cycle applications with GE heavy-duty gas turbines. The EMAL aluminium complex is situated in the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD) in Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi. EMAL, a joint venture between Mubadala Development Co. and Dubai Aluminium, serves more than 150 customers around the globe. “The EMAL expansion project is another example of the growing opportunities in the Middle East and worldwide where we can apply our technology for projects that use the power primarily for industrial processes,” said Mohammed Mohaisen, General Manager, Thermal Products and Power Generation Services Sales

From Right to left: Mohammed Mohaisen, General Manager, Thermal Products and Power Generation Services Sales for GE Power & Water, Middle East, Steve Bolze, President & CEO, GE Power & Water, EMAL President and CEO Saeed Fadhel Al Mazrooei, EMAL VP - Operations Salman Abdulla at the signing ceremony.

for GE Power & Water, Middle East. EMAL Phase I includes six GE Frame 9F 3-series gas turbines. Under the GE upgrade package, four of the units will receive DLN 2.6+ upgrades and six will receive compressor enhancements and cooling optimisation packages. Installation of the first upgrade package is expected to begin in Q1 of 2013. Under a separate contractual service agreement (CSA), which will replace the existing CSA for Phase 1, GE will deliver long-term maintenance support for GE gas turbines at both EMAL Phase 1 and Phase 2. This agreement will help the complex with improved performance, predictable maintenance costs and will provide access to GE’s latest technology and global experience. To date, GE has long-term agreements in place at more than 700 sites worldwide. “Our new technology and service packages are well-suited to meet EMAL’s specific requirements for lower emissions, higher efficiency, stronger reliability and higher operating flexibility,” said Azeez Mohammed, General Manager of Power Generation Services, GE Power & Water, Middle East and Africa. Through all components of the project, GE is tapping into the power of the Industrial Internet to help EMAL’s facility perform with more efficiency and predictability. By connecting data analytics, technological advancements and power generation expertise, GE has customised a lifecycle solution that makes EMAL’s assets smarter and more adaptable to their operating environment.

23


Industry Notes

Sunny outlook The power capacity in the Middle East and North Africa is set to grow at an annual rate of 7.8% to meet the region’s increasing demand. BGreen outlines the sector’s trajectory in the coming years

I

n the next five years, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) will need to pump USD250 billion into its power to meet regional electricity demand growth, according to experts who spoke to BGreen at the recently held Middle East Electricity 2013 trade show.

Surging demand Global investment in renewable energy reached USD257 billion in 2011, and despite the sluggish economy, global investment in clean energy totalled USD56.6 billion in the third quarter of 2012. Power consumption in the UAE is estimated to more than double by 2020, with the government foreseeing an investment of USD25 billion in power generation over the next eight years to keep up with demand, according to a

24

recent report by the Kuwait Financial Centre, Markaz. The report, ‘GCC Power’, stated that the UAE’s power consumption will rise from the existing 87TWh (terawatt-hour) to 180TWh in 2020, as the country’s power sector rises in tandem with economic growth achieved over the last decade. Growing at 8.5% annually overall, much of UAE’s growth comes from Abu Dhabi as the capital expects power demand to increase by 11% annually until 2015, mirroring the emirate’s population surge of 7.7 % per annum. Dubai expects 3.5% growth over the next decade and 2.5% from 2020 to 2030, in anticipation of which the government has been making infrastructural changes ahead of time.

Investing in energy The total amount of required capital investment includes power generation, transmission and distribution (GTD), and accounts for more than 200 planned and announced energy-related projects in the MENA region valued between USD100 million and USD20 billion. Countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) hold the lion’s share of investment growth, accounting for 42% ($105 billion) of total required expenditure, while Iran alone will require USD49 billion (20% of total value) worth of investment for power GTD by 2017. With at least ten solar power facilities worth a combined USD6.8 billion currently under way in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco, the MARCH 2013


Industry Notes

The region can be the global leader in solar energy on the practical innovation and deployment side of the equation”

renewable energy sector in particular has been gathering momentum.

Renewables in focus “Everyone is desperate to invest in the Middle East solar industry, they are all just waiting for clear instructions from the governments in the region,” says Jigar Shah, Partner of clean energy investment company, Inerjys, and Chairman of the inaugural edition of Solar Middle East Conference. “The economics of switching to solar energy are far better here than in South Africa, India, Brazil, China and the United States. Now that the costs of developing solar technologies have significantly declined, it is time for the Middle East to turn talk into action.” Middle East governments have MARCH 2013

already signified their intent to boost solar power within their regional energy mix, with at least ten major solar projects worth a combined USD6.8 billion currently under way in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco. However, the region still lags behind more established markets such as Europe and North America. Khalid Masri, Managing Director of consultancy firm Standards Associates, and another speaker at the Solar Middle East Conference says the lack of clear policy and incentives in the Middle East remains the main challenge in utilising solar energy to its full potential. “These can be overcome by introducing state of the art regulations and standards that allow the solar industry to grow and that give the private sector incentives and guarantees to start investing,” says Masri. “The region can be the global leader in solar energy on the practical innovation and deployment side of the equation.” It has been widely reported that Qatar is currently working on a solar energy project which will account for 16% of the country’s total electrical output by 2018, while Saudi Arabia is seeking investors for a USD109 billion solar energy programme which will provide a third of electricity needs by 2032 to add to their planned nuclear, wind and geothermal output. IRENA estimates that GCC countries can achieve up to USD200 billion in returns as early as 2030 through

renewable energy integration. Countries in the Gulf region continue to establish many ambitious clean energy projects which are supported by innovative research and development as well as investment. IRENA reports that there are

presently 30 such projects which are in planning stage, under construction or have been completed in the region. The trend marks a shift in the demand for new resources of energy to developing countries, particularly the MENA and South Asia.

Incentivising renewables The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has been driving the recent increase in investment in renewable energy in the UAE with the roll out of the first allotment of its USD350 million funding cycle in conjunction with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). The two Abu Dhabi-based institutions are working together to incentivise cutting edge renewable energy projects in developing countries. IRENA opened up applications in January for projects in emerging markets to be win ADFD concessional loans of USD50 million in the first of its seven funding cycles. “This financing from ADFD, administered with the support of IRENA, will help projects that are innovative and replicable to get off the ground,” says IRENA’s Deputy DirectorGeneral, Frank Wouters. “By making such projects bankable, we believe we can create substantial growth opportunities for renewables in energy-poor countries.” Recent landmark power projects in the UAE include the 1000MV solar park unveiled by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) in January 2012, while Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) is planning to launch its first ever Independent Power Project (IPP), Shuweihat 3 at an estimated cost of USD2.5 billion with a power capacity of 1,600MV by 2014.

25


on the record

‘All the pieces in place’ A

ndrew Shaw, Managing Director of Ducab, one of the largest manufacturers of power cables and copper products in the Middle East, hopes that project announcements made towards the close of calendar 2012 will mature into actual projects because ‘a steady stream of good projects will create a stable and sustainable level of demand’ for the construction sector in general and cable industry in particular. Shaw spoke to Anoop K Menon on why he believes 2013 could be better year for the region, growth prospects in ‘non-traditional’ sectors like transport and overhead lines and why Ducab HV isn’t worried about competition.

26

MARCH 2013 March


on the record What is your view on Ducab’s performance in 2012? Though our core market is the UAE, Ducab enjoys a broad geographical reach from the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries to the UK and Hong Kong. Overall, 2012 has been quite patchy. While the mood in the UAE, during the second half and the final quarter picked up, from a business point of view, the UAE construction market has been pretty flat or may have even declined slightly. There were no significant project announcements in 2012, and though a few came from Abu Dhabi at the end of the year, they were not early enough to influence cable demand. Yet, in the UAE, what has been positive is continued demand from the utilities. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA), Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) and Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) have been consistent in investing in electrical infrastructure. Our Ducab HV business, which targets real core electrical infrastructure, is just over a year old. So it is very important for us that investment in electrical infrastructure continues to grow and even more so, because this is just the tip of the pyramid. For example, if more substations are getting installed, demand for other products will also come through. Therefore, we are quite optimistic about 2013 and beyond. The other sector which was quite strong for us in 2012 was oil and gas, led mainly by Abu Dhabi and Kuwait. Though the projects were awarded in 2009-2010, the cable demand came through last year and being long cycle projects, we expect further orders this year too. Looking further afield, the construction sector in Qatar is still waiting for the big projects. We had a reasonable year in terms of demand but if our customers aren’t busy, we aren’t busy. In Saudi Arabia, which is a tough market, we have progressed steadily. The Saudi market, like the rest of the GCC last year, was very competitive for construction contractors and if they are being squeezed, our margins are also squeezed. We expect the situation to continue this year but Saudi is picking up, Qatar is expected to pick up while the rest of the GCC will be steady. We continue to grow our export business to other territories outside the Middle East. It is still a relatively small market but thanks to our BICC heritage, we have got a good position in Hong MARCH 2013 March

Kong and are growing our share in the UK. A market we are very keen on is Africa. We have been working on opening up North Africa and did quite well on the sales front last year. Dubai is a great place to shop for cables too, which helped us to establish good links with East Africa and make inroads into West Africa. Though we are small in both markets, we are looking to grow. With the situation stabilising in Iraq and Libya, we expect a huge demand for cables in these markets.

There seems to be lot happening in the region’s transport sector, especially railways. Another area attracting industry and governemnt attention is grid interconnections where overhead cables play a major role . What is your strategy for these emerging sectors? While our business has been built up on infrastructure, demand from utility and construction sectors, we are quite excited by the potential in new rail and airport projects. In fact, we are developing specialist cables for these sectors. Mega projects like railways take time to come to fruition but as manufacturers, we too need time to develop the relevant product range. As we demonstrated with Ducab-HV, if a market sector is big enough, we will invest in it to make those products in the region for the region. So t is really strategic for us to be up to speed with developments in these new sectors. Overhead lines are a different business from underground cables though they serve similar markets. Overhead cables need a different technology to what we have in underground cables, but they do complement what we do. Today, we offer the full range of underground cables from low voltage to EHV 400 kV. At the moment, we don’t have a fixed plan for overhead lines. But if the market becomes big enough for us to make a business out of it, we will be part of it.

It’s been a little over a year since Ducab HV started operations. Are you worried about increasing competition from European suppliers and manufacturers in the HV sector given the slowdown in that region? I think Ducab HV has turned out to be a fantastic project. The partnership we have built with DEWA and ADWEA has been very important for the business. Our first year

was quite exciting because we got our first orders from both partners and an overseas customer as well. In fact, in 2012, we managed to energise a substantial amount of 132 kV cables on the ground. This year, if I go back to my earlier comment about investment in infrastructure, the level of enquiries received for our HV cables from the GCC region in general and the UAE and Kuwait in particular, is encouraging. This is good not only for the HV business but also for Ducab overall. Of course, the Europeans and Japanese already dominate the international HV market and they have been around for 30-40 years. But that doesn’t worry us because we have built a world class factory in Dubai. For start, we love to bring in customers to see the facilities. We have also built on the site an equally world class type test facility. Instead of having to send our cables overseas, mainly to Europe, to be type tested at considerable expense, we can now do full type tests in the UAE with witnesses from the customer and independent third party inspectors. In terms of enhancing service to local customers, this is a significant step up. Moreover, apart from onsite technical services, we can offer longer lengths for tests. This is something our overseas competitors cannot do because shipping outa long cable is horribly expensive. With our local factories, we are much closer to the jobsite. Of course, the incumbents are defending their turf while we are trying to get in but we are confident of our strategy.

Is the buzz about solar energy projects in the region overblown? The wonderful thing about solar energy is that it all comes down to electricity and you always need cables to move electricity. In a way, we are the ultimate green company and part of the renewable revolution. But solar energy is proving to be a not-sostraight forward matter where the Middle East is concerned. The good thing is that DEWA’s solar project is moving ahead very quickly and we hope to be a part of that. Abu Dhabi’s next solar power project is coming up and Masdar is also carrying out a lot of research into this field. I feel the sector is accumulating experience about what works best in the region. We too are going to make sure we have got the product range that will suit this investment.

27


12

Legend

4

th

Transportation

Industry

Buildings

National Effort

th

6th

#9

11th

11th

9th

USA

10th

#11

8th

Canada 1st

4th

3 rd

7th 5 th

7th

European Union #6

5th

#2

1st

Germany

1st

1st

7th 10st

4th 2nd

Australia #6

10th

5th

12st

10th

China #6

10th

11th

Russia #12

Last year, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released the first-ever International Energy Efficiency Scorecard of 12 major economies. These 12 economies represent over 78% of global GDP; 63% of global energy consumption; and 62% of the global CO2 equivalent emissions. In terms of of energy use at the national level, buildings, industry, and transportation, the -scoring countries were Germany (national efforts); China (buildings); the United Kingdom (industry); and a tie among Italy, China, Germany, and the United Kingdom (transportation).

5th

10th

1st

7th

9th

12

#10

2nd

#3

8th

1st

5th

Italy

th

Brazil

8th

7th

4th

2nd

6

#5

#1

2nd

UK

th

France

The Scoreboard

9th

2nd

Japan #4 8th

2nd


Centre spread Residential

15%

Transportation

7%

Commercial

27% World Energy Demand and Economic Outlook in the International Energy Outlook 2010 - Published by the US Energy Information Administration. The pie-chart cites 2007 figures on global energy consumption by sector. Sourced from www.iso.org

To help its member countries achieve the benefits of energy efficiency across their economies, the International Energy Agency (IEA) developed (in 2008) a set of 25 energy efficiency policy recommendations for seven priority areas: Crosssectoral, Transport, Buildings, Industry, Appliances and equipment, Energy utilities, Lighting. IEA claims that the recommended actions could save as much as 7.6 gigatonnes (Gt) CO2/year by 2030.

51%

Industrial

Global energy intensity in 2030 is 31% lower than in 2011, declining at 1.9% p.a. compared to a decline rate of 1.0% p.a. for 2000-10. The impact of declining energy intensity can be seen clearly in the gap between GDP and energy consumption. Without the projected intensity decline, the world would need to almost double energy supply by 2030 to sustain economic growth, rather than the 36% increase required in Energy Outlook 2013. Source: BP Energy Outlook 2013

Industrial Energy Intensity by Economy (Tonnes of oil equivalent per US$1,000 of manufacturing value added) ECONOMY

WHY ENERGY EFFICIENCY? Energy efficiency provides us with the time needed to replace fossil fuels and other non-sustainable energy sources with renewables in an ecological, economic and socially responsible manner. Source: The European Council for Energy Efficient Economy

MARCH 2013

1990

2000

2008

UAE

3.375

1.773

1.134

Qatar

1.735

2.333

2.305

Kuwait

1.410

1.961

0.701

Oman

1.691

1.136

1.214

Saudi Arabia

0.787

0.867

0.660

Bahrain

3.315

1.601

1.484

29


Cover Story

The Fifth Fuel

Energy efficiency is as much a fuel source as coal, gas, nuclear and renewables

T

he Fifth Fuel, The Hidden Fuel, Negawatts – call it by any name but energy efficiency will always be defined in terms of ‘less energy to provide the same level of service.’ Energy efficiency is not a brand new concept – it has been around for a longer time than you and me, but the buzz factor has never been as high as in past few years. As the world leaders scuttle around to draft a formal strategy to tackle climate change and energy security issues, energy efficiency has been rediscovered as a cost effective and interim solution during the transition to clean energy. The best part about energy efficiency unlike renewables or other forms of alternative energy is that the necessary technologies are already out there. While fossil fuels continue to be the primary source of energy and demand continues to soar, the consensus is that days of plenty and cheap have slipped by. While renewable energy resources like solar and wind will grab bigger shares of the energy mix in the years to come, they are still negotiating hurdles like inadequate capacity and returns on investment. Yet burning more fossil fuels isn’t feasible as that will only add to Green House Gases (GHG) problem. In fact, in a statement issued during

30

Doha Climate, International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven observed that limiting warming to 2 degrees C is becoming more difficult and more expensive with every passing year and the world may well be on track for an increase of 3.5 degrees C. In the paper ‘The Energy-Efficiency Opportunity,’ authors Diana Farrell and Jaana Remes of McKinsey Global Institute point out that boosting energy efficiency is the most economic way to reduce GHG emissions, representing over two thirds of all available negative cost opportunities. Energy-efficiency improvements that use existing technologies offer the potential to cut the projected energy demand growth by two thirds – from 2.2% to 0.7% per annum – by adopting and generate a profitable internal rate of return (IRR) of 10% or more. IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2012 pointed out that symptoms of an unsustainable energy system persist with CO2 emissions at record high, renewable energy industry under strain and fossil fuel subsidies up almost 30% to USD523 billion in 2011, led by the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. WEO 2012 projects global energy demand to rise by over one-

third in the period to 2035, underpinned by rising living standards in China, India and the Middle East. But it also adds that by 2035, the world can achieve energy savings equivalent to nearly a fifth of global demand in 2010. “North America is at the forefront of a sweeping transformation in oil and gas production that will affect all regions of the world, yet the potential also exists for a similarly transformative shift in global energy efficiency,” said van der Hoeven adding that energy efficiency is just as important as unconstrained energy supply, and increased action on efficiency can serve as a unifying energy policy that brings multiple benefits. Moreover, energy efficiency can delay “lock-in” of CO2 emissions permitted under a 2°C trajectory – which is set to happen in 2017 – until 2022, buying five extra years. In fact, in an efficient world scenario painted in the report, greater efforts on energy efficiency would cut the growth in global energy demand by half.

Should MENA care? The MENA region is characterised by high levels of energy consumption per capita and energy intensity per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and these are more pronounced in MARCH 2013


Cover Story

the oil-rich Gulf countries. Growth in energy consumption is being driven by population boom, investments in energy-intensive industries and a high level of subsidy. GCC countries figure in the list of top 25 countries with the highest per capita emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) recently pointed out that the rapid economic growth experienced by the GCC countries is expected to push electricity consumption to 856 terawatt hours by 2020 which requires the production of an additional 100 GW. However, shortage of natural gas for power generation and diversion of supplies to value added sectors like petrochemicals and metals means that the oil exporting countries have no option but curtail exports or dip into their oil reserves. For example, in Saudi Arabia, out of approximately 10 million barrels per day the Kingdom currently produces, nearly three million barrels per day of oil equivalent (mboe) is used within the domestic economy for power generation and transportation. While there is nothing to stop oil-rich countries of the Gulf from spending their way out of this problem, the negative environmental and economic costs and long gestation periods for fossil fuel power projects make it unviable as a strategy.

Investing in energy efficiency can help these countries reduce their domestic consumption of valuable oil and gas resources and reduce carbon emissions without sacrificing economic growth. According to the IEA, the Middle East, and particularly Iraq, is set to experience oil production resurgence. While much of this production will be re-directed to China and the rest of Asia which has dominated increases in global energy demand in recent years, the Middle East itself will see rapid increases in domestic demand. And that will exacerbate the costs of fossil fuel subsidies and of dismal energy efficiency – sucking up increasingly valuable regional production. “Indeed, energy efficiency is important for both producers and consumers – and it is a key option in the hands of policy makers to impact energy security, emissions reductions, electricity costs, and a host of other domestic policy objectives,” says the IEA Executive Director. “Taking efficiency seriously could represent another real game changer – but implementation can be difficult, perhaps because it is invisible. We call it the hidden fuel.” A study carried out by Oliver Wyman in 2011 pointed out that even moderate adoption of proven energy efficiency measures in the Middle East could reduce energy demand by a quarter to half in the year 2030, greatly freeing up capital for other investments and oil for exports, as well as reducing the region’s Job Health & Asset creation social values carbon footprint. The benefits Energy Consumer study further noted provider surplus benefits that ‘even in the Macro Poverty conservative ‘low policy impacts alleviation intensity scenario, the Energy Middle East region efficiency Public Energy budgets savings improvement could potentially reduce primary energy Resource Energy consumption by more Managesecurity ment than a quarter in 2030, DevelopIndustrial which translates to ment productivity goals Climate Energy savings in the range of change prices mitigation 50% of total current

Source: OECD/IEA MARCH 2013

consumption in the region. In the more aggressive ‘technical potential’ scenario, the Middle East region could reduce projected primary energy consumption by more than half in 2030. Of course, up to 70% of energy demand in the Middle East is for cooling in the residential and commercial sectors. However, industrialisation is growing rapidly on the back of aggressive economic diversification plans. Easy access to relatively cheap energy has encouraged the development of an energy-intensive manufacturing sector led by petrochemicals, aluminium, cement and steel industries. In fact, industry is an area energy efficiency progress is easily achieved because it is concentrated in the hands of a few actors whose behaviour can more easily be influenced and monitored.

Bernhard Niessing, CEO-Industry Sector, Siemens Middle East

Wide range of options When it comes to implementing and facilitating energy-efficiency initiatives, industries can choose from energy efficiency programmes that span the entire value chain (including supply chains) to even embedding energy efficiency into their products resulting in environmental benefits and cost savings for the end consumer. At a component level, motors alone represent tremendous savings potential. Electric motor systems are widely used in manufacturing industries for pumping, compressed

31


Cover Story

Figure 2

Figure 3

air, ventilation, cooling and material handling applications. “Electric motors and drives consume up to 70% of all energy used in industrial plants. So if you are industry plant manager, the first thing you ought to look for is more energy efficient motors and drives and that’s what we offer,” said Bernhard Niessing, CEOIndustry Sector, Siemens Middle East. The standard IEC 60034-30: 2008 defines efficiency classes for 50 and 60 Hz and stipulates, worldwide, which motors are involved and which exceptions apply (See Figure 2). New efficiency classes have been defined in this standard (IE = International Efficiency) for induction motors in a power range from 0.75 kW to 375 kW. These are IE1 (Standard Efficiency); IE2 (High Efficiency) and the newly launched IE3 (Premium Efficiency) Premium-efficiency motors (IE3) are up to 10% more efficient than the conventional IE1 motors while IE2 motors are five per cent more efficient than IE1 motors. “By changing over to IE2 motors, you are not only protecting the environment

32

Graphs supplied by Siemens

but also benefit from significantly lower operating costs,” said Niessing. “The operation of a motor accounts for more than 90% of its life cycle costs with largest portion accounted for by energy costs” In fact, the potential savings by switching over to IE2 or IE3 motors are huge in the UAE alone. According to data compiled by International Trade Centre Switzerland (countries exporting motors above 75 kW for 2008), the UAE imports approximately 300,000 motors above 75 kW every year from different countries, which works out to USD30 million at an average price of USD100 per motor. “The guesstimate of total number of motors imported every year is one million,” said Niessing “As a rough estimate, there are a total of 10-20 million motors in use in the UAE. Replacing all motors imported in a year by Energy Efficient Motors could save around 50 to 100 MW of energy.” {Estimate basis: Average motor rating 15 kW. Total consumption for one million motors = 15 kW x one million motors = 15,000 MW; 5% saving by use of Energy Efficient Motors (IE2) = 15,000

x 5% = 75 MW} However, Niessing believes that very little of this potential is being harvested. In the region, there are no requirements or laws that mandate high-efficiency class motors, so industries take their own decisions. Only the UAE has laid down minimum efficiency requirement of IE1. Secondly, as energy costs are relatively low in the region, the Return on Investment (ROI) tends to be spread over a longer period compared to a country like Germany, where the ROI is shorter because of higher energy prices. “For the UAE, I have calculated that the additional costs of variable frequency drives and motors with improved energy efficiency often pay off in six to 24 months,” said Niessing. “In fact, energy efficiency can be a great advantage for a plant because they can really reduce energy consumption while increasing productivity.” In fact, energy efficient motors have started getting attention in more and countries. In addition to the European Union and associated countries, China and Brazil have mandated a high IE2 efficiency class as a minimum efficiency requirement for motors. In the region too, Siemens has found that its customers are open to discussing energy efficient solutions on the energy side as well as the on automation side. “We are more than willing to support our customers with the changeover to the new standard, for both standard and customised motors,” he said. “Solutions are also becoming cheaper in terms of CAPEX. For example, in the past, a technical solution for a water pump would comprise a motor, coupling, gear and pump. Today, we can connect the motor directly to the pump using VFD (Variable Frequency Drives) without any need for coupling or gear. This solution is easier to implement, cheaper, more energy efficient and reliable.” (See Figure 3) Siemens’ portfolio of energysaving motors comply with the new international IEC 60034-30 standard from 0.75 kW up to the limit of the MARCH 2013


Cover Story

classification set by the standard at 375 kW. “We offer energy-efficient motors up to 690 V for both line and frequency converter operation, which perfectly match our SINAMICS frequency converters and SIRIUS motor starters,” said Niessing. “The IEC 60034-30 standard also applies to explosionprotected motors. Our new series of flameproof Loher motors (Ex d type of protection) with a high IE2 efficiency fulfil this standard and is available in a power range from 0.75 to 375 kW.” “With the changeover to energy efficiency motors, companies are only protecting the environment but also benefit from significantly lower operating costs. This is why companies should make the change today,” conclude Niessing.

Systemic approach Energy efficiency can also be approached in a system-wide manner. “You get all the benefits when you have a holistic view of the system,” says Michel Crochon, Executive Vice President of Infrastructure at Schneider Electric. “As long as you are able to provide energy savings to homes, buildings and infrastructure - by type of industry because processes vary from industry to industry - you can bring in the same benefits, consolidate and build a more sustainable and energy efficient world.” This must be complemented by the supply side as well. “Once the demand is here, you need to have more and more smart supply,” noted Crochon. “You need to have very smart network because earlier, it was only one way traffic from generation to T&D, now it is a more two-way street and in the middle, you have to have to adapt demand and supply by demand response mechanisms.’ To get implement energy management through a system approach, data is crucial. Crochon explained: “You need to have knowledge of the process, whether it is in a building or an industry; you also need to have the data for which MARCH 2013

you have to put sensors everywhere. We try to ensure that every product, equipment and solution we developed can be connected. Second, you need software to co-ordinate everything. “ Crochon feels that a holistic approach to energy management should fetch industries in the region overall energy savings in the range of 20-30%. To deliver these savings would mean getting into the specifics of each process, embedding energy efficiency features into products and solution architectures in order to provide energy efficient benefits to the customer. “When you design a drive, you can design it to be more energy efficient,” said Crochon. “Similarly when you design a cement plant or an oil and gas process, you go by subsystem, you design the architecture and prepare features and sequences in the process keeping energy efficiency in mind. By using energy efficient drives and motors, by making the sequences of the process different you can ensure this optimisation without deteriorating the core process of the customer.” Crochon is a fan of reference architectures that could act as

Energy efficiency equation is about less OPEX, deferred CAPEX and different balance of trade templates for energy efficiency implementations in a particular industry or domain. He said: “For example, our experience in providing energy management solutions for cement plants over the years can be captured in reference architecture. This can be adapted to new projects with a few modifications. If we are allowed to design a new cement plant according to our reference architecture, we commit the results and the savings.” The Schneider honcho isn’t

Michel Crochon, Executive Vice President of Infrastructure at Schneider Electric

convinced that availability of cheap energy in the region could distract the industry from pursuing energy efficiency. “We are all concerned by the same challenges. The fact that one country today has a lot of low cost energy doesn’t mean it isn’t worried about the future. Moreover, the less energy rich countries consume for their own needs, the more they can export. I believe that energy efficiency equation is about less OPEX, deferred CAPEX and different balance of trade. You have to adapt to this equation.”

Lighting frontiers Lighting accounts for 20% of global electricity consumption but with 70% of installed lighting regarded as inefficient, the potential to notch up savings is really huge. “An average 40% savings are possible by switching to energy-efficient lighting technologies,” said Harry Verhaar, Senior Director Energy & Climate Change, Philips Lighting. “Globally, these savings amount to 670 million tonnes of CO2, which is a fair chunk of the original Kyoto agreement.” In the Middle East context, growing urbanisation may well be the single biggest driver for energy-efficient lighting. Cities, on average, consume 70% of the world’s energy supply with lighting itself accounting for 50% of the energy tab. “From a city angle, you can do the right thing in terms of reducing carbon emissions and

33


Cover Story

Harry Verhaar, Senior Director Energy & Climate Change, Philips Lighting

energy bills and providing more social benefits by switching to more efficient and smart LED solutions,” said Verhaar. “Cities can use the money they save for education, healthcare and other things that matter.” In 2009, The Climate Group, with the support of the HSBC Climate Partnership, established ‘LightSavers’, a global programme to accelerate the market adoption of outdoor LED lighting and smart lighting controls. Based on a model piloted by the City of Toronto, LightSavers recruited 12 cities globally, including Kolkata, London, New York and Sydney, to independently verify the performance of over 500 LED lamps in 15 separate trials. The study has seen all the functional benefits– robustness, efficiency and savings confirmed. Moreover, in the four cities where public surveys were conducted, residents, drivers, pedestrians and shopkeepers all expressed a strong preference for LED lighting compared with the conventional high pressure sodium HID lighting in their neighbourhoods. In three cities, 70-80% of respondents said they felt safer with LED lighting. Verhaar pointed out that an energy efficient lighting agenda for a city comprises four building blocks Technology, Policy, Finance and Communication. From a technology standpoint, what matters is availability of solutions, their intelligence (for example, lighting that automatically responds to people traffic) and increasingly, the delivery side. This could be either be hardware sale or lighting as a service where a certain amount of light is sold over a certain amount of time. “Lighting as a service

34

is much more interesting for a city because it not only simulates innovation but makes us jointly care about having the latest solution with the lowest overall bill,” explained Verhaar. But how does lighting as a service work? In the case of a city, the service provider sits down with stakeholders to calculate how much light the city needs. Intelligence is build into the lighting system so that it can either be pre-programmed to adjust lighting needs over the course of a typical daynight cycle or the lighting fixtures can be equipped with sensors that respond to traffic density. The lighting system can also be regulated so that if there is extra demand like air-conditioning for example, the lights can be dimmed to balance the total electricity demand. “When a city signs up for lighting as a service, they get the most advanced lighting solutions for lowest possible cost and the best lighting performance for their residents,” said Verhaar. “Quite often, it means 50-70% reduction on the bill which can be used to pay for the new system. Tariffs, maintenance, technology upgrades and cleaning are all included in a single contract. The advantage for the city is that they deal with one entity instead of having to become lighting expert themselves.” The second building block is policy. “The government needs to set efficiency standards and encourage green procurement based on total performance,” explained Verhaar. “Consumers need to be protected from shoddy and low quality products because when we move to a sustainable society, initial investment will go up for the sake of reducing operational expenditure. So we need to take care of consumers or even city officials investing in efficiency to help them better manage risks. It is smarter to move to a circular society from a throw way society because there are valuable metals and components that can be re-utilised.” An area where the instrument of policy has been being wielded effectively is in the global phase out of incandescent lights. In the EU, the phase out is in force since September 2012; in the US, general

lighting incandescent bulbs are being phased out starting January this year. South Korea, Taiwan, Australia and Japan have already implemented this regulation while the BRIC countries are now working on it. In fact, Philips is partnering with UNEP on a project called The UNEP en.lighten initiative which covers Latin America, Middle East and Asia. In the Middle East, the UAE, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco are already working on phasing out inefficient lighting. “I am convinced that lighting will be the first sector to successfully achieve such a transition globally,” said Verhaar. “The lighting industry can be collectively proud of this achievement especially when heads of state are still struggling to agree on the big global treaties.” The third piece of the building block is financing. “Sometimes I get questions on why LED is more expensive or costs more,” said Verhaar. “The cheapest lamp is the most expensive because they last shorter and need more energy. In the end, it boils down to how you manage investment and lifetime costs of the energy bill.” The last and final piece of the building block for cities is communication. Verhaar continued: “The planet is under serious threat but if we talk about climate change, many people don’t know how it affects them or what they can do. But if we can translate that into tangible benefits like productivity in the office or safety in the city, people can understand and relate to that.” Verhaar believes that one can pursue both energy efficiency and renewable energy at the same time because electricity consumption will always be there. If part of electricity consumption is met by renewable energy, savings will be even higher while security of supply or performance improves. For example, new cities in the Middle East can go in solar-LED street lighting that gives the best of both worlds. With roof top solar plants, buildings become energy plants that can power their lighting. Are we nearing limits when it comes MARCH 2013


Cover Story

to energy efficiency in lighting? Has the industry achieved the best that could have been achieved in the circumstances? Verhaar pointed out that when he joined Philips, people had already formed the opinion that the CFL lamp was a hard act to beat. CFL solutions too were intelligent, smart and efficient. However, LEDs have taken the lighting market and industry to a different level. “If you were to ask me if we have reached the limits, I would say no because we will continue to witness LEDs improving in performance, efficiency and intelligence,” said Verhaar. “You have more opportunities in terms of embedding and integrating LEDs into different areas, like for example furniture, because of the design factor. So we will see an ongoing stream of innovations in terms of application, intelligence and userinterface.” The innovations Verhaar refers to are rolling out in unexpected ways. A few months ago, together with Apple, Philips launched a consumer LED solution called Hue. A small box with three smart LED bulbs, a plug in for router at home and an app for the iPhone, Hue helps the user manage lighting in ways they may have perhaps only dreamed of before. “You can set the intensity, colour, the whole atmosphere and if you are at home or other side of the world, you can switch on, manage the lights. In the way phones, media and entertainment have been revolutionised by digital technology, now we can also personalise light.”

Parting words In the end, the key components of any national energy efficiency programme include raising awareness about energy efficiency and end-user behaviour, regulations that enforce the adoption of energy efficiency measures and lastly, incentives, financial or otherwise, that encourage people to embrace energy efficiency. In 2008, the IEA developed a set of 25 energy efficiency policy MARCH 2013

recommendations for seven priority areas to help its member countries achieve the benefits of energy efficiency across their economies. On the industrial sector front, the IEA recommends policies for promoting use and optimisation of energy-efficient industrial equipment and systems, and improving overall efficiency through energy management. Specific recommendations for governments include requiring large, energyintensive industry (and encouraging other industrial energy users) to conform to ISO 50001 or an equivalent energy management protocol, adopting Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for electric motors and other categories of industrial equipment, implement portfolios of measures to address barriers to the optimisation of energy efficiency in the design and operation of industrial systems and processes and lastly, implement a package of measures to promote energy efficiency in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and put in place complementary financial policies that promote energy-efficient investment.

China has decreed 20% energy intensity decrease as binding target of 11th five-year national plan Japan enacted its energy efficiency law way back in 1979 in the aftermath of the oil shock. This comprehensive law covers all sectors of the economy from residential to industrial. For manufacturing and commercial sectors, the target is to improve annually energy intensity one per cent or more on average. Japan aims to improve energy efficiency of total primary energy supply by at least 30% by 2030, based on 2003 levels. China has decreed 20% energy intensity decrease as binding target of 11th five-year national plan. While the

top 1,000 energy consuming enterprises have signed an energy conservation agreement with central government, more than 20,000 enterprises have signed similar agreement with local governments, covering about 80% of energy consumption by industry. China aims to reduce its energy intensity by 16% by 2015, relative to 2005 levels, and to cut its carbon intensity by 4045% by 2020. Closer home, Saudi Arabia has rolled out a National Energy Efficiency Programme (NEEP) backed by UNIDO in partnership with King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Saudi Aramco, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) to support reduction of energy intensity in the national economy. Kishan Khoday, deputy resident representative (program and operations) at UNDP wrote in an article last year that the initial phase of NEEP (2005-2011) saw the launch of Saudi Energy Efficiency Centre to lead overall nation-wide activities on energy conservation across various sectors, new energy efficiency policies and measures including new electricity use tariff systems, new efficiency labels and standards for specific energy-intensive appliances like air conditioners, electronics and refrigerators, and energy efficiency codes for new buildings. The second phase (2012-2017) launched in 2012 focuses on developing broader capacities of the new Saudi Energy Efficiency Centre (SEEC) for energy conservation goals through four key results - Energy conservation law and energy-efficiency actions plans in key sectors; capacity development for energy managers and leaders; developing a new national energy information system and lastly, raising public and industry awareness. In the end, irrespective of the fuel mix the countries in the region end up with or measures they adopt to reduce CO2 emissions, a stronger focus on energy efficiency should always be part of the process. A well designed, sustained policy push will pave the way for a leastcost strategy to reduce energy-related emissions in the long run.

35


AUTOMATION

Tying things together A

s Vice President of Platform and Operations Software, Invensys Operations Management (IOM), Rob McGreevy is responsible for defining and executing the software product strategy for platform and applications team within IOM. Platform and applications include the Wonderware brand HMI and Supervisory, Execution and Operations (MES) as well as information and intelligence applications. Rob spoke to Anoop K Menon on the key announcements from IOM last year, tackling data over-flow on the plant floor, the convergence of IT and industrial automation and its implications. Could you tell us about the major announcements from Invensys Operations Management (IOM) in 2012? One of our major releases in 2012 was ArchestrA System Platform 2012 R2 which can now support much larger systems. We have been seeing a lot more connectivity among different systems in the industries we serve. Instead of operating machinery, equipment and plants in isolation, we find more and more customers tying them together. So we added new capabilities called Multi-galaxy that effectively makes all systems appear as though they are part of one. This, in turn, makes it easier for customers to do benchmarking, performance analysis and optimisation. We are also seeing a huge increase in the amount of process and production analytics used by industries. One of the main pieces used for analytics is process history. We released a new version of our process historian which gives much higher performance for customers who want to do intense analysis and trending. They also get much higher historian data capacity to the tune of half a million points. Additional client capabilities include better trending tools and situational analysis. The highlights of System Platform R2 are historian, data collection, process and production analysis and support for multi-site systems. In 2012, we also released a new version of our mobile workflow solution. The use of mobile devices, handheld phones and tablets are increasing in the manufacturing industry with customers wanting to access parts and pieces of manufacturing from their mobile devices. We have a product called SmartGlance which helps customers get access to process and production reports and information on their mobile devices. However, the latest workflow release goes beyond reporting and analysis and gives users the ability to actually do work procedures and sign off on activities, the business world equivalent of approving an expense report, for example. In manufacturing environments, exceptions like alarm conditions or requirement for signature on a manufacturing process can occur. That type of workflow can now be delivered to a mobile device.

36

what is the role for industrial automation in optimisation? The word optimisation means different things to many different people. We have a lot of products that do optimisation. For example, on the pure process side, we have products that look at all the variables involved in running a refinery and optimise them for maximum profitability. ROMeo, which is targeted at refining and chemical industries, can optimise actual production processes in real time as crude prices shift and market demand for certain products change. The software enables manufacturers and refiners to look at these variables in real time and take decisions that are more profitable. The other thing we do is optimise general process and production. Historian and trending is a simple example – capture high fidelity process and production data like temperatures, pressures, flows and actually correlate the data with alarm conditions, product grade or even product quality. The business economics of the industry influences the approach to optimisation. For example, if you are into facility management, the key variables you would consider are lighting, heating and cooling. For refining or water or wastewater industries, the relevant variables would apply. MARCH 2013


AUTOMATION We have different applications not only for the industry but also for different disciplines within those industries like process optimisation versus production optimisation. Optimisation has financial implications too. One example would be should I buy power from the grid or should I produce my own power? You can optimise manufacturing based on real time price fluctuations of power, the variable here being the cost of power procured from the grid versus the cost of running your onsite cogeneration facility. Another example is Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies optimising the fill rates of bottles so that they don’t over fill or under fill.

Is there a data or information overload scenario in the making on the plant floor? Are operators being flooded with way too much information on their screens? One of the things I mentioned earlier was situational analysis. With all the different systems - process historians, production historians, DCS, PLCs, RTUs - on the floor today, there is kind of data overload happening out there. So what is Invensys doing about that? For one, we are trying to focus on the absolute critical information that needs to be delivered. For an operator, if it is safety related information, we will optimise the display to show the appropriate information. There are a lot of different standards floating around and groups that have focussed on advanced process graphics or analysis where only what is relevant to the operator is displayed on the screen. In other words, instead of taking an HMI display and throwing in 3D vessels, tanks, pipes and the lot, we start with a black screen and only illustrate things relevant to the operator. So if there is an alarm or high pressure trending variable, that’s what would show up on the screen. Thus, on the visualisation side, we are trying to simplify things. Instead of overloading the screens with information, we are using concepts like heat maps to graphically display only the critical areas that need attention. March 2013

That apart, we are also investigating how to supply specific answers to very specific queries people may have about a process. For example, if you were to type in price of gasoline in the US into a search engine like Google, you would end up with over a million results that don’t tell you much. But there are also search technologies like Wolfram Alpha where you can ask a specific question and the engine gives you a discrete, specific answer. We are trying to do something similar in manufacturing in terms of providing very specific information to people for questions on the lines of: what is the best optimal temperature setting for a batch or what is the optimal set up or parameters to run a refining process based on a particular crude type? We are trying to provide that level of specific answers by way of our systems, and to do that, we have to connect all the information sources – different process variables, signals, crews and people skills. It is not easy but that’s what we are trying to do – simplify visualisation and help people see, and also provide them just the relevant information about the process. The third piece of making sense of all this crazy information is being more proactive. To cite another consumer tech analogy, GPS devices can take you from point A to B, and if there is a problem on the way, the system automatically re-routes you. We want to be proactive in the same way where industrial systems are concerned. Rather than just having an operator screen for giving them the right information, we also want to give them guidance: thus, if a high, high alarm condition needs to be reconciled, the system can give a suggestion on what the operator should do and the procedure for correcting the problem. This is where some of our workflow and business process management software comes in.

To what extent is Information Technology (IT) – consumer and enterprise – influencing industrial automation? More and more of traditional IT coming

into manufacturing and more of the teams we see are a mix of IT and engineering departments. I would say that as far as technology goes, we are very measured and more conservative in the industrial and engineering group for obvious reasons. At the same time, we will certainly adopt IT technologies that help simplify things. Take social networks, for example. Often, operation personnel need access to expertise that they don’t necessarily have. Social networking technology could be used to create a virtual network of experts so that if people have an issue or problem with software or a process, they can go to experts who fix such problems all the time.

One of the issues we see with consumer IT software is that not all the embedded functionality is being put to use. Do you see this happening in automation software too? Given our large installed base – we have over 725,000 licenses worldwide across many different industries there are a lot of different features and capabilities that some industries like refining may not care about but Food & Beverage (F&B) or CPG would. Therefore, it is understood that some features won’t be used by different groups. The other aspect is that our tools are so powerful that in a lot of cases, people don’t even know there are certain functionalities inside. However, what we have in mind for the future is to move our software to more role-based configurability and usability. So if the user is a process engineer in chemicals, for example, we can make some smart assumptions about features and capabilities that he or she would like to have. Today, more than ever, whenever we look at software design and development, we also look at role or user persona to optimise things better. With our mobile apps, we looked at how people were using them and changed the user-interface experience to show the top five or 10 things everybody wanted to do with the product.

37


SMART CITIES

Social innovation agenda T Makoto Nagashima, Deputy General Manager, International Strategy Division, Hitachi discusses his company’s social innovation strategy for the region.

38

hough Hitachi is well known globally for its electronic products, over the past few years, the company has focussed on the development of its Social Innovation Business to improve the quality of life for the global community, achieve better long-term growth and greater earnings potential. Hitachi’s Social Innovation Business includes information and telecommunication systems, power systems, environmental, industrial and transportation systems, and social and urban systems, as well as the sophisticated materials and key devices that support them. In the Middle East, Hitachi is focusing on diverse areas, ranging from power generation equipment, electric household products, Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) services for petrochemical plants and engineering and building services to compressors, water treatment, air-conditioning equipment, construction machinery, elevators, and medical equipment. “We see the Middle East as a highlypromising market considering the size of the market and population,” said Makoto Nagashima, Deputy General Manager, International Strategy Division, Hitachi. “We will focus on social infrastructure business by offering most advanced energy-saving, high-efficiency, ecofriendly products whose demand is increasing in the region.”

The company is quite bullish about concept of Smart Cities. “Hitachi regards Smart Cities as a part of its business emphasis on the Social Innovation Business, which provides the new values to the society by combining information and communication technologies (ICT) and its ample experiences in infrastructure facilities,” explained Nagashima. Infrastructure includes energy (electricity, heat and gas), water (sewer) and transportation (road and rail). Hitachi categorises infrastructure into three layers as shown in Figure 1, namely ‘Life Infrastructure,’ ‘City Infrastructure’ and “National Infrastructure.’ • The National Infrastructure denotes the nationwide network of infrastructure such as electricity, railways and highways. • The City Infrastructure is a set of infrastructure existing within the boundary of a city and is a sub-set of national infrastructure. • The Life Infrastructure is a set of services for citizens to enjoy their urban life, and is supported by the city infrastructure. These three layers are connected by an information platform called ‘City Management Infrastructure’ which handles the information from the different layers and integrates them to coordinate the control of infrastructure to optimise operations and provide value-added services to residents and thus, improve the quality of life. MARCH 2013


SMART CITIES

Hitachi also provides the following solutions for realising Smart Cities: • Energy solutions: Smart grid, Demand response solutions, Demand side management systems, Home energy management systems (HEMS), Building energy management systems (BEMS), Community energy management systems (CEMS) • Water solutions: Water treatment facilities (reverse osmosis and membrane bioreactor), water recycling plants, desalination facilities, Information processing for water management. (Figure 2) • Transportation solutions: Train operation control systems, Road traffic control systems, Integrated traffic hub (station) solutions comprising pedestrian flow management, digital signage, car park management systems and IC card solutions. (Figure 3) • ICT platform: Integrated common platform for city management infrastructure, M2M communication solutions, Meter data management systems, GIS, ITS, and simulation tools for various urban issues, Big Data management solution Hitachi is also carrying out many smart city projects inside Japan as well as outside. (See Figure 4). A flagship example is ‘Kashiwa-no-Ha’ project in Japan where the integrated ‘Town Management Centre’ employs City Management infrastructure to manage energy, mobility, water and security in a scalable manner. (See Figure 5) Hitachi supplies conventional solutions and products essential to the functioning of cities. These include gas turbine generators, substation facilities such as gas insulated transformers, power stabilisation systems, pumps, trains, lifts and escalators, and air-conditioning. MARCH 2013

Figure 1 Three layers of infrastructure

Figure 2 Water solutions

Figure 3 Transportation solutions

39


SMART CITIES

Figure 4 Smart city projects

Figure 5 Kashiwa-no-Ha’ project in Japan

Hitachi has set up two joint ventures with GE – Hitachi GE Nuclear Energy (HGNE) and GE-Hitachi (GEH) to grow its nuclear business. In 2012, the company hosted technology seminars in Saudi Arabia with the aim of contributing to the development and progression of nuclear technology in the country.

Water focus

Hitachi is also active in the Middle East’s water sector through Hitachi Plant Technologies, which offers solutions for drinking water, industrial water, sewage treatment and solid waste management. “We can offer the latest energy-saving Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology to ensure that an economical supply of high quality potable water can be sent directly to residential areas as drinking water or for everyday use,” said Nagashima. “Our systems can provide clean drinking water from a variety of sources, including well water, sea water, and brackish water.” The company also offers systems that combine solar and RO to produce water with 15 systems already installed in the UAE. Hitachi also supplies Membrane

40

Bioreactor (MBR) systems for treating waste water. “MBR product water is of very high quality and can be used as process water or for construction or irrigation,” said Nagashima. “Our MBR systems come with energy saving features and facilitate easy operation and maintenance. Their small footprint allow convenient placement. A key advantage of our systems is their quick construction times. The systems are modular and portable, and can be operational in matter of week weeks.” Hitachi has installed many MBR-based waste water treatment plants in the Middle East. For example, Burj Khalifa, world’s tallest building, uses a Hitachi MBR + RO system to meet their water treatment needs. Hitachi is also contributing to region’s efforts to develop local R&D capabilities. Last November, the company signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) for joint research on water quality monitoring technology used in seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plants. The research will focus on the demonstration and validation, evaluation, and improvement of

water quality monitoring technology developed at Hitachi’s Yokohama Research Laboratory that will be used in Hitachi Plant Technologies’ seawater desalination plants. The research will be conducted over a nearly two-year period in cooperation with KAUST’s Centre of Excellence in Desalination Technology (CEDT), one of the most experienced organisations in this field in the Kingdom. “A key issue involved in operating SWRO plants is membrane fouling,” explained Nagashima. “An accurate assessment of seawater properties based on monitoring is essential for controlling fouling and ensuring stable operation of the plants because the operating parameters must be set taking into account these properties.” The water quality monitoring technology developed at the Yokohama Research Laboratory measures very small amounts of substances in seawater that cause RO membrane fouling using the quartz crystal microbalance method (QCM method). The QCM method measures the mass of minute quantities of substances adhering to a quartz oscillator by detecting changes in the oscillator’s natural frequency induced by the mass increase. This approach has already been developed for film thickness sensors used in semiconductor production equipment and other applications. Hitachi and Hitachi Plant Technologies have studied the relationship between RO membrane fouling and water quality monitoring data using the QCM method with view to controlling operations for minimising fouling and optimising the cleaning and replacement intervals of RO membranes. “Using actual seawater from the Red Sea, the joint research with CEDT will demonstrate the performance of this system and accelerate its commercialisation,” said Nagashima. “The Hitachi Group plans to use the results of the joint research to expand business in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of seawater desalination plants and their operation and management business.” MARCH 2013


41


SUSTAINABILITY

A

s concerns about environment and climate change increase, it is vital that we encourage our children to embrace the concept of sustainability and take care of the future of our planet. In this regard, schools, where children spend their formative years, have a critical role to play. At DPS Sharjah, we have set for ourselves the ambitious target of becoming a sustainable school by participating in HSBC Eco-Schools Climate Initiative, launched by EWS-WWF, in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Education and HSBC. Successful schools are awarded the Green Flag, an

Anjum Hasan, Environment Coordinator, DPS Sharjah on the steps being taken by her school to make sustainability a central part of its ethos

StepsTowardsSustainability internationally acknowledged symbol for environmental excellence. A sustainable school can help its students learn about sustainability in the classroom and from observing directly the careful use of resources around them. At DPS Sharjah, we understand that education about sustainability is a continuous, multi-dimensional and forward-looking process. So we have established HEAL, an action-oriented eco-club for students, which seeks to create sustained environmental change in the school and community. In the recent past, HEAL organised eco-plays to raise

42

awareness about environmental issues, planted Ghaf trees, an endangered tree species endemic to the UAE (the first tree was planted by the honourable Dr. Abdul A.P.J Kalam, former President of India), held recycled candle-making workshop and organised a visit to Pacific Controls Building in Jebel Ali, among the first green buildings in the UAE. HEAL also organised a unique eco-friendly fashion show where students applied their creativity to design outfits out of eco-friendly materials. Our school also organises annual events like Eco-fest, an inter-school event with competitions built around environmental themes. These include public speaking, poster-making, dance, street plays and debates. In 2011, H.H. Sheikh Dr. Abdulaziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi, also known as the Green Sheikh, presided over the event as chief guest. Late last year, we organised an inter-school event called INFERNO 2012 - Educating Future Stewards of the Earth, which brought together all the Eco-Schools under one roof. The event included a panel discussion on the topic ‘Economic Growth and Sustainable Development cannot

work in Isolation,’ a Model Earth Summit convention that debated a crisis situation which culminated into negotiating the final treaty and drafting of the Model Earth Charter, a documentary competition on green issues and My Earth Charter, where each team prepared a charter detailing various provisions that could be implemented to make their school environment friendly. Earth Day Celebrations are also held every year to create awareness among the students about the adverse impact of global warming on earth and human life. Competitions held to sensitise students to these issues included ‘Best out of Waste’ for making useful items out of waste material, an Inter-house ‘Recyclable bin’ competition to make modified and decorated waste bins from recycled containers and an inter-class collage making competition using cartons, old magazines and newspapers. We also engage with external organisations like Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) and Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC) for support and advice and to expose students and faculty to the best eco-friendly knowledge out there. We share a strong relationship with Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) and its chairperson Ms. Habiba Al Marashi, participating in their tree plantation and clean-up campaigns, workshops and public competitions where our students have won accolades. Together with EEG, we have an ongoing can and newspaper recycling programme that are part of DPS Sharjah’s collective work for greater good of the environment. Our school also hosts EGBC experts who come down to talk to students and faculty on topics like energy efficient lighting and water efficiency. The success of such broad-based, multi-faceted sustainability initiatives depend on commitment from the top. All of the above activities wouldn’t have been possible without the able guidance of our Principal Mrs Vandana Marwaha, who has been a beacon of support and the primary driving force towards making sustainability a central part of the school ethos.

MARCH 2013


Market Place

LANXESS New membrane elements for water treatment

G

ermany-based specialty chemicals company LANXESS has launched three new types of membrane separation elements for reverse osmosis (RO) applications. The new membranes have a surface area of 37.2, 34.4, and 8.4 square metres. Lewabrane RO B400 FR and Lewabrane RO B370 FR have a diameter of 201 millimetres (8 inches), while Lewabrane RO B090 FR 4040 has a diameter of 101 millimetres (4 inches). The fields of application include desalination of brackish and low-salinity water with a high potential for organic or biological fouling. “Our membrane separation elements are characterised by a high degree of polymerisation and a low surface charge, which in itself reduces the accumulation of dissolved solids at the membrane surface,” claimed Alan Sharpe, head of the RO Membrane Strategic Project at LANXESS’ Ion Exchange Resins business unit. “Furthermore, a special feed spacer has

MARCH 2013

been incorporated in the newly developed FR types. The new membrane elements were designed to generate greater turbulence in the feed water channel which means less solids accumulation on the membrane surface.” Further, the Ion Exchange Resins business unit has expanded its design tool for industrial water treatment. Dr Jens Lipnizki, Membrane Applications Manager at ION, explained: “Until now, LewaPlus was only capable of engineering RO and ion exchange systems separately. With the expanded version, a RO process can now be engineered with a downstream ion exchanger and if necessary with an intermediate degasification system.” This is a typical application for water treatment in power plants. The company claims that LewaPlus can be used to design an entire RO process with downstream ion exchange and the only one that can integrate in its calculations post-treatment through

a degasification system or chemical addition. Some industrial applications require the addition of salts to reduce the corrosive properties of the water or to adjust the pH. “Ultrapure water, for example, literally extracts ions from the metal surfaces in a water pipeline, which leads to oxidation and visible damage in the form of corrosion,” said Lipnizki. The LewaPlus design software calculates RO system configurations and their output, including feed pressure and permeate quality. “The combination of membrane separation and ion exchange ensures that efficiency and economy go hand in hand. The membrane elements deliver a stable, lower-salinity permeate to minimise the salt load in downstream processes, thus helping to achieve an efficient price-performance ratio,” added Sharpe. LewaPlus design software can be downloaded at www. lewabrane.com

43


XXX Desalination

Pushing the boundaries Recent breakthroughs announced by Masdar Institute puts the UAE at the forefront of innovation in desalination technologies

T

he highlight of the inaugural edition of the International Water Summit 2013 (IWS) in Abu Dhabi, co-located with the World Future Energy Summit (WFES), was its concluding announcement – the launch of a pilot programme by Masdar to pair advanced energy-efficient desalination technologies with renewable energy. The long-term goal of the programme is to implement renewable energy-powered desalination plants in the UAE with a commercial scale facility in place by 2020. Most important, the partnerships

44

will be co-financed by Masdar. Speaking during the launch, Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar observed that the programme is the critical first step in identifying viable technologies that will lead to water security for future generations. Even as Masdar kick starts this novel pilot, its academic extension - Masdar Institute of Science and Technology established with the help of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to develop indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi - is expected to pitch in with its technological expertise. In fact, Masdar Institute’s faculty and students are already pushing the boundaries where desalination technologies and their applications are concerned. Last month, the Institute announced a pioneering breakthrough by two faculty members in developing a novel membrane that can operate in an ‘insitu’ cleaning system for desalination purposes. This novel out-of-the-box concept for preventing membrane fouling was developed by Dr Nidal Hilal, Professor

in Nano-membranology and Water Technologies and Dr Raed Hashaikeh, Associate Professor in Materials Science and Engineering. In addition to cleaning the membrane, the novel system has the potential to prevent fouling in the first place using a clean and simple periodic procedure without external additives. Instead, it utilises the seawater as a component of the system and reduces the steps required for desalination. More importantly, this system allows cleansing of membranes without the need to shut down the water treatment unit, thus saving operational expenses and the exorbitant cost incurred by using other technologies for desalination. A patent application has already been filed for the new system. “Such inventions illustrate Masdar Institute’s unique interdisciplinary environment that facilitates collaboration among faculty members of various programmes,” said Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute. “It also reflects that we are on the right path, as mandated, to contribute to Abu Dhabi’s MARCH 2013


Desalination xxx

Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute

Dr Nidal Hilal, Professor in Nano-membranology and Water Technologies

objectives in human capital development and scientific advancement for creating a knowledge-based economy.” “The degradation of membrane performance due to (bio) fouling and scaling is a major concern for membrane processes in desalination industry, water and wastewater treatment technologies,” explained Dr Hilal. “The membrane degradation involves the deposition of organic, inorganic and biological materials on the surface or inside the porous structure of the membrane. A number of physical and chemical techniques have been used for periodic regeneration of the membranes, which necessitate stopping of operations or removing the membranes from the structure. The new system developed at Masdar Institute addresses this key challenge and comes as a boon to the operators of desalination plants.” Dr Raed Hashaikeh said: “We have developed new materials to add new functionalities to the membranes, thus enabling this innovative solution to tackle the fouling problem. Our next step is to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of the technique at the pilot scale.” Dr Hilal is also the co-author of a scientific paper on the treatment of produced water which was accepted for publication in the respected international journal ‘Desalination’ for their January 2013 edition. According to the paper ‘Produced water treatment: Application of Air Gap Membrane Distillation’, oil producers and petroleum refineries especially in the GCC countries could save up to USD50 billion if membrane distillation techniques are applied to treatment of produced water. The other MARCH 2013

Dr Hassan E S Fath, Professor of Practice Water and Environmental Engineering

Dr Hassan E S Fath, Professor of Practice Water and Environmental Engineering

authors of the paper were Dr Naif Darwish and Abdullah Alkhudhiri, a student working under Dr Hilal’s supervision. Produced water constitutes one of the largest wastewater streams generated in the petroleum industry where minimum of three barrels of produced water comes out with every barrel of oil, which totalled more than 145 billion barrels in 2011 alone. The total dissolved solids (TDS) can reach up to 200,000 ppm which is around five times the TDS in seawater. Additionally, current practices of produced water management in the petroleum industry do not ensure even a fraction of the extent and the rate of natural water replenishment required to balance the colossal water consumption by the industry. While water resource sustainability concerns suggest maximal reuse and recycling of water, traditional methods of produced water management are largely inadequate in treating produced water up to discharge and reuse standards. Dr Hilal said: “In all GCC countries including the UAE, treatment of produced water is a huge challenge faced by the petroleum industry. Current options include discharge into the environment, or re-injection into disposal wells. But environmental regulations strictly govern such measures. Also, exorbitant cost of available technologies and their low efficiency levels plague the scenario. The membrane distillation offers the right solution.” Membrane distillation (MD) requires significantly lower operating temperatures and therefore lower energy requirements. Since non-volatile solutes cannot be transported across the membrane barrier in an MD system, it is

capable of achieving near 100% rejection of dissolved salts and minerals. The paper also added that the MD technique can be applied in conjunction with renewable energy such as solar. The Institute also boasts of faculty with expertise in the application of solar energy for desalination in Dr Hassan E S Fath, Professor of Practice - Water and Environmental Engineering. Speaking at the Fulbright Academy’s Seventh Annual Conference in Abu Dhabi in October last year, Dr Fath pointed out that the UAE stands to benefit from large-scale solar thermal desalination plants. He said: “Abu Dhabi needs, now, to build its own solar-driven water production facilities for the UAE to lead the region in green water production as it did for nuclear and solar power generation. Abu Dhabi’s multifaceted renewable energy company Masdar has already built solar power plants – Shams-I (100 MW thermal) and is building Noor-I (100 MW PV). What we are looking for is new solar thermal desalination plant such as Salsabeel-I with 100,000 m3/day capacity. We have

45


Desalination

the expertise capable of building such a leading solar desalination plant.” The use of the solar driven-desalination with patented integrated MSF/MED technology targets 30% reduction of water cost through ‘sustainable energy production, as well as ‘efficient energy delivery and/or use’. Because of the high availability of solar energy intensity in the UAE, the proposed system has the capacity to produce sustainable electrical and thermal energy from solar energy sources, in addition to partially storing it for cloudy conditions for post-sunset operations. In addition, the proposed high performance system optimises the use of available solar energy and minimises the specific thermal/electrical energy consumption for water production application. Since solar desalination system produces fresh water in a clean environment, it reduces the UAE’s carbon emission and footprint, while the MSF/ MED technology also enables low water production cost. Fath believes that in the GCC region, thermal desalination technologies (MSF/ MED) will continue to be of significance due to the well-known ‘four Hs’ of the Gulf water – high temperature, high salinity, high turbidity and high marine life. Currently, thermal desalination represents nearly 75% of the water produced in GCC countries. “The toxic boron levels coming out of RO processes require another stage of product water treatment, which further adds to the cost,” he said. “Also, the presence of ‘red tide’ in the Gulf waters forces the

46

Better technologies for producing high quality water from waste water treatment can bring intellectual capital to the region

membrane plants to shut down, reducing the plant availability and production, leading to higher water cost. RO may suit the clean and clear seawater of Red Sea, Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, but not the Gulf waters. One cannot also ignore the reliable operation of MSF/MED and the operational and maintenance (O&M) expertise developed in the region for over 60 years.” However, the institute pioneering research initiatives aren’t limited to desalination. Faculty and students are also involved in developing new wastewater treatment technologies aimed at mitigating the region’s energy, carbon, and environmental footprint. Speaking at a workshop titled ‘The role of Water Recycling and Water Re-Use in Arid Regions for Mitigating Water Scarcity’ at

WFES 2013, Dr Farrukh Ahmad, Associate Professor, Water & Environmental Engineering, Masdar Institute said: “Water reuse is a topic of critical importance to arid regions such as the UAE and the GCC, where there is little freshwater supply. Most of the water is reclaimed from the sea through desalination processes at a high energy, carbon, and environmental penalty. Better techniques for monitoring reuse water quality can ensure the health of the local population. At the same time, better technologies for producing high quality water from waste water treatment can bring intellectual capital to the region.” Over the past year, Dr Ahmad’s research group has worked with the Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company’s (ADSSC) Mafraq Waste Water Treatment Plant to conduct a yearround disinfection by-product (DBP) characterisation of their treated effluent and its risk evaluation in landscaping irrigation reuse. The study is already accepted for publication in the Journal of Water Reuse and Desalination, a peerreviewed journal from IWA Publishing. In addition, researchers from Masdar Institute are working with Mafraq WWTP to develop DNA-based pathogen detection methods and test them side-by-side with conventional microbiological methods utilised by the treatment plant. A third research project in the water reuse area focuses on developing technologies to remove micro-pollutants from treated wastewater. Masdar Institute has already filed a technology disclosure in the US for new carbon nanotube - photocatalyst membranes that can bind organic micropollutants. These membranes can then be regenerated/renewed using photocatalytic activity. Dr Ahmed noted that recycling and judicious reuse of treated wastewater offer a chance to meet development goals of arid regions such as the UAE while reducing energy, carbon, and environmental footprint. MARCH 2013


Desalination

Water’s worth Kshitij Nilkanth, Environment & Building Technologies Practice, Frost & Sullivan analyses the significance of desalination in the MENA region and trends driving the market

W

ater scarcity is one of the most pressing environmental issues today and poses a threat to humanity. According to the World Bank, worldwide, the average water availability per person is around 7,000 m3/person/year while in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), only around 1,200 m3/person/year is available. Half of MENA’s population lives under conditions of water stress. Moreover, with the population expected to grow from around 300 million in 2011 to around 700 million in 2050, the per capita availability

MARCH 2013

of water is expected to be halved by 2050. Since the last two decades, desalination has become the backbone of water supply and consumption in the whole of MEA (Middle East, Africa). Increasing investments in desalination indicate the rising confidence in the technology.

population, improving lifestyle and huge quantum of investments flowing into various sectors of the economy, while in North Africa it is driven by recent drought conditions and chronic water shortages prevalent in some areas. There has been an increase in the number of build own operate (BOO), build own operate and transfer (BOOT), and build operate and transfer (BOT) contracts. Frost & Sullivan believes the market is growing at a higher pace and is expected to be in growth phase for the next five years. In last two to three years, the MENA has realised that desalination cannot be the only solution for the soaring water demand and has started concentrating more on wastewater reclamation and reuse. Treatment of the sewage effluent is very low in the MENA Currently, both industrial and municipal sectors are exploring ways to utilise reclaimed wastewater. Competition has increased in the market place. This is particularly true in the small capacity plants market. There are over 120 market participants active in the MENA.

The CEO’s perspective of the complex business universe TECHNOLOGY IMPACT 1.

Market scenario In the last five years, the overall market for desalination plants in the MENA has expanded rapidly. Construction of huge capacity desalination is on a rise and also there is continuous up-gradation of existing ones. The growth in small capacity (less than 40 million litres per day) plants market has been driven by increasing industrialisation in the region and an investment boom in the real estate sector. Hotels, sea resorts, shoreline apartments, private villas have flourished particularly in the Gulf Co-operative Council (GCC). Governments and planning agencies in the GCC are facing a huge challenge of meeting the soaring water demand. In the GCC countries, the demand has been rising mainly due to growing

2.

Multi-stage Flash (MSF) is the most dominant technology in the GCC, while reverse osmosis (RO) is more dominant in non-GCC countries. This is because the numbers of large desalination plants (over 100,000 m3/day), in the GCC is high; and at such capacities MSF is a proven technology. There has been an increase in the capacity of Multi Effect Distillation (MED) technology. This has made the technology more competitive for largesized projects planned across the GCC. However, the unit capacity still remains lower than MSF. Lower primary energy cost in the GCC further

47


Desalination

3.

4.

5.

supports MSF technology. Over the years, various improvements in membranes, energy recovery devices, and pretreatment techniques have made the RO desalination technology more cost-competitive and reliable. RO technology is increasingly being favoured for even small capacity plants. The planned plant capacities of RO are increasing every quarter in the GCC, thereby exhibiting economies of scale. RO technology for desalination has also overcome challenges pertaining to pre-treatment of RO feed water. For example, the new Al Zawrah desalination plant with a total capacity 45,460m3/d (10MIGD) based on SWRO (seawater reverse osmosis) technology will utilise Ultrafiltration (UF) membranes

6.

7.

8.

for pre-treatment. Similarly, Jubail Sea Water RO (SWRO) Phase 2, has design capacity of 58,500 m³/day. The plant has a dual membrane system with UF followed by RO. On completion (expected January 2013), this will be the largest UFRO desalination plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There has been also marginal increase in the interest in hybrid plants for desalination in the MENA. Hybrid plants also have an advantage of blending high quality distillate with SWRO. Due to the operational flexibility offered by hybrid plants such facilities are increasingly being planned in the non GCC countries, as well. Globally, Governments have realised the adverse effect of carbon emissions and hence are

Table 1.1 Global Opportunities in Desalination REGION

STATUS

MIDDLE EAST

The Middle East contributes over 50% to the overall desalination market globally

AMERICAS (NORTH AMERICA AND SOUTH AMERICA)

North America and South America are likely to increase their market share in the next five years. Strong growth is expected in the Pacific coastline of Mexico. California, Florida and Texas appear the most important markets for desalination in the US.

EUROPE

Mediterranean basin countries such as Spain, Italy, Turkey, Greece and France are water stressed areas in Europe

AFRICA

Africa is also one of the major water stressed region. According to a report published by the UN Water Division in 2008, 340 million people in Africa don’t have access to safe drinking water. Across Africa, the lack of funds and government plans slow desalination (drinking water) projects. Only some oil rich countries in North Africa and countries like Angola are investing in desalination. Algeria and Libya have most of the biggest desalination plants in North Africa.

SOUTH ASIA

A developing market, most of the demand would be from India and China as there is a drastic increase in population and decrease in fresh water availability.

Source: Frost & Sullivan Analysis

48

investing and educating people to move towards green energy. Desalination has historically been a large consumer of energy, hence, using renewables like solar has gained importance in the Middle East.

GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES The global desalination market stands at about USD 18.37-bn in the year 2012. Frost & Sullivan expects it to grow at a rate of 16.2% in 2013. Globally, there are many opportunities as there is a decline in the fresh water availability. With the help of funding agencies desalination could be the best solution for the world water crisis. Research and development is underway to find a sustainable and effective way to desalinate water by using renewable energies.

BEST PRACTICES •

Forward/Manipulated Reverse Osmosis: Middle East has some of the best practices pertaining to desalination. Forward / Manipulated reverse osmosis is considered a more reliable and robust process since the energy consumption is approximately 30% lower than the conventional reverse osmosis. A forward osmosis plant has been constructed at Al Khaluf in the sultanate of Oman at an existing Public Authority for Electricity and Water seawater desalination site. MARCH 2013


Desalination

Independent Water and Power Projects (IWPP): The GCC countries were the first to adapt the Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP) model and open desalination to private sector participation. They are developing both their power and water sectors. Combining power and water production gives an advantage over economic performance and this therefore widely used in the Middle East. The UAE was the first country to adapt the IWPP model in 2002. The growing synergy between power generation and desalination and the opening of the sector to private investment has now helped launch a number of IWPPs all across MENA countries like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Algeria and Kuwait. With the successful implementation of IWPP, all the GCC countries are preparing for the privatisation of the water and wastewater sector. Public-Private Partnership (PPP): Private and public sectors partnership combines the skills and resources of both the sectors. Various infrastructure and water projects were planned all across the MENA. The projects planned are now in the development phase with the private sector funding. Funding of these huge desalination projects has been through Export Credit Agencies and international banks.

MARCH 2013

The MENA business environment in the water and wastewater sector is stable, and has good opportunities that have attracted investment from many foreign investors.

END USER PERSPECTIVE In the MENA, the water and power sector is handled by respective Ministries and authorities. 1. Saudi Arabia: Ministry of Electricity and Water (MOWE) and Water and Electricity Company WEC 2. UAE: Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA), Federal Electricity & Water Authority 3. Algeria: Algerienne Des Eaux (ADE) and Algerian Energy Company 4. Qatar: Qatar Electricity and Water Co. 5. Kuwait: Ministry of Electricity and Water 6. Bahrain: Electricity and Water Authority 7. Libya: General Water Authority and General Electricity Company of Libya Similarly, each country has authorities and ministries at the country level by forming legislations and polices for private investments, etc. The IWPP model and policy and ground rules are also

framed by the respective authorities in each country. Municipal projects are high capacity plants. Each authority is responsible for transmission of water to the residential and commercial sectors of the country. Well developed countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have 100% coverage in urban areas, while trying to achieve 100% in rural areas. Hence, many desalination projects are planned in the UAE by the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) to cater to water needs in Ajman and Ra’s Al Khaymah. Similarly other authorities and ministries are trying to develop new projects to cater to both the urban and rural populations. Companies that offer extensive solutions, efficient systems and proper after sales support are mostly preferred by the municipal and industrial enduser sectors. The cost of desalinated water in the MENA is very low when compared with the other countries. The governments of MENA have not passed the excess amount on to the citizens. Manufacturers need to develop innovative techniques and solutions to be able to demonstrate industry leading technologies and ensure that they deliver a reliable, cost effective and an efficient plant. With private participation and more joint ventures, municipal desalination is expected to rise in the next five years.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS The GCC’s desalination potential is increasingly attracting bidding from both domestic and international companies. Most renowned international Engineering Procurement Companies (EPC) and water companies have entered the market. A few companies with huge assets on their balance sheets and long established presence in the region have a strong hold in the market for large plants (capacity more than 40 MLD). This market segment is difficult to enter for new participants. Large numbers of participants are present in the market for less than 40 MLD capacity plants (Small Capacity plants). Hence, there is heightened competition in this segment.

49


Desalination

In case of small capacity systems, most customers perceive the suppliers to be similar and hence, consider price to be the most important distinguishing criteria.

INDUSTRY CONVERGENCE Integration of Power and Water has been effectively adopted by the MENA countries. Most industrial end-user segments have been purchasing water from the municipality to meet their needs. Industrial segments such as oil and gas, pharmaceutical, power need high pure water as a part of their process, hence, it would be feasible if these industries have in-house water production through desalination rather than buying from external sources like the municipality. Hence, it is anticipated that in the next three to five years there would be an increase in medium to small capacity desalination plants in the region. Brackish water desalination, wastewater reclamation and treatment for sewage water are gaining importance in these countries.

that were planned were delayed. The market for small capacity desalination plants by industries and other private plants was affected to greater extent as a result of the tight financing situation and economic slowdown. However, the situation has become stable now. Many projects that were announced earlier are already in execution phase and private investors are also positive about the region.

4.

5.

Market future outlook/ conclusion 1.

ECONOMIC IMPACT In the MENA countries, desalination has been the main supply of water. Since Government and authorities are responsible for desalination in the region, there has been no adverse effect on existing facilities. The global downturn and financial crisis took a toll on the Middle East countries, as well. Many infrastructure and water projects were put on hold; hence, new plants

2.

3.

Water scarcity and rapid population have made the GCC invest highly in water infrastructure. Frost & Sullivan expects the water infrastructure market to grow at about 15-17% in 2013. The desalination market is expected to have a positive growth for the next five years. It is expected to grow at 12.6 % in 2013. In the UAE, 10 power and water projects worth a total of USD1.5 billion were announced in 2012. These projects are under construction, including the Noor 1

6.

7.

8.

Solar Power Plant and Phase II of the Emal Power Plant. Kuwait is likely to initiate 19 power and water projects worth a total of USD4.2 billion including the USD2.7 billion Al Zour North Independent Water and Power Plant. Saudi Arabia has launched 15 projects in 2012 worth a total of USD8.8 billion; these include the USD2-billion Al Qurayyah Independent Power Plant and the USD1.2-billion Shuaiba 2 Power Plant. The Ghalilah plant in the UAE is being built by Aquatech International Corporation for the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA). The plant will have a total estimated capacity of 68,000 m3/day (18 MIGD). The project is under construction and expected to be completed in 2013 Another project is the Al Zawrah plant, a RO seawater desalination plant in the Emirate of Ajman. The EPC contract was won by Cadaqua S.A. of Spain. The plant is under FEWA. According to Ventures Middle

Table 1.2 Mega trends – 2020 STATUS MEGA TREND

DEGREE OF IMPACT

IMPACT TIMINGS

Urbanisation

6

Present - 5+ years

IWPP

7

Present - 10+ years

Solar/Hybrid desalination

9

3+ - 20 years

SOUTH ASIA

A developing market, most of the demand would be from India and China as there is a drastic increase in population and decrease in fresh water availability.

Impact ratings 7-10 High; 4-6 Medium; 1-3 Low Source: Frost & Sullivan Analysis

50

MARCH 2013


Desalination

East, GCC governments have ear marked over USD100 billion in their water sectors between 2011 and 2016 to improve desalination technologies involving solar energy, and maximise on waste water treatments and recycling. The region has started to realise the importance of energy efficiency and is looking at alternatives. Countries in the MENA are trying to effectively use solar energy for desalination. Other technologies like membranes and thermal will continue to be used but over a period Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) desalination plants will be developed. Because of increasing urbanisation, the need for pure water is increasing. Hence, more projects need to be planned so that there is no water stress in the developed cities. Private participation and independent power projects model has been adopted by the MENA countries and this is expected to be the trend. All the countries in the region are also focusing on transmission of potable water and aim to achieve 100% coverage in both urban and rural areas. With more availability of solar power all throughout the year, adoption of solar power towards desalination is expected to rise in the next five to ten years.

MARKET OUTLOOK The Desalination market is at a growth stage in the MENA. With low availability of fresh water and water stress, countries have adopted desalination as the alternative.

MARCH 2013

Overall Strategic Conclusion Key opportunities exist in the municipal desalination sector. Only the UAE has experienced population growth rates exceeding 3.5% in last year while other countries in the MENA like Bahrain, Lebanon, and Tunisia have recorded rates below the two per cent average of developing countries. Hence, the UAE Government has plans to expand desalination facilities. Most countries in MENA are planning smart cities and green projects. This will ultimately lead to the up-gradation of existing treatment capacities and also technological advancement in treatments such as usage of membranes/ renewable energy, etc. Research and technological developments are in pursuit of cost-effective desalination. Usage of Solar energy, forward osmosis, nano

and molecular technology in the process are expected to play critical roles in formulating future water supply solutions. Utilisation of solar energy in desalination will be the future trend in Middle East and North Africa. The governments of most countries are planning to privatise the waters sector based on BOO (Build Operate and Own) and BOT (Build Operate and Transfer), and they have implemented key regulatory and legislative initiatives to attract investors from around the world. Private sector is likely to account for most of the investments, particularly in new projects that include desalination.

51


SPECIAL REPORT

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the Minister of Finance and Industry officially inaugurated Middle East Electricity and Solar Middle East

H

eld under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the 38th edition of Middle East Electricity (MEE), the Middle East’s largest and longest running energy event, was officially inaugurated by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the Minister of Finance and Industry, UAE. The 2013 edition featured over 1,100 exhibitors from 60 countries and attracted over 15,000 industry professionals. It also marked the launch of co-located event Solar Middle East developed to cater to a growing number of MEE exhibitors involved in solar technologies.

52

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum was briefed by Hazeem Al Suwaidi, Vice President for Sales, Middle East & Africa, Borouge at the company stand

MARCH 2013


SPECIAL REPORT

Global appeal

Middle East Electricity, which completed its 38th edition last month, has emerged as one of the important events in the global energy sector calendar Another new addition to MEE was the Green Energy Middle East Conference, held in partnership with Dubai Municipality. Both MEE and Solar Middle East were held from February 17-19, 2013 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Solar Middle East, which hosted more than 100 international solar companies, also included the Solar Middle East Conference. The global appeal of the MEE was underlined by the participation of 17 government approved international pavilions, including Austria, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, India,

MARCH 2013

H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) received the Power Personality of the Year award

Italy, Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, UK, and the US. This year, the event attracted 35% more visitors than in 2012 for the first two days. Anita Mathews, Director of Informa Energy Group, organisers of Middle East Electricity and Solar Middle East said that the international popularity of the two shows is enhanced by Dubai’s conducive business environment and strategic location as a prime re-export market. She said: “Middle East Electricity is not a Dubai show, or even a regional show; it has a global reach and is one of the most important dates in the energy sector calendar around the world.” This year also saw the return of Middle East Electricity Awards, which recognised outstanding achievements of individuals, departments, teams or organisations that have contributed to the growth and development of the energy industry in the Middle East. Other highlights of MEE 2013 include free-to-attend technical seminars on the show floor, where exhibitors presented latest innovations and products. “Middle East Electricity is among the largest energy events in the world focusing on power, lighting, renewable and nuclear sectors,” said Mathews. “But our goal is to become the number one global power industry event, second to none. That’s the vision we nurse in terms of building this show.”

53


SPECIAL REPORT

The Awards The second Middle East Electricity Awards attracted more than 200 nominations across seven different categories with 21 making it to the final shortlist. The special honour of the evening went to H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), who received the Power Personality of the Year award, in acknowledgment of his leadership role behind DEWA’s contribution to the economic development of Dubai. Among the standout winners in the other categories were the Trojan Battery Company and Incon General Contracting, who took home the Solar Project of the Year Award for their role in developing the UAE’s first ever solar lighting project for rural area roads. The 11- kilometre stretch of solar-powered road lighting in the Wadi Sadr area, inland from the port town of Khor Fakkan was commissioned by the UAE Ministry of Public Works in January 2012. It required no electrical installations or additional power infrastructure. The Best Innovation/Technology of the Year Award went to another solar project by the Dubai Municipality and ALSA Solar Systems for their solar pumping systems project. Using a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable drip irrigation system that combines solar energy and Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE), the solar pumping systems project is being implemented at 34 roundabouts across Dubai.

Exhibitor Newst

Among headline exhibitors capitalising on the surge of visitor numbers was Mohamed Abdulrahman Al-Bahar, the official Caterpillar (CAT) dealer and service provider for CAT construction equipment and power systems in the Gulf region, which introduced the brand new 20 cylinder diesel powered generator set – the C175-20. The 25 tonne beast produces up to four mega watts of power, delivering the highest power output in comparison to any single high-speed diesel generator set available in the market today. Andrew Edensor, EAME Territory Manager for Caterpillar Power System,

54

The winners of the second Middle East Electricity Awards

MIDDLE EAST ELECTRICITY AWARDS WINNERS CSR Initiative Society of Engineers – UAE CSR Initiative HSE Project or Initiative RasLaffan Power Company Visible Commitments towards HSE Power Project Al Fanar Constructions Hall Power Plant III Lighting Project Bahri & Mazroei Trading Co LED Lighting & Solar PV Implementation Power & Water Utility QPower Q.S.C. Ras Laffan Water & Power Plant Best Innovation / Technology ALSA Solar Systems Ltd & Dubai Municipality Solar Pumping Systems Solar Project Trojan Battery Company & Incon General Contracting First solar lighting for roads in UAE rural areas SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS WINNERS Green Energy Partner Dubai Municipality Power Personality of the Year H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD&CEO, DEWA Best Campaign FAMCO Environmental Partner Environmental Centre for Arab Towers (ECAT)

said: “Sustained growth of infrastructure and construction in the GCC demand highefficiency machines which are reliable and durable. Keeping this in mind at Middle East Electricity, Al Bahar and Caterpillar also introduced the low maintenance C175 diesel generator set which also provides the highest power density in current high-speed generator sets.” The US headquartered Cummins Power Generation launched their latest range of AvK 610 low voltage power generator series. Ananth Parameswaran, Director of Global Marketing at Cummins Power Generation, said: “Designed to perform superbly in harsh environmental conditions when connected to the grid, the highly robust AvK 610 low voltage series are highly robust, operating in the power range of 1,500 to 4,100 kilovoltamps (kVA).” Matrix Comsec, a leading Indian manufacturer of telecom and security products showcased its new field-proven Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier sockets (PLCC) at the show. Other exhibitors who launched their latest products at MEE include FAMCO, GEMTA General Electronics, EPRO Gallspach, Boddingtons Electrical, Citel 2 CP and Benedict. Dubai Cable Company (Ducab), one of the largest manufacturers of power cables and copper products in the Middle East, launched new copper products at MEE 2013. “Ducab wants to maintain leadership in local market, but also take its UAE-manufactured, high quality products to regional and international markets,” said Colin McKay, GM-Sales & MARCH 2013 March


SPECIAL REPORT

Marketing, Ducab while introducing the new range of Tuff DuFlex wires and cables. Ducab is the only BASEC approved cable and wire manufacturer to offer wires operating in stringent conditions ranging from -40deg C to 105deg C. Ducab’s stand showcased the company’s extensive range of copper and aluminium cable products, including those in the 400kV class, which will soon be offered from the Ducab-HV plant. Other products on display included the company’s FlamBICC fire resistant cables for residential and industrial use, flexible indoor wiring cables, and control & instrumentation cables for the OGP sector. “Power is a vital component for modern urban and industrial development. At MEE 2013, we look forward to demonstrating how we can contribute to infrastructural development for iconic projects with our range of extremely high quality, stringently tested wire and cable products,” said Ashish Chaturvedy, Marketing Manager, Ducab. Borouge and Borealis, leading providers of innovative, value creating plastics solutions to the global wire and cable industry, introduced their latest innovations of advanced insulation, semi-conductive and jacketing materials at MEE. Roland Janssen Vice President Marketing Centre for Wire & Cable at Borouge said: “We are committed to continue producing innovative solutions that benefit the wire and cable industry and to be a fully long-term reliable partner of choice. With Borstar, and now the Borlink technology, our product range is able to meet the industry’s most stringent needs.” Many local and regional wire and cable manufacturers use Borouge’s innovative plastics solutions in their products. For example, Ducab has selected Borouge’s Visico / Ambicat technologies to spearhead its instrumentation cable business for a cost efficient production of high performance low voltage cables. Opple Lighting, China’s leading lighting brand boasting 8,000 stores across the country, announced the launch of its Dubai branch at MEE. MARCH 2013 March

Scania’s gensets are based on the same engine components as its products for transport solution

With expertise in LED light source, LED commercial lighting, LED home lighting, CFL, switches, home lighting fixtures and integrated lighting solutions, Opple is developing a number of products for the MENA market. Liu Jian, Sales Director for Opple lighting Dubai, said: “Opple plans to continue developing in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, whilst exploring North Africa, Iraq and UAE as potential key markets for 2013.” Engine giant Scania introduced a completely new product line, Scania Gensets for industrial and marine applications at MEE 2013. These gensets are based on the same engine components as Scania’s products for transport solutions. Scania Gensets are available in two versions, open or in closed canopy, ranging from 50 Hz 250-600 kVA and 60 Hz 280-665 kVA and powered by Scania engines. The engines are available in fuel optimised versions or Stage IIIA compliant. Scania has also developed systems for engine management and emission control ensure an attractive blend of performance and operating economy. “Scania’s solid reputation for operating economy and durability, coupled to easy installation and emission compliance fit perfectly in power generation,” said Lars Eklund, Scania’s Sales Director, Power Generation engines. “With the support of Scania’s global sales and service network, it’s a strong and flexible offer.” Saudi Arabia’s Alfanar unveiled their unique testing facilities outside the Kingdom for the

Caterpillar’s C175-20 produces the largest power output of any single high-speed diesel generator set available on the market

first time. Alfanar also operates the Gulf’s largest facility for rewinding, repairing and overhauling of power turbines, transformers and generators. New product offers include the Banan range of high-end switches and circuits, and the Alfanar Ring Main Unit. Italian generator manufacturer Pramac launched a new light tower into the regional market. “It’s a very specific product for industrial, heavy users and uses a special alternator which has been specifically designed for light towers. We also ensured that the tower is very compact and manoeuvrable,” said Cristian Cavazzuti, MD, Pramac Middle East. Yamuna Densons announced that the company has won its biggest single cables order from Saudi Electricity Company (SEC). The two year contract with SEC could eventually lead to Yamuna Denson setting up a manufacturing line in the region in order to serve its manufacturing base more efficiently. C&S Electric showcased its new circuit breakers that have come from the firm’s acquisition of Netherlandsbased Etacom. The new range includes power resin cast busbars, both medium and low voltage up to 24kV. Additionally, the company has also launched new contactors with inbuilt two aux contacts, isolated phase busduct up to 25kV, genset panels and new moulded case circuit breakers. SDMO introduced the APM802 control panel dedicated to power plants for the following sectors: data centres, banks, hospitals, petroleum and gas sectors, industries and IPP, rental and mining. The APM 802 is an evolution of the existing system of SDMO’s power plants management. It enables the extension of an existing power plant by the addition of a new generating set, for example. The Man and Machine Interface, designed in collaboration with specialised company in ergonomics, will ease the functioning of the gensets thanks to a large 100% touch-sensitive screen.

55


On site

I

t’s been only a year since the national initiative ‘Green Economy for Sustainable development’ was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. So it was a proud moment for the UAE and Dubai when the emirate’s sole power and water utility Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) unveiled its sustainable building at the industrial area of Al Quoz last month. What makes this achievement world class is the fact that the building achieved the highest global sustainability rating in its class, becoming the largest government

building in the world with a LEED Platinum rating with a total of 98 LEED points out of 110. The DEWA Sustainable Building, which occupies an area of 340,000 square feet with a basement, ground floor and two additional floors, will serve as the headquarters of DEWA’s Water and Civil Engineering Division. It was formally inaugurated by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and President of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Also present during the inauguration were H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Supreme

DEWA’s green step By Lorraine Bangera

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has set A GLOBAL BENCHMARK for sustainability in government buildings.

The building serves as the main office of DEWA’s water and civil engineering division

Green roof, mini-wind turbine and roof-top solar panels converge in the DEWA sustainable building

56

MARCH 2013


The DEWA sustainable building makes extensive use of natural lighting

Photographs by MARLOU DELABEN

MARCH 2013

On site

Council of Energy in Dubai, H.E. Matar Humaid Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DEWA and H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA along with senior DEWA officials and other government organisations. The new building, which adheres to DEWA’s Green Building regulations, accommodates, among close to1,000 employees, the utility’s 14th customer service centre, a customer call centre and a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) centre for water systems. “We dedicate this achievement to H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as per his directives to set a clear roadmap and integrated framework for the construction of the building,” said H.E. Al Tayer. “The new green achievement fits in perfectly with the initiative entitled ‘Green Economy for Sustainable Development,’ under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and DEWA’s strategy to reduce energy consumption by conserving our precious natural resources and finding energy-efficient renewable solutions.”

From an energy efficiency standpoint, the use of insulation on walls and roofs, use of special glass with very low U value (0.29) throughout the structure to reduce heat transfer into the building, extensive deployment of day lighting, use of low power LED lamps and automatic lighting control systems with occupancy sensors and installation of water cooled high efficiency chillers for air conditioning add up to make the building 66% more energy efficient (eliminating in the process the equivalent 27,000 tonnes in CO2 emissions). The building generates a significant portion of its 2,000 kWh electricity requirements from a Roof Top Solar PV plant. The 660kW roof top plant, a DEWA spokesperson explained, will meet 22-30% of the building’s electricity consumption while generating one million kWh of power annually. Fifty per cent of the solar power will be used for chillers, 40% will be used for internal lighting while the rest will be fed into the building’s electrical circuits. The 2,200 crystalline PV panels powering the roof top plant will be cleaned The green roof boasts of five types of native/indigenous plants on a monthly basis using treated sewage effluent (TSE) instead of potable water, which will be sprayed using compressed air to reduce water losses by 80%. Solar water heaters, each with a capacity of 300 litres, will supply hot water to the building. Bicycle racks help garner more LEED points The building has also achieved up to 48% potable water savings through the use of special regulators, sensor taps, low flow fixtures, waterless urinals and 100% on-site treatment and re-use of wastewater.

57


On site

Solar water heaters

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and President of DEWA formally inaugurated the building

“The use of aerators on taps enabled us to reduce water flow to two litres/ minute compared to five litres/minute as is the case with regular taps. For WC flushing, we have dual flush options of two litres and four litres,” explained the DEWA spokesperson. The building has a grey water treatment plant and sewage treatment plant (STP) for treating waste water. The STP treats the black water and the TSE is re-used for irrigating the green areas of the building. The water collected from washbasins and showers are treated in the grey water treatment plant with bulk of the treated water re-used in the high efficiency chillers with remainder used for toilet flushing. Thereafter, all the water goes into the STP. More than 20% of the office site comprises vegetated open spaces. Green roofs cover 33.5% of the total roof area, occupying 2,800 square metres of space. The green roof serves as insulation layer which reduces the heat transmitted into the building from the roof and keeps the inside cool. Instead of grass, adapted native or indigenous

58

water-efficient plants have been used. According to DEWA’s calculations, using baseline case of turf grass, the native or indigenous plants yield close to 75% savings in irrigation water consumption. However, the shade provided by the roof top solar PV plant has increased the savings to 90%. The TSE irrigation water for green roofs is treated to a very high quality which ensures there is no odour. The green roof itself is based on water efficient green mat system comprising a drainage mat at the bottom to drain the water followed by root barriers to prevent roots from going into the membrane and water proofing of the building, a geo-textile layer above the root barrier and finally, soil for the plants grow. This system not only reduces the load on the building structure but also saves around 60% of the irrigation water as the excess

C

ommenting on the challenges faced during the construction, Abdullah S Obaidullah, Executive Vice President (Water & Civil), DEWA noted the main challenge was sourcing of materials. For example, the glass had to be specifically designed and shipped all the way from Germany. The other challenge was time as DEWA had set a time frame of two years to construct the building. “Being our first sustainable building at this high level, our inexperience too posed a challenge,” said Obaidullah. “But these challenges were also opportunities because with every challenge, we had the opportunity to solve the problem.” DEWA is currently retrofitting all of its existing buildings. Obaidullah continued: “We have changed

An example for Dubai and the region

water flows into the drains and back to the STP. On anvil is a pilot project for organic farming. Other sustainable features of the building include: Five per cent of the parking capacity in the site has been dedicated to vehicles that are low-emitting and fuel-efficient. Bicycle racks for some of the regular building users as the building is close to Noor Islamic Bank Metro Station on the Red Line of Dubai Metro. Recycled materials comprised 36% of construction material used 28% of the materials required for the project were sourced within a radius of 800 km Dedicated area for the collection and storage of materials for recycling (With inputs from Anoop K Menon)

the lighting in all our buildings and are installing more efficient chillers. We are also building a new vehicle workshop for which we are targeting LEED Gold certification.” Mario Seneviratne, Director of Green Technologies, who served as the LEED consultant for the project, feels that the number of green buildings in the UAE can only go up. He continued: “We worked with DEWA very passionately on this project because this is the kind of building stock we want to develop, a normal structure which everyone can build. The thought and the passion that went into developing this building are unique. Most of the time, green buildings are about big fancy projects but this is a ‘down-to-earth’ building in the industrial area of Al-Quoz. In that sense, it is truly the most outstanding green building in this part of the world.”

MARCH 2013 March


Emiratestenders.com Your Business Information Provider in the UAE

PROJECTS / TENDERS / ENQUIRIES Emirates Tenders is focused on providing first hand, timely & up-to-date information about the latest projects, tenders enquiries & business deals in the United Arab Emirates. Its an online service designed to help organizations to identify new business opportunities and stay ahead of their competitors. Members of EmiratesTenders enjoy the following benefits: • Access to detailed real time database on projects, tenders and enquiries in the United Arab Emirates which are updated on a daily basis.(Details provided are: Tender Name, Posting & Closing Date, Tender Cost, Budgets, Contractors, Consultants, Tender Categories, Status , Remarks and other available information ) • A powerful search engine designed to facilitate easy retrieval of information in accordance with specific requirements. • Daily e-mail notification on preferred areas of business. • Contact details for Clients, Consultants, Contractors, MEP’s, Architects etc available for ongoing projects. • Archive of over 100,000 projects and tenders for market research and analysis. • A weekly compiled E-magazine consisting of projects and tenders in the U.A.E & Middle East Regions. IN-DEPTH COVERAGE & INFORMATION ABOUT PROJECTS AND TENDERS ARE AVAILABLE FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN THE FOLLOWING PACKAGES Name of Country United Arab Emirates Saudi Arabia Kuwait Oman Qatar Bahrain Entire Middle East

Website Details www.EmiratesTenders.com www.SaudiTenders.com www.KuwaitTenders.com www.OmanProjects.com www.QatarTenders.com www.BahrainTenders.com www.MiddleEastTenders.com For enquiries please contact: +971-2 - 6348495 Email: sales@EmiratesTenders.com Website: www.EmiratesTenders.com

Annual FEE 750 USD 750 USD 750 USD 750 USD 750 USD 750 USD 1500 USD


Tenders & Projects

PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT NAME TERRITORY CLIENT

DESCRIPTION

Budget USD Period REMARKS

TENDER CATEGORIES TENDER PRODUCTS PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT NAME TERRITORY CLIENT

60

OPR574-Q Solar Energy Power Project

Qatar Name: Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) Address: Corniche Street, Number 61, Sheraton Roundabout, Dafna Area City: Doha Postal/Zip Code: 41 Country: Qatar Tel: (+974) 4484 5484/ 4484 5555 Fax: (+974) 4484 5496 E-Mail: contactus@km.com.qa Website: http://www.km.com. Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the implementation of a solar energy power scheme with capacity of 200 MW. 30,000,000 2020 This project is in Qatar and would be implemented in two phases. The first phase includes implementation of 5 MW to 10 MW pilot projects costing about USDl30 million. The second phase will include review and study of the business model based on the results of first phase projects to consider the possibility of involvement of the private sector investment that will provide mutual benefit to the client and private sector. It is understood that the plant will be built at North of Doha. Invitation to bid (ITB) for the main contract is expected to be issued this year. Power & Alternative Energy Water Works Solar Energy

DESCRIPTION

Status REMARKS

TENDER CATEGORIES TENDER PRODUCTS

PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT NAME TERRITORY CLIENT

DESCRIPTION

Status REMARKS

MPP2730-Q Ras Laffan Seawater Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plant Project

Qatar Name: Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) Address: Corniche Street, Number 61, Sheraton Roundabout, Dafna Area City: Doha

TENDER CATEGORIES TENDER PRODUCTS

Postal/Zip Code: 41 Country: Qatar Tel: (+974) 4484 5484/ 4484 5555 Fax: (+974) 4484 5496 E-Mail: contactus@km.com.qa Website: http://www.km.com.qa Construction of a seawater reverse osmosis (RO) plant with capacity of 40-million gallons a day (g/d) of water in Ras Laffan. New Tender This project will be built in Qatar. It will produce water for industry. Bids will be invited in the third or fourth quarter of 2013. Water Works Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plants/ Spare Parts

MPP2731-Q Strategic Water Storage Programme Project

Qatar Name: Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) Address: Corniche Street, Number 61, Sheraton Roundabout, Dafna Area City: Doha Postal/Zip Code: 41 Country: Qatar Tel: (+974) 4484 5484/ 4484 5555 Fax: (+974) 4484 5496 E-Mail: contactus@km.com.qa Website: http://www.km.com.qa Construction of (5 Nos.) separate covered reservoirs connected by 200 kilometres of pipeline to store 2.700 million gallons of water. New Tender This project will be located in Qatar. The reservoirs will be supplies by water from IWPPs at Ras Laffan and Ras Abu Fontas. Bids for the main contract are expected to be invited in the second quarter of 2013. UK’s Hyder Consulting has been appointed as the consultant. Hyder Consulting Middle East (Qatar) Water Works Water Storage MARCH 2013


Tenders & Projects

PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT NAME TERRITORY CLIENT

DESCRIPTION

Status REMARKS

T

Main consultant TENDER CATEGORIES TENDER PRODUCTS PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT NAME

TERRITORY CLIENT

MARCH 2013

ZPR1045-E Sharm El Sheikh Seawater Desalination Plant Project

Egypt Name: Ministry of Housing, Utilities & Urban Development (Egypt) Address: 1, Ismail Abaza, El Kasr El Aini Street City: Cairo Country: Egypt Tel: (+20-2) 2792 1441 Fax: (+20-2) 2792 1423 E-Mail: pppw-ww@mhousing.gov.eg Website: http://www.moh.gov.eg Construction of seawater desalination plant with capacity of 20,000 cubic metres per day at Sharm El Sheikh. New Tender This project will be located at South Sinai in Egypt. Contact Person: Mr. Hussein Al Gebaly (Head of Housing & Utilities) Tel: (+20-2) 2792 1540 Fax: (+20-2) 2792 1539. It will be implemented in assistance with the PPP Central Unit in Ministry of Finance. Contact Person: Bassel Shuaira (Project Director) E-mail: bassel@mof.gov.eg Tender for the pre-feasibility study contract is expected to be launched in association with the European Bank for Research & Development by the end of February 2013. Public Private Partnership Central Unit (Egypt) Water Works Water Desalination Plants

DESCRIPTION

Status REMARKS

TENDER CATEGORIES TENDER PRODUCTS

PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT NAME TERRITORY CLIENT

DESCRIPTION

MPP2700-Q Combined Electricity Generation & Reverse Osmosis Plant Project

Qatar Name: Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) Address: Corniche Street, Number 61, Sheraton

status Remarks

Roundabout, Dafna Area City: Doha Postal/Zip Code: 41 Country: Qatar Tel: (+974) 4484 5484/ 4484 5555 Fax: (+974) 4484 5496 E-Mail: contactus@km.com.qa Website: http://www.km.com.qa Construction of a combined electricity generation and reverse osmosis (RO) plant with capacity to produce 2,100 MW of electricity and 40 million gallons a day (g/d) of water. New Tender This project will be located at the Economic Zone near Mesaieed, South of Doha in Qatar. The scheme will be developed as an independent water and power project (IWPP) and will be tendered in 2014. Power & Alternative Energy Water Works Independent Water & Power Plants (IWPP) Power Generation Plants Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plants/ Spare Parts

2/2013-MCC-J Consultancy Services-1849

Jordan Name: Government Tenders Directorate (Jordan) City: Amman Postal/Zip Code: 1220 Country: Jordan Tel: (+962-6) 585 8311 Fax: (+962-6) 585 7639/ 585 7583 E-Mail: gtd@gtd.gov.jo Website: http://www.gtd.gov.jo Provision of lead social, outreach and engineering consultancy services for water smart homes activities, as part of the Millennium Challenge Account to a Government authori April 8, 2013 New Tender Request for Proposal Tender No. 2/2013-MCC This tender service is at Zarqa 61


Tenders & Projects

TENDER CATEGORIES TENDER PRODUCTS PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT NAME TERRITORY CLIENT

DESCRIPTION

PERIoD status Remarks

TENDER CATEGORIES TENDER PRODUCTS PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT NAME

TERRITORY CLIENT 62

Governorate in Jordan. Tender documents can be obtained from: Engineer Mohammad Khaled Alhazaimeh, Chairman, Central Tenders Committee, Government Tenders Directorate 2nd Floor, Director-General, King Abdullah II Street, Jabal Amman Eighth Circle, PO Box 1220, Amman-11118, Jordan. Tel: (+962-6) 585 8311-14 Fax: (+962-6) 585 7583 / 7639. Water Works Consultancy Services

ZPR1030-SA Uqair RO Desalination Plant-

Saudi Arabia Name: Saline Water Conversion Corporation - SWCC (Saudi Arabia) City: Riyadh 11691 Postal/Zip Code: 85369 Country: Saudi Arabia Tel: (+966-1) 463 1111/ 463 4546/ 463 0503 Fax: (+966-1) 464 3235/465 0852 E-Mail: info@swcc.gov.sa Website: http://www.swcc.gov.sa Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plant with a capacity of 10,000 m3/day in Uqair. 2015 New Tender This project is at Al Sharqiyah in Saudi Arabia. It is currently under planning stage. Design work is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2013. Project completion is expected in 2015. Water Works Water Desalination Plants

GT13102600-Q Treated Sewage Effluent network Upgrade, CCTV Survey & GRP Lining Works Qatar Name: Qatar Petroleum (QP)

Description

TENDER COST USD Closing Date status Remarks

TENDER CATEGORIES TENDER PRODUCTS

City: Doha Postal/Zip Code: 3212 Country: Qatar Tel: (+974) 4440 2000 Fax: (+974) 4483 1125/ 4449 1400/ 4483 1995 E-Mail: contracts.services@ qp.com.qa Website: http://www.qp.com.qa Carrying out upgrading of a treated sewage effluent (TSE) distribution network, CCTV survey and GRP lining works and refurbishment of the existing sewerage network for a petroleum company. 140 March 31, 2013 New Tender Tender No. GT13102600 This tender service is at Mesaieed in Qatar. Tender documents can be obtained from: Contracts Department – Corporate Division, Qatar Petroleum Royal Plaza, G Wing, 4th Floor, Room No G-11, Doha, Qatar. Bid bond is QR 300,000. Tender documents will be released only to authorized company representatives with following documentations: (i) Letter of authorization on company letterhead. (ii) Valid Qatar Driver’s license. (iii) Valid copy of Commercial Registration. The non-refundable tender fee is payable to: Doha Bank Ltd QP branch, Ras Abu Aboud, Doha, Qatar OR Qatar National Bank QP branch, 2nd floor, Al Sadd Plaza, Doha, Qatar. Sewerage & Drainage General Maintenance Services GRP Fittings Sewerage Works MARCH 2013


Tenders & Projects

PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT NAME TERRITORY CLIENT

DESCRIPTION

TENDER COST USD

closing date status Remarks

MARCH 2013

SD-19/2012-B SCADA System O&M & Manag Management Services

Bahrain Name: Ministry of Works (Bahrain) Address: Ministry of Works Bldg., Diplomatic Area City: Manama Postal/Zip Code: 5 Country: Bahrain Tel: (+973) 1754 5555 / 1754 5454 Fax: (+973) 1754 5608 E-Mail: info@works.gov.bh Website: http://www.works.gov.bh Carrying out operation, maintenance and management and upgrading of supervision control and data acquisition (SCADA) system to a ministry. 135 March 27, 2013 New Tender Tender No. SD-19/2012 This tender service is for Tubli Water Pollution Control Centre (TWPCC) and Treated Sanitary Effluent (TSE) network in Bahrain (Project No. SES-11-28-001). This tender is open to qualified consultants registered with the Cost Engineering Directorate of the ministry having Commercial Registration in the relevant field. Tender documents can be obtained from: Financial Resources Directorate, 3rd Floor, Sanitary Engineering Planning & Projects Directorate, Ministry of Works Manama, Bahrain. An initial bond of BD 100 in the form of a Certified Cheque, Bank Guarantee. The tenderer should include and enclose in his offer the Initial Bond for the amount specified above value or at the rate of one per cent of the Tender value whichever amount is lesser, provided that no initial bond’s value shall be less than BD 100. The Tender Bond should be in the form of a Certified

TENDER CATEGORIES TENDER PRODUCTS

PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT NAME TERRITORY CLIENT

Cheque, Bank Guarantee, cash or Insurance policy valid for 180 days from the closing date. Completed tenders should be submitted at the Tender Boards Office, 7th Floor, al Moayyed Tower, Seef Area. Interested tenders should comply with the legislative decree no. 36 and 37 of 2002 with respect to regulating government tenders and purchases, and also to comply with the Prime Minister’s resolution no. 21 for 1987 for giving priority to National Products and products of National Origin. In addition these conditions have to be considered; (a) Enclose copy of the Commercial Registration Bill for the current year, and has to be included with the tender subjects. (b) Form number. TB 02 is to be filled completely, mentioning the Total Tender Value and Unit Price (accordingly). (c) Enclose a certificate of compliance with the employment percentages for Bahraini manpower issued by Ministry of Labour. (d) All tender documents (original/ copy) which has been submitted with the offers should be stamp with the company’s stamp. Power & Alternative Energy Sewerage & Drainage Management Services SCADA - Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition Systems/ Maintenance & Repair

MPP2585-U Waste-to-Energy Plant Project

Abu Dhabi Name: Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) Address: Jawazat Street, ADWEA Research Centre, 7th Floor City: Abu Dhabi Postal/Zip Code: 55224 Country: United Arab Emirates Tel: (+971-2) 694 4900 63


Tenders & Projects

Budget USD PERIoD status Remarks

TENDER CATEGORIES TENDER PRODUCTS PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT NAME TERRITORY CLIENT

DESCRIPTION

Tender Cost USD

Closing Date status remarks 64

Fax: (+971-2) 642 2555 E-Mail: info@taqa.ae Website: http://www.taqa.ae Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract to build a waste-to-energy plant with capacity of 100MW. 1,000,000,000 2016 New Tender This project is in Abu Dhabi. It will use one-million tonnes a year (t/y) of municipal waste out of the emirate’s total 6-million t/y landfill waste generated. Client is planning to tender the EPC contract in the second quarter of 2013. It is understood that client is set to appoint a financial adviser on this scheme. The financial adviser will be involved in raising financing for the scheme and a power purchase agreement with Abu Dhabi Electricity & Water Authority (ADWEA). UK’s HSBC is expected to be appointed for the deal. Power & Alternative Energy Power Generation Plants

MEW/63/2012/2013-K Open-Cycle Gas Turbine Units O&M Project

Kuwait Name: Ministry of Electricity & Water (Kuwait) Address: Ministry of Electricity & Water Bldg., South Al Surra Street, Ministries Area City: Safat - 13001 Postal/Zip Code: 12 Country: Kuwait Tel: (+965) 2537 1000 Fax: (+965) 2537 1420 / 1421 / 1422 E-Mail: webadmin@energy.gov.kw Website: http://www.energy.gov.kw Carrying out operation and maintenance (O&M) of opencycle gas turbine units at a power & water station. 8,930 March 17, 2013 New Tender Tender No. MEW/63/2012/2013

TENDER CATEGORIES TENDER PRODUCTS

This project is at Subiya Power & Water Station in Kuwait. The tender is open to following companies: 1) Sogex Oman LLC, Omani Local Agent: Gulf United Stores General Trading & Contracting Company 2) Alghanim International General Trading & Contracting Company 3) TNB Repair & Maintenance SDN BHD, Malaysia - Local Agent: Al-Kharafi National Company 4) Siemens A.G, Germany - Local Agent: Siemens Electronics & Electric Services Company 5) Babcock Borsig Service GmbH, Germany - Local Agent: Ali Alghanim & Sons Group General Trading & Contracting Company 6) O&M Energy, Spain - Local Agent: Arefjan Projects Company 7) First National O&M Company, Saudi Arabia - Local Agent: Scientific Combined Group for General Trading & Contracting 8) General Electric International Inc., USA - Local Agent: Abdul Aziz Abdul Mohsen Al-Rashed & Sons Company 9) KEPCO Plant Service Ltd. & Doosan Heavy Industries Company, Korea - Local Agent: Businessmen Trading Corporation. Tender documents can be collected from: Central Tenders Committee (CTC) Safat 13011, Kuwait Tel: (+965) 2240 1200 Fax: (+965) 2241 6574 E-mail: info@ctc.gov.kw Bid Bond is KD 800,000/-. Power & Alternative Energy Electric Power Transmission & Distribution Power Generation Plants Turbines & Spares MARCH 2013


Industry News

Energy Savers UAE March 17, 2013, Abu Dhabi

T

he Powerful Solutions (TPS) is organising the second edition of Energy Savers UAE on Sunday, 17th March 2013 at Hotel Intercontinental Abu Dhabi. The second edition will bring together about 200 CEOs/ Directors/VPs/GMs who will learn from 25 International case studies, five verified cases of huge energy savings from the UAE, including one from a leading hotel chain and the report of a survey of around 500 establishments, conducted by TPS along with Energy faculty of Sharjah University. The cases will be presented by Ronald Zimmer - President and CEO of Continental Automated Buildings Association CABA, Scott Minos, from US Department of Energy; Sandeep Garg from UNDP Asia, Tanzeed Alam, Policy Director, EWS WWF, Taher Diab of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Mark Preece of Regulation and Supervision Bureau, besides a team of senior and accomplished consultants from the region. Ravinder Bhan, Conference Director – Energy Savers UAE, said: “Even with (energy) subsidy, electricity bills are one of the single largest expenses in majority of houses and commercial establishments. Whether under pressure of high cost of subsidy or international pressure to reduce the carbon footprint, the rates can only go up. And even if they don’t, one thing is sure that they won’t go down.”

Contact: Conference Director TPS Management Consultants Tel: + 971 4 2395317 (Direct) M: +971 50 5578626 E-mail : director@tpsworldevents.com URL: www.tpsworldevents.com

WETEX 2013 April 15-17, 2013, Dubai

T

he annual Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) exhibition is all set to make its presence felt once again at its Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre home. WETEX 2012 was backed by over 30 high-profile sponsors, and spread over 33,000-sqm bringing together more than 1,000 companies from over 32 countries. The organisers are projecting 40,000 sq. meters, over 1,500 participating companies and over 16,000 visitors. WETEX 2013 is being held simultaneously with Dubai Global Energy Forum 2013. The Forum will consist of seven major tracks which consist of plenary and parallel sessions addressed by keynote speakers and panellists. The 15th edition of WETEX will include Fossil Fuels focussing on the oil and gas technology sector. WETEX 2013 will also host SmarTech, which is now in its fourth year of showcasing the future of green commerce in the region. WETEX is held in accordance with the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Finance Minister of the UAE and President of DEWA.

Contact: May Ann Tel: 04-515-1426 M: +971 50 9148863 E-mail: May.Apuya@dewa.gov.ae URL: www.wetex.ae

Global Water: Oil & Gas June 11-12, 2013, Dubai

T

he CWC Group, UAE Ministry of Environment & Water and the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy have announced that the second Global Water: Oil & Gas Summit 2013 will take place from June 1112, 2013 at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. The Summit will tackle two global issues critical to this region – energy production and water conservation. Global Water Event Producer Gurpreet Hayre said: “We have created a platform for the water and oil and gas industries to be able to exchange information, ideas and together build sustainable solutions moving forward.” Launched in 2012, Global Water is the first and only event of its kind to take place in the hub of the Middle East oil and gas industry. The returning Summit will, once again, see government officials and senior representatives from across the water and oil and gas industries discuss best practices for boosting production through successful water strategies. The Summit will also examine how to maximise water usage whilst balancing environmental considerations.

Contact: Jerome Golding Marketing Administrator CWC Group Limited

Tel: +44 20 7978 0000 Fax: +44 20 7978 0099 E-mail: jgolding@thecwcgroup.com URL: www.thecwcgroup.com


Flipside

UAE’s corporate heroes Private sector initiatives towards reducing the country’s carbon footprint get recognition.

A

merican University of Sharjah (AUS), Archcorp, Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, Service City and TECOM were named by Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF (EWS-WWF) as ‘Verified Corporate Heroes’ in recognition of their dedication to reducing their carbon footprint. Recognised for successfully fulfilling three pledges required by the ‘Heroes of the UAE’ private sector programme, which resulted in each organisation lowering its carbon emissions from energy and water by at least 10%, these five organisations are now paving the way for others to reduce their energy and water consumption in the near future. Carbon emissions from energy and water contribute highly to the country’s carbon footprint yet through the Heroes of the UAE, organisations are taking strides towards lowering this footprint. By implementing technical and behavioural changes such as installing fittings that reduce water flow, maintaining and upgrading air conditioning and ventilation systems, introducing LED lighting and reducing lighting and AC usage, these organisations achieved savings between 28%-89% in water consumption and 11-55% in energy consumption over 12 continuous months. The Heroes of the UAE Private Sector Programme was launched in 2010 by EWSWWF, in partnership with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) and endorsement from the Ministry of Environment and

66

Water (MOEW). Ernst & Young has provided technical support to verify carbon reductions, making the ‘Heroes of the UAE’ the only national voluntary carbon reduction programme verified by a third party. Ida Tillisch, Acting Director General of EWS-WWF explained; “The accomplishments of these organisations show that it is feasible to make changes in the workplace that reduce carbon emissions and result in financial savings. The case studies serve as an important tool for other UAE organisations to overcome barriers and understand the best ways to reduce their carbon emissions. These examples show that the 10% reduction target is very achievable and that it is easy to go above and beyond it using low-cost measures. “These five organisations went through an independent verification process of their reductions, and we are pleased to announce that they have now been verified as achieving their pledges in the first cycle of the programme. They have played an active role towards reducing the UAE’s Ecological Footprint and helping to tackle climate change and we hope their example will inspire more organisations across the country.” The five companies were honoured at an award ceremony attended by the Minister of Environment and Water and the Secretary General of Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) in late January. H.E. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water pointed out that the private sector contributes 30% towards the UAE’s Ecological Footprint, and thus can play an important role in tackling this issue. H.E. Razan Khalifa al Mubarak, Secretary General of EAD, added: “Public, private and civil society partnerships, such as Heroes of the UAE, that help inform science-based policy are crucial to facilitate lasting changes to reduce the UAE´s carbon footprint and that are environmentally,

socially and economically beneficial.” The Heroes Private Sector Programme aims to help organisations lower their carbon emissions in their daily operations and manage them in the long-term. The programme offers guidance, an online toolkit, and reporting frameworks to enable organisations to make this transition, as well as share their best practices and challenges through case studies that document their environmental journey. The Heroes of the UAE asks organisations to commit to three pledges: 1. Develop and implement a measurable strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with energy and water consumption by 10% each over 12 continuous months. 2. Document the results achieved and submit to Heroes of the UAE to help other organisations do the same 3. Commit to develop and implement a longterm strategy for the organisation’s annual carbon footprint reduction and allow independent auditors access to the environmental audits and review activities. Heroes of the UAE Programme has published three useful guides to help organisations seeking to become more sustainable, which can be downloaded from: http://www.heroesoftheuae.ae 1- How to develop a measurable strategy for effective energy and water savings. 2- How to develop a case study report for the Heroes of the UAE Campaign. 3- How to develop a long-term strategy for Carbon Footprint Reduction.

Savings made by the verified corporate heroes

Company Electricity: % Water: % CO2 reduced CO2 reduced Service City 18% 28% AUS 12% 39% Crowne Plaza 21% 31% ArchCorps 55% 89% Tecom 11% 29%

MARCH 2013



xyleminc.com | Bell & Gossett | Lowara | Goulds Water Technology Š 2013 Xylem Inc. Lowara and Bell & Gossett are trademarks of Xylem Inc. or one of its subsidiaries. Goulds is a registered trademark of Goulds Pumps, Inc. and is used under license.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.