Power & Water January 2013

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Smart CitieSIntelligent energy and water technologies can make cities smart and sustainable

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COVER STORY ON SITEON THE RECORD

FLIP SIDE

FEATURE

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Software, Cloud computing, Mobility, Security and Energy converge at Automation Fair 2012

Intelligent energy and water technologies can make cities smart and sustainable. Andrew Boughtwood,

Managing Director, Megger on the SebaKMT acquisition, the impact of changing end-user expectations and more..

DPS Sharjah’s sustainability agenda goes beyond the school’s immediate universe of students and faculty.

Using ultrasound and mathematics to localise the sources of leaks.

Plugging the portfolio Tomorrow and the future

Middle East Electricity 2013

Power-packed growthFukushima Fallout

SPECIAL REPORTMARKET REPORTFEATURE

The 38th edition adds renewable energy to the exhibition portfolio; Middle East Electricity Awards return for the second time

The GCC power and distribution transformer market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than seven per cent.

The Fukushima disaster stoked up the nuclear debate across the world, but the industry is finding it still has a major future across the globe.

NEWSMosaic Round up In the region At large8 9 11 16

Catching ‘em all

Simulations that localise leaks

22 23JANUARY 2013JANUARY 2013

There are 102 smart city projects

worldwide, with Europe leading the

way at 38, North America at 35, Asia

Pacific at 21, the Middle East and

Africa at six, and Latin America with two.

- ABI Research

Smart CitiesChina’s build-out of smart cities represents a $153 billion opportunity across 54 projects, mostly in the southern and eastern provinces, according to a Lux Research report. Among the projects, 35 are scoped at city level in some of the country’s largest and most crowded cities, including Beijing and Shanghai and account for $76.2 billion, nearly half the total investment.

Global Investment in Smart City Technology Infrastructure to Total $108 Billion by 2020 - Pike Research

Smart grid technologies could globally reduce 2.03 GtCO2e, worth EUR79 billion ($124.6 billion).

Applied globally, smart motors and industrial automation would reduce 0.97 GtCO2e in 2020, worth EUR68 billion ($107.2 billion).

The global emissions savings from smart logistics in 2020 would reach 1.52 GtCO2e, with energy savings worth EUR280 billion ($441.7 billion).

Globally, smart buildings technologies would enable 1.68 GtCO2e of emissions savings, worth EUR216 billion ($340.8 billion).

USA Colorado

San Francisco

Canada: Vancouver

Brazil: Rio de Janeiro

UK London

Netherlands : Amsterdam

Portugal: PlanIT Valley

Spain: Barcelona

Austria: Vienna

Qatar: Lusail

Uae - Masdar

Gift

Russia: Skolkovo

China: Chengdu

Tianjin

South Korea: Songdo

Japan: Yokohama

Singapore City

Regulars49 / Market Place51 / Events52 / Tenders & Projects

4 JANUARY 2013

PublisherDominic De Sousa

Associate PublisherLiam Williams • [email protected]

Chief Operations OfficerNadeem Hood

EditorAnoop K Menon • [email protected]

DirectorHarry Norman • [email protected]: +971 4 375 1502

Business Development ManagerDeep Karani • [email protected]+971 50 8585905

Business Development ManagerRuan Marais • [email protected]: +971 4 375 1499

Graphic DesignCris Malapitan • [email protected]

Digital Services Manager IT DepartmentTroy Maagma • [email protected]

Web DeveloperWaseem Shahzad • [email protected]

ProductionJames P. TharianRajeesh M

CirculationRochelle [email protected]

USA and CanadaKanika SaxenaDirector - North America25 Kingsbridge Garden Cir. Suite 919Mississauga, ON. Canada L5R [email protected]/fax: + 1 905 890 5031

Published by:

Head OfficePO Box 13700 Dubai, UAETel: +971 4 375 1500Fax: +971 4 365 9986www.megawhatme.com / www.h2ome.netPrinted 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.

Anoop K [email protected]

To read this magazine online visit:http://www.h2ome.nethttp://www.megawhatme.com

Editor’s Note

The millennial or the digital natives have different expectations from their

workplace compared to us. This constantly connected and mobile generation, for whom technology or rather consumer technology is second nature, expect the same level of comfort from their workplace technologies, inside the office cubicle or on the plant floor. A key outcome of this expectation is the transformation of the Human Machine Interface with icons designed to eliminate second guessing and nifty analytics that puts the future at your fingertips. Having conquered the enterprise space, tools like cloud computing and virtualisation are now making their benefits felt at the plant level too. At the same time, learning curves are getting shorter even as pervasive multi-tasking attempts to cover up the skills-deficit. As the electrical gives way to electronics, we also see workers becoming less knowledgeable about how things

work. This under-rated aspect of human talent is becoming a scarce resource. Should we be worried about these trends?

Inside, we also discuss the advantages of adopting a smart city framework for sustainable de-velopment. Elements of smart city have started appearing in Middle East, either as smart metering pilots or as part of existing util-ity infrastructures. The question is – do you see our cities going all the way out to implement the technologies that make up a smart city. Our story looks only at the power and water angles, whereas the smart city concept touches a lot more nodes like sustainable transport and communication. The crucial keywords are technol-ogy and interconnectivity.

Welcome to the start of another (new) year.

The interconnectedness of things

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Smart Communities – A Glimpse into the Future With Toshiba and Landis+Gyr, the smart community becomes a reality

More than half of the world´s population will live in cities in the near future. We will help to transform those into smart communities, interconnected by a smart metering infrastructure.

By harnessing our power of innovation and sharing the expertise and spirit of our people we are able to deliver total energy solutions that revolutionize energy management and grid operations.

Landis+Gyr AGOffice 301, DIC -12,PO Box 500470Dubai, United Arab EmiratesSwitchboard: +971 4 452 66 26 / +971 4 447 20 52Fax: +971 4 452 62 87Attn: Rajiv Sawhney (Managing Director)[email protected]

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1. Flexibility will be the “new normal” for smart grids implementation2. Regulatory procrastinations will hold back EMEA’s electricity smart metering market3. Smart grid communication approaches will continue to be heterogeneous4. Consumer engagement will be the name of the game5. Smart water spending kick-starting in 20136. Public funding will back Smart Cities 7. CIOs will need resources capable of transforming operations 8. Boosted by apps, mobile fever will hit utilities9. Utilities will embrace analytics to make sense of their “big data”10. EMEA Utilities IT spending will surpass USD17.5 billion in 2013 SOURCE: IDC Energy Insights

Predictions for the EMEA utilities industry for 2013 and beyond

London Array recently announced that the 175th and last turbine of the first 630 MW phase of the London Array Offshore Wind Farm has been installed, marking the end of major construction activities. With all turbines in place (including 55 connected and supplying power to the national grid), the wind farm is on track to be fully operational by spring 2013. London Array is being built around 20-km off the coasts of Kent and Essex on a 245km2 site. Phase One covers an area of 90km2 and includes 175 turbines with a combined capacity of 630 MW. If approved, the second phase will add enough capacity to bring the total to 870 MW. Abu Dhabi’s Masdar has a 20% stake overall project.

Projected production cost of Cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar modules in 2017. According to Lux Research, despite the travails of its main champion, First Solar, CdTe thin-film modules will remain the cheapest solar option in 2017, down from the current $0.67/W. For copper indium gallium (di)selenide (CIGS) thin-film modules, between 2012 and 2017, the cost is expected to fall to $0.64/W.

$0.48/WCadmium telluride

London Array

The last of the turbines

“There is a huge shortfall of private investment into low-carbon and energy infrastructure projects. This shortfall can be filled, but right now it is a missed opportunity. As a case

in point, less than one per cent of pension funds worldwide is invested in energy projects. Our report makes it clear that industry looks to policymakers for the assurance that their investments won’t become uneconomic due to policy changes. Therefore policymakers must create policies that remain stable over time and are joined up with other policies.”-Mark Robson, Partner of Oliver Wyman and project partner of the World Energy Council (WEC) study - World Energy Trilemma 2012: Time to get real - the case for sustainable energy policy

Verbatim

Revenue forecasted for the global wastewater aeration systems market in 2020 by Frost & Sullivan. Aeration systems will see increased global uptake due to the demand for wider connectivity to secondary wastewater treatment services in developing regions and the need to revamp the extensive installed base in developed countries. Energy-efficient performance will be a key consideration in equipment and technology selection followed by price, technology and reliability.

$8.39 billionM

OSA

ICWastewater Aeration

9JANUARY 2013

NEWS IN BRIEF Round-up

Dow Chemical has consolidated its Middle East, North Africa

and Turkey markets to form a new ‘MENAT’ region. Dow MENAT will be headed by Markus Wildi, whose previous role as President of Dow Middle East will expand to include North Africa and Turkey, while retaining his dual role as Vice President of Corporate Development, Kuwait. “As the global economic environment remains challenging, we are taking this proactive step as part of our efforts to further evolve our business,” said Heinz Haller, Chief Commercial Officer, President of Dow Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and Executive Vice President of The Dow Chemical Company. “This approach ensures appropriate geographic and cultural alignment, provides critical mass for our markets, and reflects the important role that the region plays in the full vision of our transformational strategy.” Wildi started his career with Dow in 1987 and has held numerous positions in sales and commercial management around the world.

Dow announces new geographical alignment

Markus Wildi

Abdulla Kalban, President & CEO, DUBAL

Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL), the world’s largest single-site

primary aluminium smelter using pre-bake anode technology, has invested AED20 million in the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park. The investment is part of DUBAL’s objective of participating in specific initiatives to fulfil the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 (DIES 2030). In addition, DUBAL is participating in a feasibility study relating to the establishment of clean coal-fired power stations in the UAE. Abdulla Kalban, President & CEO, DUBAL said: “Dubai’s investment in renewable energy sources offers an important opportunity to achieve DUBAL’s corporate goals in this area, while contributing to the overall sustainability of our nation. In the longer-term, it should also help DUBAL reduce the energy component of our production costs, which can account for up to 30%; and offer greater security in terms of energy-availability.”

DUBAL invests in solar park

Al Maktoum received the certificate from Dr Mohammed Al Zarouni,

Director General of DAFZA.Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA) has successfully achieved ISO 50001:2009 - the international standard for energy management - for daily operations in its 12 buildings stretching over 700,000 m2. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA), received the certificate from Dr Mohammed Al Zarouni, Director General of DAFZA, accompanied by other executive directors. DAFZA management has taken a series of measures to make the free zone’s infrastructure more environmentally friendly, primarily through upgrading of buildings and facilities, which resulted in great savings on energy and waste. For example, LED lights were installed at all DAFZA buildings to reduce energy consumption in addition to light switch sensors, resulting in energy savings of eight per cent.

DAFZA achieves energy management certification

The Habtoor Leighton Group (HLG) has joined hands with John

Holland, Australia’s leading engineering, contracting and services provider, to create Advance Water and Environment. Based in Dubai, the new company will combine local knowledge of HLG with the technical expertise of John Holland’s Water & Enviro business, which has more than 30 years’ experience in the

HLG launches Advance Water and Environment Belhasa Projects has created a

new division to focus on high and medium sub-station and high voltage cabling work in the region. The company expects strong growth in infrastructure projects in UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iraq in 2013 after a better than expected business volume in 2012. Suleyman Gary Busby, CEO of Belhasa Projects, said: “Diversification has always been our key strategy and we decided to create a new Power division on the back of increased

Belhasa Projects adds ‘power’ division

delivery of major public sector water and wastewater projects. “The establishment of this new specialist business aligns with HLG’s strategy to diversify into new markets and new geographies,”said HLG CEO and Managing Director Jose Antonio Lopez-Monis. “Our initial focus is on delivering more projects in Qatar, where we already have a strong track-record with Kahramaa, and pursuing more opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq.” The launch was announced at the recent MEED Water and Wastewater Conference in Abu Dhabi.

10 JANUARY 2013

NEWS IN BRIEFRound-up

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated the

rule for pathogens in drinking water, including setting a limit for the bacteria E. coli to better protect public health. The Revised Total Coliform Rule ensures that all of the approximately 155,000 public water systems in the United States, which provide drinking water to more than 310 million people, take steps to prevent exposure to pathogens like E. coli. Pathogens like E. coli can cause a variety of illnesses with symptoms such as acute abdominal discomfort or, in more extreme cases, kidney failure or hepatitis.

US EPA updates limit for E. Coli in drinking water

interest from the industry for our sub-station and electrical work expertise. We have successfully completed electrical works for Asghal in Qatar this year (2012).”

H.E. Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA and Adnan

Amin, Director General of IRENAUnder the terms of the MoU, DEWA and IRENA will develop and implement policies and energy strategies to accelerate renewable energy implementation. The MoU aims to provide a framework and facilitate collaboration between both parties to promote renewable energy deployment, and support the development and implementation of the required policies and regulatory frameworks that will help to realise the potential for synergies through joint activities while serving the objectives of both organisations. It also aims to support DEWA’s efforts to develop and implement suitable policies and energy strategies for accelerating renewable energy deployment and share best practices and expertise.

DEWA signs MoU with International Renewable Energy Agency

The MoU was signed by

H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD

& CEO of DEWA and

Adnan Amin, Director

General of IRENA

General of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Marwan Al Naqi,

Chief Executive Officer of Palm Utilities at the awarding ceremony.Palm Utilities, a Dubai World company, has been awarded the Dubai Chamber CSR Label in recognition of its commitment to CSR and sustainability. Marwan Al Naqi, Chief Executive Officer, Palm Utilities, said: “Palm Utilities’ core business by itself is driven by a deep sense of social responsibility because everything we do is geared towards providing essential services in the form of sustainable energy solutions to the community and protecting the environment. CSR is therefore a key element of our corporate strategy as we strive to be socially responsible in every aspect of our business. The Dubai Chamber CSR Label strongly reaffirms the company’s uncompromising commitment to responsible, ethical business practices.”

Palm Utilities receives Dubai Chamber CSR Label

After a year and half of migration period, Telvent has completed

its brand integration with Schneider Electric. Telvent’s Chairman and CEO, Ignacio Gonzalez said: “Together, we can now further improve the efficiency of mission critical infrastructures and continue our focus helping customers with the challenges of building a sustainable world for future generations.” Telvent brings a high value-added solution capability and a whole range of software to pilot Schneider Electric’s own solutions for energy and process management. For example, within Smart Grid, the combined Schneider Electric-Telvent entity provides a complete medium and low-voltage portfolio that combines with a full set of real-time operations management software; for water and wastewater, their joint offering provides interoperable solutions for smarter decision making throughout the water cycle, reduction of losses and implementation of smarter water networks.

Telvent becomes Schneider Electric

Ignacio Gonzalez, Chairman & CEO, Telvent

With USD159 billion worth of contracts to be awarded

across the Middle East in 2013, project owners and contractors are scrambling for project financing as the banking sector in the region adjusts new regulations, including the Basel

‘Contract financing will be a critical success factor’

III code, and cuts back long-term lending. “Financing is a critical issue that must be addressed as the project sector continues to recover and grow,” said Edmund O’ Sullivan, Chairman, MEED Events, which is organising the Qatar Projects 2013 conference in February n Doha. With new and tighter caps introduced in recent years, the shortfall in project finance availability is being made up by multi-currency loans that permit local banks to lend in local currencies, financing by credit agencies and through bond markets.

Hamad Buamim, Director General of Dubai Chamber of Commerce (R) with Marwan Al Naqi, CEO of Palm Utilities.

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MENA In The Region

DEWA awards Lusaily reservoir contract

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has awarded an AED246 million

contract for the water reservoir project at Lusaily, which will have a storage capacity of 120 million gallons of desalinated water. This project will expand Dubai’s storage capacity to 723 million gallons.

H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA said:“This project is part of DEWA’s strategy and efforts to support and enhance water transmission networks and increase quantities of water flow to meet the rapid growth and demand for water all over the Emirate. DEWA continuously supplies electricity and water at the highest levels of availability, reliability, efficiency and safety to support Dubai’s development plans and to meet current and future customers’ expectations.”

The project includes constructing, testing and commissioning two reinforced concrete reservoirs with capacity of 60 million gallons each and connecting them to pipelines and the existing reservoir.

“It is estimated that the progress of works will be on schedule, and will be finished within 20 months. The total storage capacity will reach 723 million gallons in comparison with 603 million gallons at present,” said Al Tayer.

The project will further secure Dubai’s water reserves

The Lusaily reservoir project will expand Dubai’s water storage capacity to 723 million gallons

AED37-mn contract for a 7.2 km 600mm-dia. water transmission pipeline from Al Aweer to Khawaneej

AED57.5-mn contract for a 3 km 600/900mm-dia. in Palm Jumeirah

AED167-mn contract for 416 km 450 mm-dia. water transmission pipeline network

RECENT WATER TRANSMISSION CONTRACTS

ABB has won a contract worth USD7 million from the Mazoon

Electricity Company in Oman. ABB will deliver a range of components including a Network Manager SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system and multiple RTUs (Remote Terminal Units) to improve the availability and quality of electricity in Oman.

ABB will provide 90 outdoor RTUs on a turnkey basis for Mazoon, one

ABB wins contract in Oman

of Oman’s main electricity distribution companies. This includes interfaces for 33/11 kV substations and the SCADA to control and monitor electricity supplies in Oman. The SCADA system will cover the grid areas of South Batinah, Dakhliyah and Sharqiyah governorates.

Network Manager SCADA, which is part of ABB’s Ventyx software portfolio, is used in infrastructure projects such as electric grids to monitor and control entire sites or complexes of systems spread out over large geographical areas. Most control actions are performed automatically by RTUs and substation control systems.

“This project is another step in Mazoon’s development of its infrastructure in order to improve transparency on its network, which ultimately helps the company provide

The scope of the contract, awarded by Mazoon Electricity Company, includes a SCADA system and multiple RTUs to improve grid reliability

a cleaner, more reliable and smarter service to its customers,” said Saeed Fahim, Country Manager for ABB in Oman. “We are pleased to be able to work with Mazoon again on this project after a successful cooperation on Phase I.”

In phase I, ABB installed a new Network Manager SCADA system at the main control centre to integrate existing 33/11kV feeders and equipment in all grid substations, as well as indoor primary stations.

IFC invests in Dubai-based rental power companyThe IFC loan and equity subscription will help SES to finance its expansion across the Middle East and Africa

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is providing a financial

package of USD17 million to Smart Energy Solutions (SES), a Dubai-based power generation company, to help address temporary electricity shortages in many conflict-affected countries.

As part of the package, IFC will provide a loan to SES while acquiring a stake in Jolt Holdings, the owner of SES and a subsidiary or Gulf Capital. The IFC financing will help the company expand into frontier and post-conflict countries in the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia, where power outages often cut into productivity and hamper economic growth.

“The structure of IFC’s financing was tailored to the company’s needs and will help SES to achieve its ambitious regional expansion plans,” said Walid Ishak, co-founder of SES. Co-founder Ghassan Ayoub added that the agreement is a strong demonstration of IFC’s confidence in the company and its future plans.

SES builds and rents a wide range

12 JANUARY 2013

In The Region

power management products will become extremely dominant.Currently, 67.8% of Micro Automation’s total products are exported worldwide excluding GCC countries. Within the GCC, 13% of its products go to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar with the remaining 19.8% being distributed within the UAE.

Micro Automation’s range of products is exported to more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Africa and in Europe and Asia. To extensively market Powermatic products to European countries including the United Kingdom, the company has established a manufacturing unit in Belgium in 2009.

Micro Automation has developed an Intelligent Socket Protection Solution, new concept of multiple power protection of electronic and electrical appliances. Additionally, the company is also developing the smart control system and power device that aims to reduce electricity demand during peak hours. The system will allow end-users to manage their appliances in a comfortable manner when supply limitations are imposed by utility providers. These smart controls will enable consumers to cope with eventual scheduling of electrical power.

of power generation systems, which provide governments and businesses with short-term solutions to energy shortfalls, giving states time to implement efficient, long-term solutions.

The power rental industry has seen dramatic growth over the last five years, with governments under increasing pressure to provide greater access to electricity.

“The IFC loan and equity subscription will help SES to finance its expansion across the Middle East and Africa and to position it as a premier provider of temporary power rental solutions in the region,” said Karim El Solh, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Capital. “We are proud to be partnering again with IFC on this exciting investment.”

Mouayed Makhlouf, IFC Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said, “This investment fits with our strategy of helping companies based in the Gulf expand into the less developed economies of MENA, transferring knowledge and technology, thus contributing to regional economic integration and economic growth.”

The initiative is part of IFC’s efforts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to improve infrastructure services and encourage investments between regional countries. During the 2012 fiscal year, which ended in June, IFC facilitated the investment of USD430 million in infrastructure projects across MENA.

In fiscal 2012, IFC facilitated the investment of

USD430 million in infrastructure projects across

MENAMicro Automation sets up new manufacturing facilityThe new 1,100 sq.m facility in JAFZA will serve as the key hub for engineering, prototyping and product development

Hazim Al-Hajjaj, Managing Director, Micro Automation Industries

Dubai-based Micro Automation Industries has opened a new

manufacturing facility in Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) for their wide range of microprocessor-embedded power protection products. Celebrating its 10th year in JAFZA, Micro Automation’s new manufacturing facility, extending to 1,100 square metres, will serve as a hub for engineering, prototyping and product development.

The company’s products and solutions are classified into four categories namely Powermatic, Genmatic, Voicematic and Datamatic solutions. The range of products has grown to over 85 different models conforming to various country specifications.“We believe that our dedication to always deliver outstanding and innovative solutions allowed us to endure and grow in the past ten years, guaranteeing our continuous international expansion and success,” said Hazim Al-Hajjaj, Managing Director of Micro Automation Industries. “Our unique knowledge in the field of power protection will undoubtedly secure our leadership in the global market in the future when

IRENA rolls out first funding cycleOrganisers of World Future Energy Summit (WFES 2013) expect twofold increase in the number of projects on display at the Project & Finance Village

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is adding

momentum has rolled out of the first allotment of its USD350 million funding cycle in conjunction with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD).

MENA

14 JANUARY 2013

MENAIn The Region

The two Abu Dhabi-based institutions are working together to incentivise innovative renewable energy projects in developing countries. IRENA is accepting applications from such projects until 12 January 2013 for USD50 million in ADFD concessional loans 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,” said IRENA’s Deputy Director-General, Frank Wouters. “By making such projects bankable, we believe we can create substantial growth opportunities for renewables in energy-poor countries.”

Further, the Project & Finance Village at the sixth World Future Energy Summit (WFES) this month will provide an avenue for investors to evaluate new projects with organisers predicting an almost twofold increase in the number of international cleantech and renewable energy projects on display at the village.

Global investment in clean energy in the third quarter of 2012 has totalled USD56.6 billion according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, with many new projects being located in emerging markets. 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

H eadworks BIO has been awarded a contract by Saudi Arabia’s

Ministry of Water and Electricity to

Headworks BIO awarded MBBR contract in Saudi ArabiaUpgraded plant will produce effluent suitable for reuse and increase capacity by 40%

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, which was echoed through the projects that were showcased from the Middle East, India and North Africa at the 2012 WFES.

WFES 2013 Show Director Naji El Haddad said: “Demand for renewable energy sources from developing countries is on the rise and many countries lack the funds to develop these resources. Development on a global scale is not possible without powering communities lacking access to a traditional energy supply and many countries from the Middle East, Asia and Africa are highly interested in the outcomes of the summit.”

The third session of the IRENA Assembly —which gathers delegates from the Agency’s nearly 160 member or participating countries worldwide – will kick start Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and lead up to the sixth World Future Energy Summit (WFES. Titled ‘Powering the Future of Energy Innovation’, WFES 2013 will be co-located with the first International Water Summit at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, which will also be the host venue for the International Renewable Energy Conference (ADIREC).

USD200 billion – Potential return

that can be achieved by GCC

countries by 2030 through renewable energy integration

design a Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) system for an existing activated sludge plant in the eastern province of the kingdom. The Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia has seen very rapid development and population growth over the last few years. Faced with increasing flow and more stringent demands, the existing plant required a solution that would fit within the existing infrastructure and produce effluent suitable for reuse and irrigation applications.

In addition to the complete process design, Headworks BIO will supply the core components of the MBBR system, including: ActiveCell 920 media, aeration grids, and media retention screens.

Once fully commissioned, the capacity of the plant will increase by 40% and produce eff luent quality that is suitable for reuse – all within the existing infrastructure. The design consists of four trains, each treating 7,000 m3/day and, as a result, the upgraded plant will treat 28,000 m3/day compared with 20,000 m3/day of eff luent it currently treats.

Gerald Seidl, Senior Vice President of Headworks BIO, said: “With the overwhelming demands in the MENA region for clean water, there are several applications that can benefit from our process knowledge. We look forward to successfully delivering this project and working on other opportunities with the Ministry.”

“This project highlights one of the key strengths associated with MBBR technology. We are increasing the plant’s capacity and improving the eff luent quality – all within the existing footprint,” explained Afnan Din, Vice President and Process Manger of the Gulf Region for Headworks BIO. “After the plant is commissioned this mid-year, the installation will be a showcase for maximising the use of existing assets for utilities and end users in the region.”

15JANUARY 2013

The top markets identified by the survey respondents were UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, in that order

Positive outlook for projects

PwC launched its first survey for Capital Projects and Infrastructure

in the Middle East, titled ‘Delivering the Middle East’s Mega Projects.’ The report seeks to establish issues and challenges facing project owners and explore opportunity markets. The report also sheds light on project financing issues, including funding constraints, perception of private financing and the funding outlook for 2013.

The survey reveals that investment in major projects remains positive despite challenging economic conditions both globally and in the Middle East. Sixty six per cent of respondents reported spending over USD100 million on major projects in 2012 across a broad range of industry sectors, with 72% expecting to increase their spending in 2013.

Despite regular project reporting and structured review regimes, the number of participating respondents experiencing performance issues relating to their capital projects was high. Eighty per cent of respondents said that their projects had experienced a delay, with 46% saying that they had suffered delays in excess of six months. Completing projects on budget was also a significant issue, with only 36% of respondents saying that their projects were completed on or under budget. However, respondents also said that their projects were subject to regular reporting and review. “Governance, accuracy and completeness of reporting will dominate the areas of focus of senior

management for 2013. Whilst reporting is regular, there appear to be concerns around its transparency and accuracy,” said Charles Lloyd, Partner and Leader of Capital Project & Infrastructure practice at PwC in the Middle East. “Another issue facing projects in the Middle East is the availability of funding for major projects. Difficulties in the Eurozone financial markets have reduced the availability of traditional project finance funding sources and led many sponsors to explore alternative funding sources.”

Over half of respondents said that their projects had been delayed, scaled down, or cancelled due to funding constraints. Furthermore, two in three respondents expect restrictions to continue into 2013 – and over 60% of respondents expect their projects to be funded, at least in part, by the private sector. Export credit agencies, local banks, development banks and Islamic finance are now active considerations for sponsors looking to fund infrastructure projects. Such alternative funding sources, however, give rise to different challenges and financing considerations including hedging, inter-creditor issues and appropriate risk allocation. Respondents identified the UAE and Qatar, as their top targets for investing in capital projects and infrastructure, followed by Egypt and Saudi Arabia. This indicates a potential increased level of confidence in post-revolution Egypt –subject to political stability - which is likely to be underpinned by a need to invest in infrastructure projects, particularly in transportation, solid waste recycling, healthcare, water, waste water management and power.The 2012 Capital Projects and Infrastructure survey was completed by respondents from a broad range of industry sectors, all with a key role in the delivery of major projects. PwC asked the respondents their views on the challenges they faced in 2012 and their outlook for 2013. The survey was conducted the between August and September 2012.

In The RegionMENA

Wärtsilä has been contracted to engineer, supply and install a

major power plant to Jordan. The order has been placed by AES Corporation, a US based independent power producer that owns and operates a diverse portfolio of electricity generation and distribution businesses around the world. The value of the contract is EUR 184 million.

The IPP4 Al-Manakher power plant is to be installed next to the existing power plant of AES in Amman, Jordan on a fast-track, turnkey basis, and is scheduled to be fully operational by July 2014. The power plant will supply electricity to the country’s national grid. The power plant will be running on a total of 16 Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel engines. It will becapable of using heavy fuel oil (HFO), distillate (DFO) or natural gas as fuel. It is expected that initially the plant will operate using HFO, but the fuel flexibility of Wärtsilä’s engine technology will enable a seamless transfer to natural gas operation once the infrastructure for a natural gas supply is in place.

This power plant order is the latest that Wärtsilä has received from Jordan within a short period of time. The government of Jordan is currently re-structuring and upgrading its national electricity grid to ensure that a reliable power supply is available throughout the country.

This will be the third power plant that Wärtsilä has delivered to the country. A 50 MW plant is already in use and is being operated and maintained by Wärtsilä personnel under an Operations & Maintenance agreement.

Wärtsilä bags Jordan power projectThe contract for the dual-fuel power plant was awarded by AES Corp

16 JANUARY 2013

INTERNATIONALAt Large

Dairy products maker replaces

chlorine disinfection

with UVFive Hanovia UV systems have

been installed at the plant with each UV system treating

up to 130m3/hour of water

Source 2City Water Source

StorageFeed 1

Source 1City Water Source

StorageFeed 1

Feed 2

T hai UHT dairy products manufacturer Dairy Plus has replaced its chlorine-based

disinfection system with medium pressure UV technology from Hanovia. The company decided to reduce high levels of chlorine dosage throughout the process because it was proving ineffective at removing all microorganisms, particularly in the rainy season, and was also producing an after-taste in the product. Dairy Plus is part of the Dutch Mill Group which accounts for 20% of Thailand’s dairy produce output.

Water to the plant is from two sources: city water and deep well water. The chlorine is only dosed at the raw water feed level, firstly after the clarifier for pre-chlorination and then some low concentration dosing after the softener. “The incoming city water in particular has a high microbial contact often as much as 20,000 cfu/ml in the rainy season,” explained Miss Ying Xu, Hanovia’s Asia-Pacific Sales Manager. “At these times, high chlorine doses of even eight ppm were still resulting in microbial concentrations over 6,000 cfu/ml. That’s where UV was able to help.”

“UV, which is a non-chemical disinfection process, was brought to the attention of Dairy Plus by our local distributor,” continued Xu. “When Dairy Plus saw the advantages of our medium pressure UV systems, which effectively remove microorganisms without any problems of after-taste or re-infection, the company decided to switch from chlorine to UV as its main disinfection method.”

Five Hanovia UV systems are installed at the plant – four duty and one standby. Two units disinfect clean-in-place (CIP) water and two are used for treating dairy mixing water. Each UV system treats up to 130m3/hour of water. As mentioned, there are two sources of raw water being used with two feeds coming out of the city water source.

Deep well water: (one feed) Deep well water > Deion filter > Carbon filter > Chlorination>Storage Tank>Softener No.2>Low Dosed Chlorination>Bag Filter>Storage Tank>UV3 > UV4 > Mixing with final product

Bacteria targeted for reduction include E. coli and many other common water-borne coliforms; the expected level of bacterial reduction is a total plate count of <50 cfu/ml.

“Since our systems were installed the customer is very satisfied with their performance, reporting that the units are running well and producing excellent disinfection results. The company is particularly impressed by the low maintenance costs, the high energy output of the systems, and the fact that the frequency of CIP procedures has been dramatically reduced, meaning less down-time of the manufacturing process,” Xu concluded.

City water source: (two feeds) Feed 1: City water > Clarifier > Sand filter >Carbon Filter>Chlorination>Storage tank Feed 2: City water >UF Filter>Chlorination>Storage tank Storage tank (Feed 1 combined with Feed 2) > Softener No.1> Low Dosed Chlorination>Bag Filter>Storage tank of Softener No.1> UV1 > UV2 > CIP (Clean-in-place)

17JANUARY 2013

INTERNATIONAL At Large

O ver 9,200 manufacturing business leaders, industry analysts, and technology

and service providers from around the world converged at the Pennsylvania Convention Centre in Philadelphia for Rockwell Automation’s 21st annual Automation Fair event. The event comprised of a global media forum, safety- and process-focused customer events, technology training sessions, seminars, industry-focused forums, in-depth demonstrations, and more than 125 exhibitors showcasing the latest products and solutions from Rockwell Automation and its PartnerNetwork member companies.

“Together with our PartnerNetwork companies, we bring customers an ecosystem of experience and expertise,” said Keith Nosbusch, chairman and CEO, Rockwell Automation. “The Automation Fair event enables customers see how innovative automation technologies can improve their business profitability while optimising their equipment, production lines, plants and enterprise.”

Process industry customers traded insights at the Process Solutions User Group on Nov. 5 and 6. More than 600 process professionals converged at the Pennsylvania Convention Center to discuss trends and challenges affecting process industries, exchange

best practices, and provide valuable feedback to Rockwell Automation on new PlantPAx process automation system features, functions and offerings. Attendees heard from Nancy Youn, director, Global Strategic Alliances, VMware, as she discussed the emergence of virtualisation technologies in the process industries. In addition, 29 customer speakers shared how they overcome day-to-day automation challenges using the PlantPAx system.

At the Fair, Rockwell Automation also announced a new release of the PlantPAx system, which combines the plant-wide control technologies and Integrated Architecture system with all the core capabilities expected in a world-class DCS. “Our goal is to provide the most highly distributed, cost-effective and performance-driven system available on the market,” said John Genovesi, vice president, Information Solutions and Process Business, Rockwell Automation. “This release is another major step toward this goal, as our investment in the PlantPAx system eases adoption of virtualisation technologies in an end user’s private cloud infrastructure, offers additional system architecture options, simplifies and streamlines plant-operator workflows, and drives engineering efficiency.

Earlier, Rockwell had announced that the PlantPAx process automation system had achieved FOUNDATION Fieldbus integrated host system. The PlantPAx system with EtherNet/IP and ControlNet network connectivity passed tests for ‘61b,’ the Fieldbus Foundation’s most demanding host profile. Host profile 61b helps ensure interoperability among multivendor environments, making it easier for users to configure and maintain fieldbus devices.

“This distinction further solidifies the status of Rockwell Automation as a leader in FOUNDATION Fieldbus technology,” said Steve Pulsifer, director of Process Market Development, Rockwell Automation. “Meeting the Fieldbus Foundation’s interoperability standards demonstrates the ability

of the PlantPAx process automation system to help manufacturers address production issues with real-time, plantwide intelligence.”

Journalists and industry analysts from around the world also convened at the company’s Manufacturing Perspectives global media forum on Nov. 6. In addition to keynotes by Craig Giffi, vice chair and US Leader, Consumer and Industrial Products, Deloitte & Touche USA and Keith Nosbusch, chairman and CEO, Rockwell Automation, industry experts gave their insights on the issues facing today’s smart manufacturers:• The reality of flexible production, with Peter Daenen, manufacturing manager, Ford South America and Frank Kulaszewicz, senior vice president, Architecture and Software, Rockwell Automation.• How cloud solutions can enable flexible manufacturing without compromising security, with Fran Dougherty, CTO Worldwide Incubation Enterprise and Partner Group, Microsoft and Blake Moret, senior vice president, Control Products and Solutions, Rockwell Automation.• The future of mobility, security and energy, with Maciej Kranz, vice president and general manager, Connected Industries Group, Cisco and Sujeet Chand, senior vice president and CTO, Rockwell Automation.

New release of PlantPAx at Automation Fair 2012 with virtualisation, workflow and system architecture enhancements

Rockwell Automation enhances PlantPAx

TURN TO PAgE 30...

18 JANUARY 2013

Industry Notes

T he wastewater treatment industry is effectively a sludge generation

industry. If the wastewater from the world’s urban population were to be collected and treated, the sludge generated would rise from 75 million tonnes in 2012 to 83 million by 2017 - before industrial development is even taken into account. And in one year, enough sludge would be generated to cover an area equivalent to Singapore in a layer 10cm thick.

A new report on sludge management from GWI explains that the increased sludge production volumes are driving the wastewater treatment industry to implement new sludge management processes. GWI explains that municipal sludge treatment is on the agenda due to limited land space, tightening regulations across the globe and health concerns. This will soon consign dumping untreated sludge and land-filling to the past. Safely treating municipal sludge is a big business, worth an estimated USD7.3 billion in 2012.

The wastewater treatment industry

OPPORTUNITIES IN SLUDGEMunicipal sludge treatment is on the rise, and attracting a widening port-folio of specialist technologies. More wastewater treatment, tightening regulations and green incentives make it a good, if heavily regional, market. How can companies enter and thrive?

is seeking alternative disposal options that enable them to handle their sludge more safely and cost effectively. The fundamental driver behind sludge management is to treat the sludge in a way that will reduce its volume. The smaller the volume, the lower the costs associated with transportation and disposal. Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operators must also consider the large energy input needed to treat sludge, and for this reason, high energy costs and subsidies for renewable energy are likely to make energy recovery options increasingly attractive going forward.

To meet these needs, WWTP operators will inevitably have to increase their investments in sludge stabilisation technologies, particularly anaerobic digestion (AD). AD both decreases the volume and increases the quality of the treated sludge. As a further kicker, the biogas produced as a by-product of AD can partially offset the cost of the energy needed to run the plant.

A good, if heavily regional, marketThe global municipal sludge equipment market is set to grow by 5.7% by 2017 – from USD7.1 billion in 2011 to USD9.9 billion in 2017. The strongest growth will be in anaerobic digestion, which is set to reach a value of USD1.3 billion by 2017. Thickening and dewatering technologies will remain the largest investment area, reaching a value of USD3.1 billion in 2017.

This growth is healthier than the water and wastewater markets due to the contributions of two distinct ‘submarkets’. National programmes in China and Brazil to increase the number of people who receive wastewater treatment services will significantly increase the volumes of sludge produced. In these countries, the biggest opportunities for investment will be in fundamental sludge treatment technologies, including thickening, dewatering and basic stabilisation. Stricter environmental regulations mean that operators will also have to start treating the sludge produced by existing treatment plants.

Where the sludge generated from wastewater treatment plants is already thickened, dewatered and stabilised – as is the case in many developed nations – the appetite is for more advanced technologies. Biogas generation and energy recovery are increasing in prominence, especially in the EU where the renewable energy incentives can be considerable.

Despite the slowdown caused by pressure on public sector spending, Western Europe (EU-15) will remain the largest single market for sludge management equipment. The markets with the most rapid growth will be those countries which are investing heavily in increasing wastewater treatment volumes, using more advanced wastewater treatment technologies, and increasing sludge management capacity accordingly (see chart). These include

Fig1: A market snapshot

Fig 2: Global municipal sludge equipment market

19JANUARY 2013

Industry Notes

Brazil (14% CAGR), China (8.5% CAGR) and the 12 states that have recently joined the European Union (EU-12; 7.0% CAGR).

Anaerobic digestion is showing the strongest growth, with a value of USD1.3 billion in 2017 (9.3% CAGR). Thickening and dewatering equipment will remain the largest investment area, reaching a value of USD3.1 billion in 2017.

Challenges to market entry Increased investment in sludge management is presenting opportunities for water treatment suppliers to expand into these growing markets – but market access is not without challenges. Generally, the sludge industry can be conservative in its approach to new technologies, requiring extensive testing and piloting procedures before adoption. GWI explains that the sludge treatment market is innately conservative in its approach to new technologies. However, despite the traditional inertia of the market, a growing openness to new approaches is being witnessed. Tightening regulations and the ability to solve a particular problem are the main forces behind the openness of the markets.

Individual markets with growth potential like Brazil and China give preference to local companies, and even an understanding of the local market characteristic does not guarantee success. In the US market, the power wielded by engineering consultants

who pick and choose technology suppliers based on their knowledge of the technology as well as its reliability and cost, should not be underestimated. The conservative view taken by some consultants can be limiting, as they do not like to upset the status quo regarding technology adoptions.

OpportunitiesReducing the volume of sludge produced increases energy use and capital expenditure. This provides an incentive for operators to invest in more efficient technologies, and to extract additional value from treated sludge.

Advanced treatment technologies such as AD cannot be used to process raw sludge. Operators will thus need to invest in reliable methods to ensure that the treatment process is not disrupted by contaminants in the sludge. When a pre-treatment phase is combined with appropriate advanced treatment, the overall efficiency of the treatment process is increased, resulting in lower sludge volumes and lower operating costs.

Energy issues drive the market, and so reducing operating costs through energy efficiency is an attractive prospect, as is energy recovery through biogas generation. The key opportunity in energy recovery is capturing and using the biogas generated by anaerobic digestion. This is especially the case with the advent of advanced AD approaches which increase the quantity of biogas that is generated. The introduction of renewable energy

incentives in a number of countries is making the energy opportunity all the more compelling.

Plant operators wishing to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels are increasingly likely to take advantage of the potential to produce alternative feedstock during the sludge treatment process. These fuels can either be sold on, or used to make the plant more energy self-sufficient. The fuel compounds which can be produced include biogas, syngas (a synthetic mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen produced by gasification), bio-oil, and biochar (a high-carbon solid).

A shift in perspective – not such a wasteSludge is no longer viewed simply as a waste stream, but as a saleable product that can provide an additional revenue stream. Treated sludge is already sold to farmers for use as a fertiliser, and has been used to improve soil conditions at degraded mine sites and on forestry land.

Nutrient-rich sludge streams are ideal media for recovering phosphorus and nitrogen, which can also be extracted from sludge return liquid and incinerated sludge ash. The reclamation of phosphorus from sludge will become increasingly attractive as phosphorus mine deposits are depleted.

Sludge and sludge ash can also be used as raw materials in the manufacture of construction products such as cement, mine filler and building bricks. The main opportunity in this market segment is the ability to reduce disposal costs while showcasing a green approach to sludge management to the public.

In 294 pages, Sludge Management: Opportunities in growing volumes, disposal restrictions and energy provides a full analysis of the sludge industry, covering regulatory frameworks, the established and emerging technologies, management routes, disposal options and opportunities. This report can be purchased from: www.globalwaterintel.com.

Fig 3: Geographical markets

20 JANUARY 2013

On the record

Plugging the portfolio

Andrew Boughtwood, Managing Director, Megger speaks to Anoop K Menon exclusively on why Megger sees its SebaKMT acquisition as great fit, other gaps in the portfolio that Megger is looking to fill and the impact of changing end-user expectations.

Could you tell us about more about the acquisition of SebaKMT and how this benefits Megger? Does SebaKMT’s leakage business fit with Megger’s overwhelmingly electrical product portfolio?

Megger has been expanding substantially over the past 10 years, both organically and through acquisitions. In the test and measurement, a missing element in our portfolio, for one-off testing and diagnostic analysis of electrical assets, was High Voltage (HV) cable testing. Megger has been associated with cable faults for decades, but our product range and depth of capabilities in cable fault and diagnostics were limited. So the acquisition of SebaKMT has been a very good fit, especially from technical breadth and geographical footprint standpoints. SebaKMT enjoys a strong presence in Central and East Europe, regions where Megger certainly would like to do more.

We have decided to retain the leakage business of SebaKMT because we believe that leak detection and monitoring represents a great market opportunity. Water resources are getting scarce but in many countries, up to 50% of water is lost due to leakage. Though it is a different industry, we feel that the leakage business is a good fit

with our business philosophy – it’s a long term business and the customers are mainly large water utilities and contractor companies who have similar traits in terms of what they need from a supplier, whether it is SebaKMT or Megger. So we confident that we can further develop the leakage business. We may even create a separate water business in the near future but our immediate priority is to organise ourselves to the best effect to grow the business.

In the long term, the SebaKMT business will be marketed under the Megger brand. But we are keen to retain the capital value of brand without confusing the customer. For us, the challenge is to manage the brand change where the end goal will be for Megger to be seen as the main company without losing customer familiarity with SebaKMT. One of the options being considered is to keep SebaKMT as a product group on the cable diagnostics side along with our protection systems, circuit breaker systems, insulation systems, battery systems and test and diagnostic systems. This will be the same for water side as well.

We acquire companies not to asset strip and consolidate but to develop and grow them. SebaKMT has expertise in several areas of electrical testing and leak detection which we don’t have, at least to that level of competence. We will also keep their manufacturing facilities in Nuremberg and Dresden. Where we do see some integration is in sales, especially the customer-facing side. In electrical, we definitely see great benefits

in going to customers and offering them an even broader range of products and services they can rely on Megger to provide. Also, it is easier for us, as a business, to cost-justify investments like offices, service centres and technical support people when we have a broader range of products to invest in. In the Middle East, I am planning to have more people based out of our Dubai office in the near future.

You mentioned that the SebaKMT acquisition will help you plug the cable diagnostics gap in your existing portfolio. Why do you think this market is so significant?

The conventional cable fault finding business will always there. Is it dramatically increasing? In the developed parts of the world the market is mainly replacement-driven. However, we do see a lot more work coming up in the area of cable

diagnostics. If a network has 30 to 40-year old

cables, I need to know which cables

are most likely to give problems, which ones I should consider replacing or upgrading

soon and which ones can wait.

Prioritising asset management

and capital spend on

21JANUARY 2013

On the record

maintaining the network requires a variety of test techniques – we didn’t have them until we acquired SebaKMT. This acquisition puts us in a sweet spot - we can now help utilities and asset owners with information that can help them apportion their capital spend over the next five to 10 years. We already do that for transformers and circuit breakers where our product range provides condition assessment. We are now looking to enter online systems market–SebaKMT has some involvement in online cable monitoring as well. They have got sensor technology and monitoring software that is of interest of us. In fact, they have number of trial sites in operation today in Europe where over 100 different HV cables coming out of three substations are being constantly monitored. Should certain characteristics that are being monitored for those cables change, an alarm alerts the customer who can then look at what has changed and why.

What are the other gaps in the Megger portfolio that you are looking to fill?

The size of the global electrical test and measurement products market is close to a billion dollars. An area we are looking to fill is substation sensing. We don’t see ourselves as an ABB or a Schneider Electric who would put in a complete system. We aren’t into system automation. Where we do see an opportunity is in the sensing - perhaps an OEM relationship for sensors or a subset of software analysis of the

parameters we measure and that they need to determine, like for example, whether the transformer in good condition or if the circuit breaker trend of timing characteristics is showing some issues.

Of course, we will continue to maintain the tempo of development of our portable range if instruments but an area of high interest is the diagnostic asset assessment and measurement products and technologies. Diagnostic measurement techniques are becoming more and more important to asset owners, so perhaps now is a good time offer something in the online area. We need to find ways whereby our portable measurement ‘smarts’ can move into sensors and data analysis for online solution.

How has your test and measurement customer base evolved over the year?

Thirty years ago, a typical end-user would have grown up through the industry, served his apprenticeship, undergone training and ended up with hands-on knowledge of how the transformer really works or what had to be tested. They also seemed to have plenty of time. Today’s end-users haven’t had the opportunity to go through the long learning curve of their predecessors. With utilities and service companies finding it hard to get good power engineers, you find less experienced people in the industry. And as these engineers have to deal with a variety of assets, they cannot

specialise as much. Also, many of our customers are

private entities which means they have to be very efficient. The user needs to go in and test quickly; moreover, he expects the product interface to be intuitive as he cannot spend too much time figuring out the instrument, which means drill down menus and functions as opposed to the knobs of yore. He doesn’t want to go and read the manual every time he operated that instrument, which would probably be once every two to three months. Ease of use apart, users also expect data capture and management capabilities from their instruments. Today, you can generate reports in many of our instruments and if not a full auto report, we have certainly got all the data which can be fed into a reporting tool to get the results.

Is it good to adding these layers of product performance? We certainly think so. For example, our insulation testers continue to do the same thing they did 100 years ago, but quicker, smarter, more reliably and with a greater range and precision. We wish to continue to grow, be profitable and give value to our customers and shareholders. The more we are able to make our product give customers value, the more likely they will come back to us in another 10 years.

How important is software in Megger’s scheme of things?

The Megger group has six design-engineering and manufacturing facilities around the world. All of them have a range of product expertise and product focus, so people running the factories have the responsibility and freedom to decide how to develop. Having said that, we have a separate company in Texas – all they do is write software for our instruments. They are becoming our lead policy maker on user interfaces such as icons or menu systems. In fact, we are aiming to become more standardised so that every Megger product provides similar user-experience. This is not the case today.

Andrew Boughtwoodwith his Middle East teamLeft to right- Daniel Salathe, Susan Welch and Nick Parton

Phot

os b

y: A

noop

K M

enon

22 JANUARY 2013

Smart Citiesglobal investment in smart city technology infrastructure to total $108 billion by 2020 - Pike Research

*Smart grid technologies could globally reduce 2.03 gtCO2e, worth EUR79 billion ($124.6 billion).

*Applied globally, smart motors and industrial automation would reduce 0.97 gtCO2e in 2020, worth EUR68 billion ($107.2 billion).

*The global emissions savings from smart logistics in 2020 would reach 1.52 gtCO2e, with energy savings worth EUR280 billion ($441.7 billion).

*globally, smart buildings technologies would enable 1.68 gtCO2e of emissions savings, worth EUR216 billion ($340.8 billion).

USA:Colorado

San Francisco

Canada: Vancouver

Brazil: Rio de Janeiro

UK:London

Netherlands: Amsterdam

Portugal: PlanIT Valley

Spain: Barcelona

Austria: Vienna

*Source: The Climate Group

23JANUARY 2013

There are 102 smart city projects

worldwide, with Europe leading the

way at 38, North America at 35, Asia

Pacific at 21, the Middle East and

Africa at six, and Latin America with two.

- ABI Research

China’s build-out of smart cities represents a $153 billion opportunity across 54 projects, mostly in the southern and eastern provinces, according to a Lux Research report. Among the projects, 35 are scoped at city level in some of the country’s largest and most crowded cities, including Beijing and Shanghai and account for $76.2 billion, nearly half the total investment.

Qatar: Lusail

Saudi Arabia: KAEC

UAE: Masdar

India:GIFT

Russia: Skolkovo

China: Chengdu

Tianjin

South Korea: Songdo

Japan: Yokohama

Singapore City

24 JANUARY 2013

Cover Story

Smart CitiesIntelligent energy and water technologies can make cities smart and sustainable

In 2007, the urbanisation trend that picked up pace in the 1950s crossed the half-way mark. That

year, for the first time in history, half of the world’s population was living in cities. The urbanisation rate, which was just below 30% in 1950, rose above 50% in 2007. By 2050, more than six billion people will live in urban environments, which is almost double today’s number. While the growing urban population will be distributed across a large number of small and medium-sized cities, the number of mega cities and other large urban areas are set to increase significantly.

“Due to their increasing economic importance, cities are the engines that drive future growth, thereby offering opportunities for development, employment and prosperity,” said Joerg Scheifler, CEO of Siemens Infrastructure and Cities Sector in the Middle East. “But the special requirements of cities also present an enormous challenge since the growth of urban infrastructure is approaching its limits.”

“Municipalities throughout the

world, of all types and sizes, are under pressure to improve their infrastructure, expand output to meet the needs of their growing population, as well as increase their economic competitiveness and attractiveness in an increasingly global marketplace. Additionally, building, improving or maintaining infrastructure to keep up with the growing demand is a costly business and the most significant challenge that cities face today,” said Goktug Gur, Country President, UAE and Oman, Schneider Electric.

Cities, whether large or small, have always been prodigious consumers of energy, raw materials and space, in addition to producing pollutants, wastewater streams and waste. They are major contributors to climate change, and are in turn affected by its consequences. Globally, about 70% of greenhouse gases, two thirds of the energy consumed, and about 60% of fresh water consumption are attributed to cities. Anticipated urban CO2 emissions by 2030 is 36.5 billion metric tonnes, which represents more than double the urban emissions of 1990.

The challenges of climate change, population growth, urbanisation and resource depletion means that cities need to adapt to survive and thrive over the coming decades. However, slashing carbon emissions to prevent climate change while improving quality of life is easier said than done. The answer seems to lie in the evolving concept of a ‘Smart City.’

Smart cities represent a new approach in terms of transforming existing power-hungry metropolises into low-carbon cities of the future. A ‘Smart City’ leverages technology to transform its basic infrastructure and optimise energy and resource usage by metering, monitoring and managing energy, water, traffic, passenger, discharge, emission and effluent flows from urban activities.

According to UN Habitat, the Middle East’s level of urbanisation is expected to reach 70% by 2030. Demographic growth, job creation and industrialisation are the key factors driving urban growth. But in the region, which lacks fresh water resources and needs to cope with harsh climatic conditions, energy consumption and emissions per capita

SMART CITIES

• WHY WE NEED SMART CITIES• SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC’S DEMAND SIDE MAN AGEMENT PROJECT IN ABU DHABI • BENEFITS OF SMART METERING• LYON CONFLUENCE – A WORLD PREMIERE• TIME OF DAY TRIAL TAKES NEXT STEP

Inside

Joerg Scheifler, CEO of Siemens Infrastructure and Cities Sector in the Middle East.

25JANUARY 2013

Cover Story

tend to be relatively high. To deal with these challenges, coupled with the issues of urbanisation and demographic change, the region’s cities have to look at ways to improve the efficiency of their infrastructure. This, in turn, could be best achieved by embracing the smart city concept.

“Eventually, the social infrastructure will be interconnected to an even greater extent,” said Rajiv Sawhney, MD, Landis+Gyr Middle East. “Not only will the energy supply system become multi-directional and dynamic, but it will also be integrated into or form the backbone of a larger interconnected Smart Community, where energy, transportation and even security as well as social and personal services will all be integrated.”

“With the right technology and smart systems, sustainable cities can increase the quality of life for their residents and become more environmentally friendly,” said Scheifler. “Siemens offers many of those technologies and solutions, including for transportation infrastructure, green buildings, power distribution, water treatment facilities, and public safety systems that will help ensure sustainable city development for existing as well as for new cities.”

The region’s high level of urbanisation in the region and relatively modern infrastructure give it a great opportunity to develop sustainable and smart cities that could serve as global benchmarks.

Energy efficiencyEnergy is the lifeblood of cities: without energy, water cannot flow to houses, offices cannot be heated or cooled, and commerce would come to a grinding halt. Against this backdrop, many cities struggle to meet the growing energy demand. With over 60% of global energy demand being consumed in cities, energy efficiency definitely gets priority in a city’s sustainable development strategy. For example, in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Municipality, Masdar and Schneider Electric have jointly pioneered a distinctive energy management programme aimed at addressing the economic, social, political and environmental issues affecting energy efficiency.

“With electricity consumption per household in Abu Dhabi at 10 times the world average and a water consumption rate per capita at 2.5 times the world average, the overall energy consumption per capita is amongst the highest in the world,” explained Schneider Electric’s Gur. The programme titled ‘Demand Side Management in Existing Buildings’ tasks Schneider Electric and Masdar with creating a commercially viable services revenue stream for the ADM by optimising state assets and natural resources. The project also looks to tackle the challenge of increasing public awareness of energy efficiency, and the potential for job creation in both the private and public sector. “Estimated savings from this project is expected to touch AED 2,800 million,” said Gur. (SEE SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC’S DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT PROJECT IN ABU DHABI)

Fundamental to making the city energy efficient is the Smart Grid. From the power plant to the plug points, a Smart Grid enables two-way flow of information between energy suppliers and consumers to enable better anticipation of energy consumption, reduction of energy peaks and better

integration of renewable energies (prone to erratic spikes and dips in generation) within the network.

In his whitepaper ‘Smart cities: A pathway to inclusive growth,’ Mohammed Atif, Regional Manager Middle East at DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability says: “Smart grids offer flexibility to match demand and supply of variable sources. With smart grids, resources like natural gas can be optimised for every generated unit of electricity and water, saving energy, minimising harmful emissions and creating a healthy city that can successfully compete at an international level. At its core, smart grids regulate multi-directional flows of energy and water that support power generation from different sources, centralised or renewable and/or dispersed.”

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that the deployment of a smart grid can result in a 0.9 to 2.2 gigatonne reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. According to analysis by NRG Experts, key smart grid factors that reduce carbon emissions include integration of renewable energy capacities (which will inevitably reduce CO2 emissions), reduction in energy losses through the replacement of inefficient grids with smart grids and optimal energy use and less wastage facilitated by the two-way communication between the customer and utility company.

A Smart Grid’s interface with the

SMART CITIES

BY 2030:• 60% of The woRLd’s PoPuLATion wiLL inhAbiT ciTies• ciTies wiLL consume 73% of The woRLd’s eneRgy• ciTies wiLL emiT 76% of The woRLd’s gReenhouse gAses• 81% OF URBAN ENERgY gROWTh wiLL come fRom deveLoPing COUNTRIES• uRbAn buiLT uP AReAs in deveLoPing counTRies wiLL TRiPLe

Goktug Gur, Country President, UAE and Oman, Schneider Electric

26 JANUARY 2013

customers begins and ends with the Smart Meter. “As complex systems covering all kinds of infrastructure including power, water, transportation, logistics, medical care and information, Smart Communities integrate demand and supply management on a common denominator – inconceivable without the basic infrastructure of a Smart Grid,” said Sawhney. “However, smart metering is where the Smart Grid meets the smart home, and around which the

Smart Community will evolve.” Already being rolled out in many

countries, smart metering systems have been shown to cut annual household energy consumption by up to 10% by allowing consumers to closely monitor their consumption and utilities to more efficiently meet demand. By putting consumers in control of their energy use, Smart Meters help them change their behaviour to improve energy efficiency while saving money on their energy bills.Sawhney noted that smart metering systems need more high-end functionalities on the way to Smart Grids. He continued: “They need functionalities that not only support Smart Grid functions upstream, i. e. to the substation and beyond, but also further downstream into the home with home automation, demand response, energy management services and support for micro-generation.” (SEE TIME OF DAY TRIAL TAKES NEXT STEP)

“For the consumers, smart metering technology provides better transparency about their energy consumption and presents them with an opportunity to become pro-sumers or producers of power,” explained Scheifler. “This is possible when consumers inject energy back into the power grid by leveraging consumption incentives which may be offered by the service provider. Consumers can also better control their energy costs by actually knowing what they are consuming and paying for it at specific time periods. This way, wasted energy is minimised and scarce resources can be used more efficiently.”

For producers, smart metering increases revenue collection and helps reduce theft. It enables them to better manage their energy mix by integrating renewable energy sources and managing supply and demand in the grid based on consumption patterns. In fact, Siemens has started rolling out its smart metering solutions

in the region. In March 2012, Siemens signed a contract with Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation, (Kahramaa), to set up a turnkey Smart Metering solution. The project, valued at €10 million, will measure energy demand and help manage it during peak load periods, and will seek to identify ways to improve the billing process with customers. Scheifler pointed out that the scope of the project includes 17,000 electricity meters and the deployment of a complete Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solution, including Landis+Gyr meter devices, PowerPlus BPL communications, Netinium Head-end, Siemens EnergIP MDM and integration services from Siemens. The project is scheduled to run in three districts of Doha until May 2013.

“Smart metering features, such as remote service connection or disconnection, enable service providers to reduce manual labour costs and instil efficiency in their business operations,” said Scheifler. “The collection, processing and analysis of metering data provide an ideal platform for implementing advanced features of smart grid such as outage management and demand response management programmes.”

Landis+Gyr, together with parent company Toshiba, provide solutions that enable utilities to improve their energy assets along the entire supply chain - Toshiba’s micro energy management system (μEMS) and Landis+Gyr’s end-to-end Smart Grid solution Gridstream. The latter delivers integrated information access, command, and control under a single platform built for immediate utility need unlocking the ultimate potential of the Smart Grid. Landis+Gyr is also involved in one of the most ambitious smart community projects in the world under way in Lyon, France comprising positive energy buildings, a fleet of electric vehicles and the necessary charging points, high end photovoltaic and

Cover Story SMART CITIES

Rajiv Sawhney, MD, Landis+Gyr Middle East.

BENEFITS OF SMART METERING benefits of smart metering include automation of critical business processes, reduction of technical and non-technical losses, transparency surrounding energy consumption, optimisation of supply and demand in the grid, faster customer service through remote service connections or disconnections, and control of energy costs. Some of the technologies that help realise these benefits include smart metering devices, data concentrators, head-ends, and smart communications such as gPRS, Radio frequency, wifi, Power Line carrier, broadband Power Line, meter data management (mdm) software, integration adaptors, and demand response management software (DRMS).

27JANUARY 2013

battery technology, chains of sensors feeding big data into various layers of systems partly managed in the cloud. (SEE LYON CONFLUENCE – A WORLD PREMIERE.)

“Utilities are deploying smart metering not only as tools for exact billing, but as crucial sensor infrastructure that will constitute a vital part of the Smart Grid and Smart Community,” said Sawhney.

Smart water Smart water systems too have an important role to play in minimising the impact of cities on the environment and contributing to their carbon reduction targets. Like smart grid, smart water solutions too are technology-based approaches that improve water conservation, deal with aging infrastructure, automate water quality monitoring and more. For example, sensors placed throughout the water distribution network and smart meters at consumer end can help create a system that helps manage end-to-end distribution, from reservoirs to pumping stations to smart pipes to intelligent metering at the user site. According to research commissioned by Sensus, smart water networks can help utilities recoup estimated annual losses of USD9.6 billion by preventing leaks and enhancing the effectiveness of water quality monitoring and system maintenance. The same report points out that system performance improvements in areas such as leakage and pressure management, network operations, and water quality monitoring, coupled with informed decision making about the allocation of capital expenditures driven by real-time data can save utilities up to USD12.5 billion a year.

Smart water systems are also fundamental to achieving energy efficiency. Water is needed to generate energy and energy is needed to provide water but energy production results in CO2 emissions that contribute to climate change, which impacts water

systems. Utilities can implement an energy monitoring and targeting system to quantitatively manage system-wide energy use, reduce waste and cost, and identify key energy-efficiency investment needs. Combined with geographical information systems (GIS), smart water systems enable utilities to manage assets better. For example, GIS enables utilities to have their entire water distribution network at their fingertips with information about the characteristics of the network (for example, pipe length, diameter, date installed, valve size and pump curve) and individual customers linked to the system as well. This information can be provided over the Internet via mobile devices to enable field workers to access the information required for repairs and operations more effectively. For example, IBM has collaborated with the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA) to integrate advanced analytics with asset management software from IBM and a mapping application from ESRI, an IBM Business Partner. The availability of real time, map-based information and geo-analytics helped DC WASA engineers identify potential problems before they occur.

Smart water meters can help utilities track usage more accurately at the consumer end and plug Non Revenue Water (NRW) losses. NRW is the difference between water pumped, treated, and supplied to the distribution system versus water that actually reaches customers. The World Bank estimates

that worldwide costs from unmetered water total USD14 billion annually.

Though not at the same level as smart energy meters, smart water meter installations too are experiencing growth. Pike Research forecasts that the global installed base of smart water meters utilising advanced metering infrastructure (AMI)

Cover StorySMART CITIES

Electricity Sector E3-02 Abu Dhabi City

46,000 kWh 1,900,000 MWh

Representing-

CO2 32,000 tonnes 1,300,000

tonnes

Annual GHG emissions of 6,300 cars 260,000 cars

Forest saved from deforestation

128 hectares 5,300 hectares

Oil consumed 75,000 barrels 3,100,000 barrels

The project can generate over 10 years-

Gross returns: AED 65 m AED 2,800 m

Net returns: AED 24 m AED 990 m

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC’S DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT PROJECT IN ABU DHABI

With an underlying objective to improve the overall strategy on sustainability, the project emphasises the importance of lowering dependence on fossil fuels and minimising the energy and carbon footprints by 50% in sight of the doubling of energy consumption in the next 40 years.

Taking a sector-by-sector approach and piloting with sector E3-02 of the city, the project methodology will deliver a detailed energy audit, full electro-mechanical implementation specification, high-level regulatory framework and comprehensive survey of residential properties through an analysis, implementation, and monitor and manage approach.

The initial planning and data collection stage of the project will continue through to March 2013 on a total of 70 buildings covering an area of 534,000 m2. The subsequent city wide roll out is based on a ten year plan between 2013 and 2023 covering an estimated 2,000 buildings and 67,000,000 m2.

Schneider Electric and its partners estimate energy efficiency optimisation by up to 30% if successful, saving approximately 1,900 gwh of electricity, equating to around 1.9M tonnes of CO2, annually for the city of Abu Dhabi.

28 JANUARY 2013

LYON CONFLUENCE – A WORLD PREMIEREwhat unites Toshiba and Landis+gyr is a business model focused on providing intelligent solutions for the challenges of the 21st century. Arguably the world’s first positive energy multipurpose building under construction in Lyon is an example for this approach. Lyon confluence is a major european urban reconstruction project; kicked off in 2000, much of Phase one has already been completed, including the feasibility study and partner selection. The actual development and building phase started in late 2012, followed by the demonstration period which will begin in 2014. The involvement of NEDO, the Japanese New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation who entrusted Toshiba to join the project, will last until 2015 at least. The challenge in Lyon is to take an area that has long been devoted to industrial use and turn it into one of the new hubs of greater Lyon. This development project will double the area of central Lyon and enhance the city’s status. emphasis is placed on energy efficiency and cutting edge technology to turn Lyon confluence into an example of what a smart city can look like. The rooftop and the southern side of the positive energy building will be covered by photovoltaic cells, additional energy sources will be biomass and micro cogeneration. Toshiba will make use of high-performance batteries specifically developed to deal with the problems of storing power from intermittent renewables. The behavioural aspects of energy efficiency are promoted by making information available through In home Displays. There will be the option to automate optimal use of energy by letting the home Energy Management system take over. A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION Toshiba provides a comprehensive solution: systems for photovoltaic power generation, Led lighting, smart batteries, plus building and home energy management systems. The innovative technology is derived from the solutions developed for the Yokohama Smart city Project, a social and infrastructure experiment to create a smart city for the rest of the world to emulate. begun in 2012, the yokohama smart city Project is a five-year pilot programme with a consortium of Toshiba and six other Japanese companies. Landis+gyr will most likely be involved in the Lyon confluence project in a number of ways, one of them being as a supplier for eRdf’s smart Linky meters. The Linky meters will be installed alongside Toshiba’s energy boxes. energy boxes provide consumption graphs, alerts for high power consumption and customized graphic recommendations for energy saving. THINKING LONG TERM “within the next ten years, urban mobility is expected to triple” explains Alain Kergoat, Toshiba’s Strategic Marketing Director for France, with reference to the electric car sharing system deployed in Lyon. A special feature of Toshiba’s electric Vehicle sharing approach is that the EV’s energy will be provided by solar panels to ensure the right balance between their energy needs and the production of green and conventionally generated power. Landis+gyr will supply the meters operating in the charging stations. The next layers of data aggregation are the multi-site building and Community Energy Management systems, Cloud BEMS and CEMS. Both of those applications are hosted in the cloud and will take advantage of the insights big data crunching has to offer to optimize sustainable energy usage throughout the system. Today the Community Energy Management System is used as a dashboard to steer the project as accurately as possible. “In the long-run the information gathered and analyzed in the CEMS will also help the city to draw up better energy policies in the future,” said Kergoat clarifying the long term strategy. The entire development project is scheduled for completion by 2020. By then, thousands of new residents will have moved in, and Lyon will have fully reclaimed its geographical centrepiece

will reach 29.9 million units by 2017, up from just 10.3 million meters in 2011. By the end of the forecast period, the firm anticipates that 3.3 million smart water meters will be shipped each year, representing an annual market value of USD476 million. Last year, UK’s Thames Water extended its smart energy metering trial to water networks as well. More recently, the Water Corporation of Australia announced that it is installing 13,000 Itron smart water meters across the Pilbara region of Western Australia as key part of the region’s new water efficiency programme aimed at saving one billion litres of water per year. The water usage data will also help the Water Corporation compare hourly readings on a week-by-week or month-by-month map to determine usage trends and pinpoint potential areas to target conservation. In Canada, the City of Barrie, Ontario is

Cover Story SMART CITIES

‘The benefits of smart metering are undisputed; the technology is already deployed in many places – with Landis+Gyr as one of the major drivers of smart metering. We take our responsibility to enable our customers to profit from this evolution seriously, and are committed to increase their return on investment with cutting-edge solutions.’

Jon Stretch, Executive Vice President EMEA, Landis+Gyr

‘At Toshiba, we believe that a leader in the Smart Grid / Smart Community business should not only be capable of delivering true end-to-end advanced metering solutions, which is the essential first step in building a Smart Grid, but also energy management solutions which are efficient and reliable. Toshiba and Landis+Gyr are more than capable of providing total energy management solutions to meet the current market demands.’

Takeshi Yokota, Executive Officer, Corporate Vice President, Social Infrastructure Systems Company, Toshiba Corporation

29JANUARY 2013

Cover StorySMART CITIES

TIME OF DAY TRIAL TAKES NEXT STEPRegulation and Supervision Bureau of Abu Dhabi recently announced the completion of the installation phase of its Time-of-Day energy purchasing trial - an initiative aimed at ultimately changing consumption habits by encouraging conservation and incentivising the use of electricity outside of peak demand hours, thus putting less strain on the electricity grid and potentially saving money. The trial incorporates smart meters and in-home electronic displays, known as customer display units (cdus) that allow households to monitor electricity consumption during different times of the day. The installation of 400 smart meters and CDUs in volunteer homes marks the end of an important step in the trial. The smart meters are linked to an indicative tariff that will measure the effectiveness of ‘Time of day’ pricing - in a 24 hour period, electricity is charged at two different prices during this trial: higher at ‘peak times’ and lower at ‘off-peak’. information tracked by the smart meters will be recorded and analysed throughout the trial to help identify both consumption patterns and the trial’s success. Participants will learn about their real-time consumption, as well as hourly, daily and monthly consumption profiles; not only that, but they will also be able to know about how much it costs them at any point in time. Time-of-day pricing will provide an incentive to the participants to change their behaviour and shifting consumption to off-peak period. next steps include the introduction of a web portal that will allow participants to understand their progress throughout the trial. At the end of the trial in late 2013, the Powerwise office will review the results to determine the effect time-of-day pricing has on consumption habits.

saving USD600,000 to USD1 million annually since launching its smart grid for water project which involved installing the Sensus FlexNet fixed-base wireless communications system and equipping all of its 42,000 residential water meters and 2,500 commercial and industrial water meters with radio transmitters. The utility is passing on the benefits of increased intelligence to its conservation-minded customers. A recent study found that Barrie citizens use about 75% of average daily water usage of the average Canadian. The city has also created an online portal where citizens can access their own usage data.

The path to smartness“Smart cities are, in a nutshell, all about interconnectedness in a further constrained world,” notes DNV KEMA’s Atif. “Contrary to Europe and North America, Middle East cities do not have an aging infrastructure. Cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Abdullah city are modern and electricity based. Regulators are forward-looking and municipalities have budgets for innovation. Since a large number of buildings were constructed this century, it is relatively easy to implement smart grid technologies to enhance efficiency, to reduce peak load and to improve services.”

“I see smart cities as a key strategy to address ultimate goals such as reducing costs, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving the quality of life,” observed Sawhney. “Where the individual becomes more responsible or energy conscious, the actual energy consumption reduces or a balance between conventional and sustainable energy sources is created and efficiently managed, smart cities can truly make a difference.”

Scheifler feels that once renewable energy becomes a major contributor to the regional energy mix in coming years, the rollout of smart metering solutions in the region will accelerate because today’s conventional power grids aren’t equipped to handle sharp increases and large fluctuations in energy supplies from renewable power sources like wind and solar. “Smart grids ensure also that the increased feed-in of renewable energy can be intelligently controlled,” he noted. “Regulation will also play an important role in speeding up the implementation of smart metering projects in the Middle East because once the deployment of such systems becomes mandatory utilities will have to adapt them.”

Sawhney feels that the renewable integration is missing in smart metering deployments in the region

that are taking place more on the distribution side. He continued: “The beauty about smart communities is that they look at the generation angle too because smart grid is a complex challenge. There have been cases where huge amounts of renewable energy fed into the network rendered it unstable. This is further complicated by the privatised scenario in Europe where you have multiple generators and retailers. In the Middle East, the electricity market is still more of a monopoly which gives utilities sufficient leeway to integrate renewable energy into the network. Moreover, the region will be mainly integrating solar unlike in Europe where the grid must handle different sources of non-conventional energy with their own characteristics.”

Sawhney’s solution to dealing with the challenges of developing smart cities is set to up a ‘think tank’ to manage the project. He elaborated: “There aren’t too many consultants who have implemented such projects and manufacturers have their own intents. A way out for developers would be to partner with market leaders who can innovate, adapt and change. In our projects, we have had to do a lot of adaptation and customisation, which helped us incorporate customer voice into future portfolios.”

30 JANUARY 2013

Cover Story

Why Building Automation Systems (BAS) for Smart Cities? The oft cited answer

is energy efficiency, but the range of benefits extends beyond that. 1. Energy savings, Payback and Green Buildings. A recent return on investment study from Sitronix shows reduction in BAS payback time. The study found that “before the recent energy cost increases, the benefits of implementing a full-scale building management system (BMS) break-even point was typically three to seven years, depending on new or retrofitted design. Now the payback on these same buildings will drop to well under 18 months!” The BAS typically covers building’s electrical, lighting and mechanical systems, which represent 70% of the building’s total energy consumption. These systems are vital to managing the energy demand of a building. Energy use can be cut significantly by using the BAS as an energy management platform, gathering energy consumption data, analysing the demand load management, and executing energy saving operations. A BAS can certainly play a complementary, if not a central role in Green Buildings. 2. Improvement in occupant comfort and satisfaction by monitoring the indoor environmental quality. There is a direct link between comfort and the efficiency of conducting a business. How often have we heard of the Sick Building Syndrome? The BAS has direct benefits on the health and well being of the occupants. Lighting comfort, better ventilation and improved quality of air will not just improve worker productivity but also decrease sick days, contributing to effective operational expenditure of the business owners.

Building automation for Smart Cities

Also, Building owners can expect fewer occupant complaints as result of the BAS. This means less time resolving complaints, happy workers and a

dynamic business environment3. Increased property value. The value of any commercial/residential building is dependent on the net operating income. Lowering utility costs by having a BAS increases the net operating income. Since the basic principle behind a BAS is controlled supply as per monitored demand, unnecessary expenditures are cut down to a great extent. Hence, the measure of the return, or the benefit is realized almost immediately after the commissioned system is in place.4. Increased equipment life. All mechanical, electrical and plumping equipment has a life period and an unavoidable recurring cost is replacing them. Unexpected equipment breakdowns can cause very costly business interruptions. These breakdowns and emergency repairs costs the landlord/building owner not just money but also time. This is why preventive maintenance and time scheduling is so crucial. By scheduling the equipment through a duty-standby cycle based on run hours, the BAS contributes towards the longevity of the concerned equipment and avoiding failure before it actually happens. This helps reduce the capital

expenditure of the building owner to an extent within the same time frame if the system was not in use. Replacing any heavy equipment has costs related to it like transportation, raw material, labour cost and fuel. By delaying the replacement through effective maintenance measures we contribute to sustainability of the environment by cutting down carbon emissions through fuel consumption.5. Avoiding increases in utility rates for the landlord. Energy costs are a large part of the controllable facility budget. Integrated facility automation makes controlling utility costs possible.6. Friendly user interface. The most elemental factor determining the application of the system is its user-friendliness. A point and click animated graphical user interface simplifies facility operation and empowers the management by allowing the operator to view the whole facility from the console. This is as easy as it gets!

Smart cities are usually identified along six main axes, namely: a smart economy, smart environment, smart mobility, smart living, smart people and smart governance. An Integrated BAS will enable smart living and smart environment while also contributing to a smart economy. It will help promote Intelligent Green Buildings and guarantee sustainable use of our resources without compromising on economic growth because striking a balance between infrastructure developmens and preservingnatural resources is the cornerstone of sustainable urban development.(Moheet Vishwas - LEED Green Associate, MSc Energy is Application Engineer, Infratech Controls BM. He may be contacted at [email protected])

By Moheet Vishwas

Electrical, lighting and mechanical systems represent 70% of the building’s total energy consumption.

SMART CITIES

31JANUARY 2013

By Anoop K Menon

On site

Tomorrow and the futuresoftware, cloud computing, mobility, security and energy converge at Automation Fair 2012

Despite a gap of six years, I had kept my expectations in check. Yet once again, the

world’s biggest automation extravaganza simply blew me away with its sheer scale and rocking vision. It isn’t often that you find yourself in an ‘Epicentre for Information-Sharing in the Manufacturing Industry.’ But that’s what the Pennsylvania Convention Centre in Philadelphia temporarily became from November 6 to 8, 2012, as more than 9,200 manufacturing business leaders, industry analysts, and technology and service providers from around the world converged at Rockwell Automation’s 21st Annual Automation Fair. The event has come to be regarded by manufacturers, media and analysts as a premier automation industry event (rather than just a trade event where Rockwell Automation blows its own trumpet), where participants get to see and learn about the latest automated manufacturing technologies and trends. The 21st edition also took the Fair back

to its roots: It was in Philadelphia that Rockwell Automation hosted its first Automation Fair in 1992, which attracted 3,100 attendees.

The automation industry has certainly come a long way since then. What I couldn’t help but notice was that between Baltimore in 2007 (when I first visited Automation Fair) and Philadelphia in 2012, software and Information Technology (IT) have emerged as key drivers of change for Rockwell Automation and its customers and the automation industry overall. When I made this observation to Keith Nosbusch, Chairman and CEO, Rockwell Automation, he responded that software is indeed industrial automation’s future. He said: “We were one of the first to put electronics on the plant floor. Then it was about solid state and microprocessor-based controls; now it is about software, services and solutions. Skills have to change, competencies have to change but we definitely see ourselves as a software company in the future. That’s also what

is great about this company – we always keep changing.”

Nosbusch believes that software holds the key improving productivity in automation, enabling automation companies to customise their hardware to a vertical, industry, application and ultimately, to the customer. Hedwig Maes, President, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Rockwell Automation (present during the interview) summed it up rather nicely when he said software applications enable automation companies to bring differentiation and evolve with the new needs and requirements of the customers without sacrificing the hardware platform. “You can drive more from the software applications side while building on the same hardware,” he noted. “While hardware too is evolving, but at a slower pace than the pure applications one can build with software.”

“How our customers look at their information, how they want that data captured and displayed may differ, but what we want to be able to do is give them the relevant dashboards,” said Nosbusch. “Today, we can do that with standard horizontal technology, some common software infrastructure and backbone and some very specific application on top of that. Ultimately, we want to be viewed as delivering a specific customer’s needs.”

This emphasis on software and information technology is reflected in Rockwell Automation’s organisation make-up as well. The 80:20 split of software/firmware engineers and hardware engineers is the reverse of the make-up 20 years ago. “This shift has been going on for nearly 15 years but really picked up only in the last decade,” said Nosbusch. “We started working on software in the mid ‘90s, but then it was software to configure our hardware. Today, it is software as a product.”

The Rockwell head honcho doesn’t see

AUTOMATION FAIR

Over 200,000 square feet dedicated

to automation

32 JANUARY 2013

AUTOMATION FAIROn site

the company getting into the domains of enterprise software or engineering software. “Software that operates in association with plant floor automation is the key focus area for us,” said Nosbusch. “Customers tend to standardise on their enterprise and engineering software. Therefore, we prefer to partner with these companies, and interface our software with theirs to set up a bi-directional flow so that customers don’t have to re-engineer their workflows.”

Rockwell is investing in software required to design, deploy and optimise

plant floor information systems. Nosbusch said: “We think software is critical for information solutions and delivering manufacturing analytics, we think software is very important for Advanced Process Control (APC) and simulation and predictive modelling. Therefore, we are investing in all of these areas.” But he also clarified that hardware will continue to remain an important part of the company’s offerings. “The relative importance of hardware may have changed but I believe that our competitive differentiator is the breadth of our portfolio in the industrial space as opposed to saying we will only sell software. We prefer the power of AND – so we are a products company AND

a hardware company AND a software company AND a services company AND a solutions company. That’s what our customers are expecting from us, that’s our strategy.”

As Rockwell Automation re-defines itself as a software company, the company hopes to do the same with regard to its key geographical markets. Nosbusch said: “Today, emerging markets account for nearly 22% of our sales, but the goal is to increase that to 30% in five years. Likewise, we have a five year goal to take non-US sales to 60% of our business. To compare, five years ago, sales stood in the low 40s outside the US and mid-teens in the emerging markets. The re-balancing of sales is being driven by the recognition that the fastest growth of manufacturing is going to be outside the US, and therefore, the company need to grow at a faster rate in other regions. “Second, many of our customers are multinationals, many are strong indigenous suppliers and we need to be able to support both wherever they are located, and that’s a key strategy for us going forward,” explained Nosbusch.

The uncertainty about global economic recovery doesn’t faze the Rockwell CEO who believes in executing to a long term strategy. “You have to survive the short term to get to the long term,” he observed. “We may do more or less based upon the current environment but we strongly believe in growing our non-US sales and improving our positions in emerging markets. In good times, we can invest more and in bad times, less, but we still have to execute no matter what the economic environment is.”

‘Cloud’s staying power’Rockwell’s technology vision was

in full flow during Manufacturing Perspectives 2012, the half-day media event which preceded the interview. The IT undercurrent in industrial automation found resonance in a presentation-cum-discussion on the implications of the cloud in manufacturing by Fran Dougherty, CTO Worldwide Incubation Enterprise & Partner Group,

Microsoft with Blake Moret, SVP, Control Product & Solutions, Rockwell Automation. Dougherty believes that cloud computing, in addition to saving dollars and driving efficiency, can also help customers address complex questions like: how to drive innovation, how to use technology to increase global competitiveness or support changing user expectations. “Not every single investment in an innovative process is going to be the differentiator that you are looking for,” observed Dougherty. “The expectations of ‘digital natives’ from the work environment are very different from expectations we had 10-15 years ago.”

Microsoft believes in the hybrid cloud, which spans public and private cloud. Dougherty pointed out that hybrid cloud can help customers embrace the right IT for their businesses and make more of their existing investments. This enables them, with the same core assets and infrastructure, to deliver many different types of experiences to a variety of users with different expectations. The factors driving this ‘big shift’ include power shift to consumers (‘checking out what the crowd has to say about products influences their purchases more than ever, which means that engaging with consumers through social networks is becoming very important; cloud gives you the ability to do that in a cost effective away’), connected experiences (‘we all have at least one device that is connected to the Internet’), globalisation (‘even small companies are impacted by globalisation because of supply chain and interestingly, search for talent’)

Keith Nosbusch,

Chairman and CEO, Rockwell

Automation

Exhibitors exhibited latest products and solutions from Rockwell Automation and its PartnerNetwork

• Industries represented at the fair included Automotive; Energy & Environment; Food & Beverage; Life Sciences; Marine; OEMs; Global Machine & Equipment Builder; Oil & Gas; Water / Waste Water• Eight Industry Forums – Automotive, Energy & Environment, Food & Beverage, Life Sciences, OEMs, Oil & Gas, Water / Waste Water

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33JANUARY 2013

On siteAUTOMATION FAIR

sustainability, regulations (‘countries today have different regulations on data sovereignty’), alliances (‘more important than ever to doing business globally’) and also the Internet of Things. “As a global economy, year over year, we actually produce more transistors that enable connectivity than worldwide production of rice. It actually costs less to get a transistor to the table than a grain of rice,” said Dougherty.

Cloud computing has opportunities and challenges. For example, the distinction between personal time and work time are blurring as the workforce becomes global and mobile. But secure work-home integration becomes a challenge. Also penetration of social media poses a potential risk to productivity and secured transactions. “From a brand perspective, it is important to get employees and customers involved in your business,” said Dougherty.

And how does all this tie together to create business value? Starting with people – customers, employees, partners – who create the data to having a pathway by which this data can be accumulated, analysed, turned into business insights to give value back (with the cloud at the centre of action) so that people on the ground have the ability make intelligent decisions around future of the business or in very near term, take advantage of

changes in their supply chain. Dougherty built three industry

business scenarios for Windows Azure – Microsoft’s public cloud offering – around innovation, performance and growth. On innovation, he cited product life cycle management (PLM), designing software and services to incorporate rapid change in global economy and utilising connected devices and sensors to create data flow that enables one to deliver value back to one’s customers; from a performance perspective, he proposed intelligent analysis and decision making and helping build the sensibility to contribute to sustainability as a good corporate citizen. The growth aspect is enabled by product marketing or customer order management or social enterprise.

Blake Moret, Senior Vice President, Control Products and Solutions, Rockwell Automation pointed out that industrial customers see a role for the cloud in areas like enterprise risk management and asset utilisation and optimisation. He said: “The initial benefits customers have found have to do with increasing the effectiveness of their production and maintenance analytics. It could something as simple as changing the air filter when it needs to be changed, but sometimes, these little things can have a huge impact on the overall operational efficiency of a mobile or even traditional

plant environment.”Moret also explained

why customers are turning to Rockwell Automation instead of enterprise IT support providers for their cloud computing needs. “Customers are turning to the company for remote application support and monitoring as an extension of their phone support contracts, or as part of the company’s network

design and security services,” he said. “We have remote support contracts at over 30,000 customer sites globally. Every day, we are establishing ad hoc connections at many of these sites to be able to look into their production processes. This is a natural outgrowth of the basic remote support contracts enabled by evolving technology.” These remote services leverage Rockwell’s multi-discipline control platform. “The building blocks are the same for both discrete and process control, so you are able to aggregate the data easily than if you had whole lot of disparate devices out there,” said Moret. “Another thing that makes us well-suited to bring this information up to the cloud is the use of standard unmodified Ethernet.”

The fact that Rockwell provides engineered-to-order control systems around the world, often in remote geographies, acts as a differentiator vis-a-vis enterprise IT support providers. “We have a great technical infrastructure and a global resource pool of smart engineers who understand industrial applications,” observed Moret. “This sets us apart from most enterprise IT support people, who may have great ‘plumbing’ but don’t understand applications as well as we do.”

Both Moret and Dougherty cited the example of M G Bryan Equipment, a heavy equipment and machinery OEM for the oil and gas industry, which is using cloud computing for remote asset management of high-tech fracturing equipment. Designed and integrated with Rockwell Automation, the company’s equipment’s control and information system leverages Microsoft’s Windows Azure cloud-computing platform to help provide secure remote access to real-time information, automated maintenance alerts, and service and parts delivery requests.

“Our primary and most important role is to serve as gateway of information,” said Moret. “We work with partners like Cisco and Microsoft to be able to take the information, analyse it and do useful work for customers, like helping them to

Blake Moret, Senior Vice President, Control Products and Solutions, Rockwell Automation and Fran Dougherty, CTO, Worldwide Incubation Enterprise and Partner Group, Microsoft

34 JANUARY 2013

optimise their processes.”He noted that cloud computing gives

customers a lot of room to add additional applications beyond maintenance like energy management, predictive maintenance and analytics. In fact, local control systems supplying production data are expected to feed cloud services for analytics and operations intelligence. “We see customers finding business cases to justify early steps into these areas,” claimed Moret. “In general, services and process analysis that are not real-time offer the best opportunities.”

A hybrid cloud platform lets the customer choose an ideal public-private cloud mix. “We don’t want to prescribe a once size fits all model,” said Moret. “We have applications where customers have chosen to put the pieces in different places. We have enabled customers to set up remote control rooms where the cloud stays within their firewall but they are able to pull data from harsh and remote environments into a more controlled area, like the headquarters, where they are bringing in information from multiple field sites.”

As companies implement cloud architecture, the primary concern, for obvious reasons, remains security. “You may have the best technology, but if you don’t have the right policies that govern access and usage, you are no better off than you where previously,” said Moret. At the same time, cloud computing also offers the best opportunity for global consistency as companies implement software and applications that aggregate information coming from multiple applications. Unprecedented convergence

Sujeet Chand, SVP & CTO, Roc kwell Automation and Maciej Kranz, VP & GM Connected Industries Group, Cisco tackled the topics of mobility, security and energy in the context of convergence across the plant floor and throughout the enterprise, which is the primary goal of the strategic alliance between the two companies that goes back nearly 10 years. Today, connected applications are

driving the networking convergence of “carpet” and “concrete – mainly remote monitoring and management, big data and analytics and plant automation. “There is an overwhelming case that can be made for greater connectivity and collaboration, and this is driving a lot of manufacturing companies to connect their plants to their back end IT systems, supply chains and eventually to the smart grid and help to realise the vision of an optimised plant and supply network,” said Chand. The development of standards like Ethernet IP and STEP OPC UA is expected to make it easier for manufacturing companies to tackle the key challenge in this convergence path - extracting legacy data and applications trapped in a plethora of proprietary formats and standards and integrate them with the rest of the applications.

Kranz observed that the network has equally important role in business processes as cloud and analytics. For example, a typical oil rig generates massive amounts of data every minute from the thousands of sensors placed throughout the rig, and if this oil rig is in the middle of the desert, it might be connected to the head quarters via a satellite link. “That’s why you have to look at filtering only the critical data – the data that you can act on – and send that over the satellite link while the rest can be stored in locally for future usage,” he noted.

Both experts agreed that enhanced connectivity will continue to evolve under the flag of standard, unmodified Ethernet. In fact, Ethernet connectivity of industrial automation devices and components is rapidly expanding. Currently, nearly five and a half million nodes in industrial automation are connected through Ethernet, while the

number of Ethernet nodes connected to the Internet is about 10 billion, and expected to triple by 2020. “As we look ahead, we see the cost per node connectivity through Ethernet declining as the number of nodes increase and this, in turn, will drive greater adoption of Ethernet on the plant floor,” said Chand. “A lot of our customers are looking to deploy Ethernet/IP to raise productivity, optimise their plants and supply networks and become more environmentally friendly by managing energy in their entire supply chain or managing emissions.”

As most manufacturers may not know how to architect Ethernet in a manner that is secure and gives them the attributes they need from plant floor network architecture, Rockwell and Cisco have jointly developed a reference architecture to help manufacturers implement Ethernet in their plants and connect that back to their back-end IT infrastructure. Both partners jointly worked with a leading aluminium manufacturer to implement standard Ethernet/IP infrastructure on the plant floor and connect that to the company’s backend IT Ethernet infrastructure, paving

Sujeet Chand, Senior Vice President and CTO, Rockwell Automation and Maciej Kranz, Vice President and General Manager, Connected Industries Group, Cisco

Two user group forums (Process Solutions User Group and Safety Automation Forum)

AUTOMATION FAIROn site

35JANUARY 2013

the way for integrating the two areas. The aluminium manufacturer is now pushing its Ethernet infrastructure into its supply chain to drive more productivity and reduce the cost of production.

“We are taking this collaboration around architectures and products to the next level – the Plant of the Future - which focuses on driving next generation capabilities on the plant floor, whether it is mobility or collaboration, in a secure manner,” said Kranz. “For example, mobility can be more than just giving engineers a tablet to access trouble shooting information; it can also be about leveraging location capability. If a drive overheats, the device can send a signal to a middleware application which can interpret the message as a specialised problem, and locate the closest specialist to come and fix the problem.”

Moreover, Plant of the Future isn’t about building a green-field plant with the attributes of mobility or collaboration or virtualisation. Rockwell and Cisco are working together migrating legacy plants or installations to Plant of the Future using WWW standards like XML and new technologies like cloud and virtualisation. “Cloud computing allows our customers to take their legacy data into the cloud,” said Chand. “Once you have data sitting in the cloud, you can enable mobile devices with that data. Also, at the other side of the cloud, we not only have human expertise but also capability of running analytics which could help improve production.”

The cloud capability needs to be integrated with the rest of the applications as well. “You need to have a security application, availability and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and application environments that combine local as well as loud capabilities,” noted Kranz.

The two partners have also developed reference architecture for building security into Ethernet infrastructure. While perimeter security is great for guarding an installation against external threats, companies are also worried about internal threats. For instance, a plant operator might accidentally or

even maliciously trigger something that disrupts production or endanger lives. Therefore, Rockwell Automation is focussing on putting more security into the network architecture and making controllers more robust. Chand said: “We always assume that the controllers run in a trusted environment and the network is secure and always available. But that needn’t be the case in the future.”

Kranz too picked on the general assumption that the plant network is physically separate from the rest of the infrastructure, noting that this assumption was shaken by security breaches that easily introduced a virus into secure plant environment using the innocuous USB stick. Cisco has collaborated with Rockwell Automation to develop policy-based identity system for the plant floor. Both companies are also working with industry organisations like ODVA on developing Ethernet/IP security standards.

With energy account for up to 40% of the cost of production, it wasn’t surprising to learn that Cisco and Rockwell are working together on active management of energy in devices. Chand said: “Electrical energy accounts for 25% of the cost of producing cement. Finding a way to measure how and where this energy is being consumed and also control this energy in a standard way could have a huge impact.” Both companies are working with ODVA on CIP Energy Object, which seeks to integrate energy management into Ethernet/IP architecture. CIP Energy Object enables capture of energy consumption from devices in a uniform manner, and also allows the use of the controller to change the energy states to actively manage energy.

“While we have integrated safety and control into controllers, energy is measured and monitored in a separate loop outside the control loop,” explained Chand. “With CIP Energy Object, energy becomes another loop in the controller. For example, you can program and push a drive into different sleep modes depending on the process conditions,

an impossible task if you have separate energy loops. With integration of energy, the control system can look at the state of the process and push different devices into energy saving modes.”

Kranz noted that connecting and integrating the devices will open the doors for mobility, collaboration and virtualisation in a secured manner. “Only one per cent of all the devices around us are connected, so our vision is to first connect the unconnected,” he noted. “Once we connect all of these devices, we can enable collaboration, mobility and virtualisation in a secured manner. That’s part of our joint vision about Plant of the Future where we can provide significant business benefits enabling the next generation of workforce and address cost cycles by providing next generation plant architecture as part of broader enterprise architecture.”

Driving the connectivity and integration is Ethernet/IP standard, which is jointly supported by Cisco and Rockwell Automation. “Ethernet/IP nodes are growing at 15% CAGR,” said Chand. “A lot of our customers are looking to the broad connectivity promise of Ethernet/IP to build their future optimised plants and supply networks. In the end, they want to lower the cost of production, drive more productivity and become more sustainable and this is only achievable through broader connection and collaboration not only within the plant but between the plant and its supply network, the business IT system and the smart grid of the future.”

70 Technical Sessions covering over 16 topical areas

18 Hands-on Labs

21 Demonstration Workshops

On siteAUTOMATION FAIR

36 JANUARY 2013

Nuclear

the nuclear energy department at the IAEA in Vienna.

The Fukushima disaster stoked up the nuclear debate across the world, but against early expectations in its immediate aftermath, the industry is finding it still has a major future across the globe. It just has to come to terms with the new economic and political realities.

The Chinese government halted new reactor authorisations after Fukushima, but following a review of safety in existing and future units it said at the end of October that approvals would resume – but at a slower pace and only at coastal sites. The State Council, which is chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao, said reactor construction would proceed at a “steady and orderly” pace and that only a “small number” of new reactor projects will be approved before 2015. In 2009 and 2010, there were 19 units approved.

The same day, the council said China’s total nuclear capacity in 2015 would be 40 GW, nearly quadruple the current capacity. That is the same capacity targeted for operation in 2020 under the previous five-year plan, but before Fukushima, Chinese nuclear officials had expected the 2020 target to be raised to 70 GW or more. The country already

Feature

Fukushima FalloutThe Fukushima disaster stoked up the nuclear de-bate across the world, but against early expectations in its immediate aftermath, the industry is finding it still has a major future across the globe. It just has to come to terms with the new economic and political realities.

By William Freebairn, Managing Editor, Nucleonics Week

A year and a half on from the Fukushima nuclear accident, the impact of

that dreadful event – initially seen as a hammer blow for a resurgent nuclear industry’s prospects – is

gradually becoming clearer. But while Western Europe is almost certain to see its reliance on nuclear energy diminished, with public opinion in the mature democracies of the region swinging strongly towards the antinuclear camp, fast-growing countries in Asia and the Middle East are still eyeing fairly major expansions. According to the latest forecasts by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Fukushima accident has delayed new nuclear deployment globally by about a decade. However, the world’s nuclear generating capacity is still expected to increase by somewhere between 25% and 100% by 2030.

Still, under the burden of new safety requirements being imposed in most countries, the costs of nuclear energy are under greater than ever scrutiny and state support is likely to be key for the projects that do move forward.

It is in Asia that forecasts of nuclear capacity growth have been least reduced since Fukushima. That is perhaps surprising given the region is so prone to the kind of natural disasters that led to Fukushima – the top eight deadliest natural disasters since 1900 have all been in Asia – but a combination of population growth, rising incomes and consequently surging electricity demand are spurring ambitious reactor deployment programs.

In the Far East, nuclear generating capacity is expected to double even under the IAEA’s “low-growth” scenario, and could more than triple in a “high” scenario to 274 GW from 80 GW at the end of 2011. That growth will be largely driven by China and South Korea, with Japan’s nuclear future seriously in doubt.

“The countries in which there was a strong intent to proceed (with new nuclear units) have by and large confirmed that intent,” said Alan McDonald, program coordinator in

The Fukushima disaster stoked up the nuclear

debate across the world, but against early

expectations in its immediate aftermath,

the industry is finding it still has a major future across the globe. It just

has to come to terms with the new economic and

political realities

37JANUARY 2013

Nuclear Feature

has 15 operating units and 26 are currently under construction, according to the Londonbased World Nuclear Association.

That contrasts with prospects in Japan, where the psychological impact of Fukushima has been profound. In 2010, the Japanese government launched a plan to increase the country’s dependence on nuclear energy for power to 50%, from about 25% at the time. But in September this year, a government panel reviewing energy policy concluded that the country should be nuclear energyfree by “the 2030s.” The policy will prohibit construction of new nuclear generating units, except for three that were already under construction when Fukushima happened.

Still, the way forward is not clear in light of Japan’s lack of significant conventional hydrocarbons resources. Nuclear has been a fundamental plank of the country’s energy policy for years and Japanese industry, concerned that abandoning it could send electricity costs soaring, pressured the government to reject the panel’s findings. In the end Japan’s cabinet declined to formally endorse the policy but said it will take it as a reference.

Future policy is unlikely to become clearer until after elections, which

are due to take place in or before August 2013, although a degree of consensus among the political parties has emerged. If it turns away from nuclear power and wants to maintain some energy independence, Japan has few options but to massively increase its renewable energy generation, Toshikazu Okuya, a representative of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, told a meeting at the Brookings Institution in October. Spelling out the dilemma Japan faces, he said: “We have no room to buy expensive gas and oil from the rest of the world.”

South Korea, which is a world leader in reactor design and has by far the highest proportion of nuclear in its power mix among the Asian nations, seems set on a path of expansion and has 11 more reactors scheduled to come online by 2021, adding 13.8 GW of capacity. But there too the industry is coming up against an increasingly vocal and broad-based opposition and is unlikely find things all plain sailing.

Public opinion in Taiwan has also moved strongly against nuclear and in late October the Economic Committee of the Taiwanese legislature passed a non-binding resolution calling for the conversion of the yet-to-be-completed Lungmen nuclear power plant, which would

be its fourth, to a gas-fired power plant. The proposal, which would be very challenging and expensive, is still under review and subject to final approval at a later stage.

Growth in the South Asia and Middle East regions may be the fastest of all, according to the IAEA. Incomes there are rising fast but electrification remains low and as more people are connected to the grid, energy demand will soar. In the two regions, electricity use per capita is expected to almost triple to 2.7 MW in 2030 from 1 MW in 2011, the highest growth of any region except Africa and Latin America. The agency forecasts that nuclear generating capacity could reach 52 GW by 2030 or nine times the 2011 installed capacity of 6 GW.

Emerging economic powerhouse India, with 20 reactors operating already, has seven more under construction that would more than double its nuclear portfolio to around 10 GW. Back in 2010, the government announced an ambitious plan to expand nuclear power capacity to 63 GW by 2032, aiming to reduce the country’s reliance on an overstrained domestic coal sector unable to cope with the country’s fast-growing energy needs.

But public opposition in the country was a serious issue even

IAEA ESTIMATES FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY CAPACITY IN 2030(CURRENT CAPACITY 368.8 GW)

2012 High estimate

2012 Low estimate

2012 High estimate

2012 Low estimate

World 740 GW 456 GW 803 GW 546 GWNorth America(current: 114 GW)

148 GW 111 GW 166 GW 128 GW

Western Europe(current: 114 GW)

126 GW 70 GW 158 GW 86 GW

Middle East andSouth Asia 6 GW)

52 GW 30 GW 56 GW 32 GW

Far East(current: 80 GW)

274 GW 153 GW 267 GW 197 GW

38 JANUARY 2013

before Fukushima, with populations near to the proposed new sites launching protests, sometimes violent ones. At Kudankulam, where the first of two 1,000 MW Russian-built units has already been completed, they succeeded in delaying commissioning that was originally scheduled for December 2011.

The campaign against the plant has intensified this year and as of the end of October the unit was still awaiting the go-ahead from India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. In the Middle East, a region of abundant hydrocarbons, some countries are looking closely at nuclear energy as a way to meet growing electricity needs without curbing oil exports. The region’s first civilian nuclear plant was built, with Russian assistance, at Bushehr in Iran and opened in September 2011, reaching full capacity of 1 GW in August this year. Iran is also working on a new 360 MW nuclear power plant at Darkhovin and has indicated it will build more in the future. But the country’s nuclear ambitions – which it repeatedly states, in the face of a chorus international disbelief, are purely for power generation – are under the shadow of an increasingly fraught diplomatic struggle with the international community over its alleged nuclear weapons program.

Oil-producing giant Saudi Arabia, which currently relies on oil, gas and diesel for nearly all its electricity generation, has caused a buzz in the nuclear industry with plans to build as many as 16 nuclear units by 2032, aiming to meet a sixth of its electricity needs. A tender is expected next year for the first units, officials said during a conference in Dubai in September. The Saudi government is unlikely to have to deal with much in the way of public opposition, and even if it does, it is well equipped to cope.

Saudi Arabia’s tiny neighbour

the United Arab Emirates has also announced a very ambitious nuclear plant construction plan using a South Korean reactor design. The UAE’s decision to agree not to enrich or reprocess uranium earned it a nuclear cooperation agreement with the US which allows US companies to be suppliers on the USD20 billion

project. Construction has started on the first reactor at the site in Abu Dhabi known as Barakah.

The agency’s projections show nuclear capacity in Western Europe will be far lower in 2030 than previously anticipated. Nuclear generating capacity in the region could be almost 40% lower in 2030 than it was at the end of 2011, IAEA said in September, citing a worst-case or “low” scenario. Even under its most optimistic high-growth scenario, nuclear capacity would be only 10% higher than the current 114.5 GW in the region. Western Europe may depend on nuclear energy for as little as 14% of electricity generation in 2030, compared to 26% in 2011, the agency said. That change comes in large part because of the German government’s decision, faced with a vociferous and emboldened anti-nuclear lobby, to phase out nuclear power in the wake of Fukushima and greatly increase reliance on renewable energy sources,

rapidly reversing a previous decision. Germany has already closed eight of its 17 nuclear units and will shut the rest by 2022.

Next door, a new Socialist-led government in France – which has by far the highest proportion of nuclear generating capacity in the world – has agreed to shut its oldest nuclear unit by 2016, part of a campaign pledge to its Green Party coalition partners. The capacity being lost, just 1,840 MW, is a small part of France’s 65.9 GW of nuclear capacity but the symbolism of the move to shrink the nuclear sector

Among the other West European countries that are most dependent on nuclear, the Swiss government in May 2011 decided to abandon plans to build new nuclear reactors, and the country’s five existing reactors will not be replaced at the end of their life span. Between now and 2034, when the last one is due to go offline, the country will have to switch some 40% of its generation portfolio to non-nuclear.

Belgium, which relies on nuclear for around a half of its generation capacity – second only to France in terms of dependence – has decided to phase out nuclear power generation completely by 2025. Two of its seven reactors have not been restarted since the discovery of problems in 2012 and a further two reactors are scheduled to be taken out of service in 2015.

Sweden, in contrast, had been due to phase out nuclear – around 40% of its generation capacity – completely by 2010, in line with a referendum following the 1979 Three Mile Island accident in the US. But in 2010 the government, under pressure to meet carbon emissions targets, passed a law allowing new nuclear plant to be built, although only to replace old units. That decision has not been reversed since Fukushima but public support for new nuclear – previously quite strong – has been shaken.

Oil-producing giant Saudi Arabia, which currently

relies on oil, gas and diesel for nearly all its electricity generation,

has caused a buzz in the nuclear industry with

plans to build as many as 16 nuclear units by 2032, aiming to meet a sixth of

its electricity needs.

Feature Nuclear

39JANUARY 2013

Feature

In the UK, a couple of recent developments have made the highly ambitious target of building 16 GW of new nuclear capacity look more achievable, which has not always been the case amid fierce criticism from those who argue that the heavy upfront costs and long construction times make nuclear projects unworkable in the current economic conditions. German utilities E.ON and RWE npower in March abandoned plans to build the 6 GW Horizon nuclear project but in October Japanese industrial conglomerate Hitachi agreed to buy it for around USD1.1 billion and said that it plans to build two to three 1.3 GW nuclear power plants at each of the existing Wylfa and Oldbury sites, with the first plant to become operational in 2020-2025. The UK government also moved to advance its support of new nuclear deployment with the launch of an industry association to smooth implementation of the new supply chain. French company EDF, which is expected to announce a final investment decision on its prospective UK new nuclear projects before the end of 2012, welcomed the formation of the Nuclear Industry Council as “a clear demonstration of the UK creating the right investment climate for new nuclear.”

In the absence of major state support, creating the right conditions for building new nuclear plant is a challenge. The International Energy Agency said in its most recent World Energy Outlook that without new energy policies favouring nuclear energy, global installed capacity could decline 15% by 2035 as retirements accumulate, with the most marked decreases coming in OECD countries.

The UK has been weighing a system that will effectively set a fixed price for nuclear energy, which policymakers believe will spur

construction of several new units in that country. The government says such a system is not a subsidy, and that the new generating capacity is needed because of pending nuclear station retirements.

“All operating nuclear power plants were built by a utility with regulated rates or by a government or government-owned utility,” points out Edward Kee, vice president of NERA Economic Consulting. “The regulated or government approach is also used in almost all nuclear power plants under construction today.”

“Countries who want to buy and build nuclear power plants increasingly expect the reactor vendor to invest in the project,” he said.

One possible option for reactor vendors is to bundle financing with the turnkey contract for a new plant, analysts say. Russia’s state-owned nuclear industry giant Rosatom, has been an aggressive vendor in recent years, and has eyed Asia in particular for expansion. The company has sought markets outside the former Soviet republics by pursuing opportunities for projects in India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Turkey and even Argentina, and bundling financing with the reactor purchase.

The global financial crisis is the biggest obstacle to new nuclear plants, not safety concerns stemming from Fukushima, which have not been “dramatic,” said Kirill Komarov, deputy general director for international business development at Rosatom, during a speech to the WNA annual symposium in London in September. Financing of multi-billiondollar investments like nuclear plants may be beyond the capacity of many nations, he said.

The solution? Additional support of the kind that Russia’s state-owned industry is perfectly positioned to supply. “We are convinced that under these conditions the role of the state becomes the only option for

sustainable development of nuclear power in the long-term,” he said.

Russia has offered a “build, own, operate” model in which it will agree to construct and operate the plant in a country seeking nuclear energy. That model was selected by Turkey for the Akkuyu nuclear plant, where Rosatom will build and run four 1,100 MW reactors and Russia has contracts in place using similar models for potential plants in Bangladesh, India and Vietnam, with opportunities in Indonesia and Malaysia as well.

Many countries considering buying nuclear power plants also expect the reactor vendor to provide local jobs, include local suppliers in the nuclear project and even invest in local nuclear industrial development – things that may increase the total project cost, he said.

“Because of these buyer expectations, a state-owned nuclear vendor with capital to invest, like Rosatom, may have an edge in the market,” Kee said. IAEA said that, however they are financed, new nuclear stations are likely to be built because of population growth and demand for electricity in the developing world, both powerful economic and political forces.

(The article has been sourced from the Platts Insight compendium, released by Platts at the 2012 Platts Global Energy Awards. For more information, visit //platts.com/MediaCenter)

The global financial crisis is the biggest obstacle to new nuclear plants, not

safety concerns stemming from Fukushima, which have not been dramatic

-Kirill Komarov, deputy general director for international business development,

Rosatom

Nuclear

40 JANUARY 2013

Market report

Power-packed growthThe gCC power and distribu-tion transformer market is expected to grow at a cAgR of more than seven per cent.

Power consumption in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is constantly rising; and

consequently, electricity transmission and distribution (T&D) networks are proliferating to fulfil this demand. Transformers, a pivotal component in T&D, hence have significant demand in the GCC. Frost & Sullivan analysis indicates investment in the GCC power and distribution transformer market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than seven per cent over next five years. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is expected to lead the way with approximately 47% of total investments; with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar following, albeit significantly behind, with just 18% and 16% of the envisaged investment, respectively.

This increased investment is due to industrialisation and diversification plans of the GCC economies that are being realised. Investments in infrastructure development, construction, rising demand from industrial units and expansion of electrical grid in the GCC are expected to be drivers for power transformer segment while increased housing and infrastructure development are expected to be drivers for the distribution transformer segment.

Additionally, Frost & Sullivan expects infrastructure development to get a fillip with compact designs, low noise, low losses, reduced lifecycle cost, and high efficiency in the power transformer segment. Dry type

41JANUARY 2013

Market report

Dry type transformers are slated to be a big

trend in the distribution transformer market

transformers are slated to be a big trend in the distribution transformer market, particularly in areas like metro stations, malls, cinema halls, hospitals, commercial buildings where safety is the prime concern.

Frost & Sullivan further anticipates increase in demand predominantly from planned infrastructure and T&D projects, especially in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Chart 1 illustrates revenue forecast of the power and distribution transformer market in the GCC till 2016.

Driving forcesIncreased demand of power from both residential and industrial segments is a key factor contributing towards growing future investment in power and distribution transformers. There are certain additional factors supplementing this need for investment in the GCC including liberalisation of policy to counter foreign competition, preparations for the upcoming Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022, and on-going political unrest. These factors are encouraging GCC governments to increase spending and investments in the power sector. Thus, significant growth in the GCC transformer sector is inevitable.

Challenges in the GCC transformer sectorIncreasing competition, which has led to narrowing of profit margins mainly due to the recent financial crisis and fall of oil prices, has been a critical impediment in the GCC

transformer market. Transformer manufacturers were willing to drop average prices in order to win available orders, compromising profit margins. Further, emergence of local players as well as Asian suppliers, particularly in countries like Oman, has intensified competition.

There has been a slump in the construction sector mainly in cities like Dubai. The global financial crisis and construction downturn had led to complete stoppage of projects in Dubai, a commercial hub of the UAE. The ripple effect has also been felt, to a lesser extent, in other GCC nations. Even though the market has recovered, complete speed-up of activities to earlier levels is expected to take place only after 2012.

Furthermore, what exacerbates the situation is the unstable political situation in the region, coupled with fluctuating demand across utility segments, mainly in the lower Gulf. The associated socio-political risks have affected capital investments from the private sector.

Opportunities•AlltheGCCstateshaveambitiousplans that are underway or in planning stages. Such projects are likely to power growth of electrical equipment as well. Saudi Arabia holds major share of investment in the region and has many upcoming mega projects like the USD100 billion King Abdullah City of Atomic and Renewable Energy, construction

of which will commence by 2013.•Qatarhasplanstobuildatleasteightpower and water facilities, including the USD3 billion Qatar Facility power project. The UAE also is also expected to be one of the attractive markets in power, water, and energy sectors in the long run, with projects like the upcoming USD20 billion Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi.•Privatisationinthepowersector–Astrategic shift in the way the power sector operates is expected in the long term. This is expected to pave the way for a GCC-wide privatisation of power generation and some sections of T&D. Emerging policies and plans indicate that Oman, the KSA, and the UAE will lead the way towards privatisation, with other countries expected to follow close behind.

ConclusionThe GCC states plan to invest approximately USD150 billion in the power sector until 2020. Of this, 50% is estimated to be used in the T&D sector for new developments and up gradation of existing infrastructure

This is directly expected to boost both the power and distribution transformer market. Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar are likely to be the key focus markets due to their growth potential. Huge investments committed by the governments in these countries are expected to percolate down to the transmission and distribution equipment market as well. Factors like the rising load demands, improved efficiency, and replacement of the existing aged transformers are expected to drive the GCC transformer market in coming years. However, entry of local participants is likely to provide further competition to existing participants.

42 JANUARY 2013

43JANUARY 2013

Special Report

MIDDLE EAST ELECTRICITY 2013

The 38th edition adds renewable energy to the exhibition portfolio; uAe power sector poised to attract USD25 billion investment

Anita Mathews, Exhibition Director of

Middle East Electricity

INVESTMENT IN MENA POWER SECTOR FOR PERIOD 2013-2017 (USDBN)

Generation (G) Transmission (T) Distribution (D) Total (G,T,D)

Maghreb¹ 17.6 3.9 9.7 31.2

Mashreq² 36.8 6.3 18 61.1

GCC³ 63.1 10.7w 30.9 104.7

Rest of Arab World*

2.3 .5 1.3 4.1

Iran 27.8 6.1 15.3 49.2

MENA Total 147.6 27.5 75.2 250.3

The Middle East and North Africa region will need to pump USD250 billion into its power

sector in the next five years to meet regional electricity demand growth, according to a new report published by the Arab Petroleum Investment Corporation. The October 2012 report, titled MENA Energy Investment Outlook: Capturing the Full Scope and Scale of the Power Sector, stated that over the next five years, power capacity in the MENA region will increase by 7.8% annually, translating to a capacity increment of 124 gigawatts.

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

maghreb: Algeria, Libya, mauritania, morocco, Tunisia ² mashreq: egypt, iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, PT, syria

³ gCC: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE* Rest of Arab World: Sudan, Yemen

(Sou

rce:

API

CORP

Res

earc

h)

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% (USD105 billion) of total required expenditure.“A young, urbanising and fast growing population combined with the massive diversification and industrial expansion plans across the MENA region has led to a spurt in the demand for power,” said Anita Mathews, Exhibition Director of Middle East Electricity.

“Some MENA countries have been struggling to keep up with the escalating demand amid political turmoil in parts of the region. By catching up with power demand being perceived as socially, economically and politically desirable, however, we see a concerted private and public sector

effort to ramp up investment in power-related industries.”

GCC construction contractor awards for new power, water projects tipped to value USD32.4 billion in 2013, according to the latest GCC Power and Desalination Report from research firm Ventures Middle East. According to the Venture’s report, most of the power and water project activity for 2013 is expected in Saudi Arabia, which will see USD17 billion worth of new contracts awarded, followed by the UAE and Kuwait, which are both expected to sign off on brand new contracts totaling USD4.2 billion each. In Qatar, power and water contracts worth USD3.2 billion are expected in 2013, tailed closely by Oman with USD2.7 billion worth of contracts, with Bahrain rounding off the figures with USD1.1 billion of fresh contract awards for the year.

“Rapidly increasing population and expanding commercial, industrial, and residential sectors will ensure that regional demand for electricity and water will continue unabated, and the timing is perfect for international companies to showcase their products and services to a proven audience of key decision makers at Middle East Electricity,” said Mathews.

This year, Middle East Electricity will host the inaugural edition of Solar Middle East, a three-day event dedicated to the regional solar industry. With at least 10 solar power facilities worth a combined USD6.8 billion currently under way in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco, Solar Middle East is set to

44 JANUARY 2013

Special Report

GCC construction contractor awards for new power and water projects are expected to be

worth USD32.4 billion in 2013

become the largest gathering of solar technology suppliers ever seen in the region. The timing appears to be to be right as well as global renewable energy investment reaches an all time high in 2011 of USD257 billion, according to the latest Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment report. However, the MENA region lags behind the rest of the world, accounting for only 2.1% (USD5.5 billion) of total renewable investment for the year.

Though the MENA countries have an abundance of renewable sources to become a world leader in renewable energy – predominantly solar and wind – policy uncertainty created by socio-political turmoil has delayed progress in the region.

Additionally, disincentives built into electricity price subsidies have stalled renewables deployment within the MENA region according to the report, which was released in collaboration between the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. Countries spared by the turbulence such as the UAE and Morocco, however made significant advancements.

With the renewable energy sector highlighted as a key focus this year at Middle East Electricity, its organisers Informa Exhibitions believe that regional investment in the sector will pick up again, after a disappointing year in 2011, in which investment had dropped by 18% from 2010.

“By 2030, almost 15.7% of the world’s energy will be coming from renewable sources,” added Mathews. “With global hydrocarbon resources dwindling amid a concerted effort to build a green environment while reducing carbon emissions, countries across the world are now turning to green energy.”

“While the MENA region has a long way to go to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of renewable energy investment, governments are definitely reviewing their strategies and aiming at increasing the shares of renewable energy in their energy mix of the future.”

And as renewable energy investment across the world climbs to new heights, the trend is set to continue. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, renewable energy investments are predicted to reach USD395 billion in 2020 before climbing to USD460 billion in 2030.

The second edition of Middle East Electricity Awards will take place on the opening night of the event at a gala dinner.

The categories covered include:•Power Project of the Year•Lighting Project of the Year•Solar Project of the Year•Best Innovation or Technology of the Year•CSR Initiative of the Year•Power & Water Utility of the Year•HSE Project or Initiative of the Year•CEO of the Year (Special Award)

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 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 per cent annually overall, much of the growth comes from Abu Dhabi as the UAE capital expects power demand to grow by 11% annually until 2015, while Dubai expects 3.5 per cent growth over the next decade and 2.5 per cent from 2020-2030.

Anita Mathews, Exhibition Director for Middle East Electricity, said: “The UAE is a rapidly growing economy whose electricity consumption has been growing continuously and is further poised to grow at a faster pace in the next decade.”

“The country has also begun exploring alternative energy sources including solar power, nuclear and natural gas to boost capacity and diversify the energy mix. Nuclear power in the UAE for example will contribute up to seven per cent of the country’s total power demand by 2020.”

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 1,600MW by 2014.

UAE power consumption

to double

TURN TO PAGE 22 FOR TENDERS AND PROJECT

INFORMATION

45JANUARY 2013

Leakage Feature

Simulations that localise leaksWater is the only part of our diet for which there is no sub-stitute; yet it is being wasted in huge quantities. Relief may be on the way, however, as researchers close in on ways of using ultrasound and mathematics to simulate normal behaviour in water networks and localise the sources of leaks.By Bernd Schöne

T he ancient Greeks, Romans, and Assyrians supplied their major cities with water piped

in from distant springs. Canals made of precisely shaped stones enabled these urban populations to survive. Canals had covers to minimise losses due to evaporation, and the Romans used concrete to prevent leakage. But the engineers of antiquity were unable to detect hidden leaks - and that’s a problem we still have today. Even in a modern city like London, millions of litres of water are lost to leakage every day. “That’s due to the dilapidated water mains from the Victorian era,” says Martin Geiger, Freshwater Director at the German section of the World Wide Fund for Nature.

According to official sources, London loses 217 litres of drinking water daily at each joint of its 30,000-kilometre-long water supply network. If the losses could be reduced by only one per cent, 224,000 more people could be

supplied with drinking water. Each leak is small and inconspicuous, but collectively the losses are enormous. A teaching manual reports that at a pressure of five bar a tiny leak only one millimetre wide lets 58 litres of water per hour seep into the ground. And it may be a long time before such a leak is discovered. Depending on how a water mains operator is organised, it may take three to six months.

“Leakage is an unsolved problem, especially in southern countries and when pipes are old,” says Geiger. In countries that have plenty of water, the losses cost “only” money and energy, because pressure-generating pumps require large amounts of energy. But in dry regions the leaks are a threat to life and health. According to the UN, over a billion people in the third world suffer from inadequate supplies of drinking water. The World Health Organisation reports that half of the world’s people live in regions at risk of drought. But water losses are only part of the problem. Leaks also decrease water quality, because impurities such as microorganisms can penetrate pipes through the holes.

“In some water supply networks in India, up to 60% of the water leaks out on the way to users,” says Geiger. Unfortunately, finding leaks is a very expensive and time-consuming process. One reason for this is the fact that flow measuring devices are installed only in major pipes, if at all. What’s happening in the smaller pipes is discovered only by accident, when inspectors use a listening device to detect the difference in sound between a leak and a normal diversion of the flow. Another reason is that there is seldom a network-wide assessment of measured values.

All of this could soon change thanks to a new system that listens to water flows and automatically detects anomalies, thus helping to

minimise expensive losses. Working closely with their counterparts at Siemens Corporate Technology (CT) in Munich, researchers at Siemens’ Nuremberg-based Industrial Automation Division have developed a solution for this problem. “We offer our customers a electro-technical package for managing their water supply, ranging from the tapping of a freshwater source to water distribution, management of the water supply network, and disposal of the wastewater,” explains Dr Andreas Pirsing, who is responsible for portfolio management at the Water & Wastewater business unit. “But thanks to our new SIWA LeakControl system, we can now find the leaks as well.”

To detect leaks, engineers divide a network section into zones whose rate of water use can be analysed economically using only a few sonar-based ultrasound flow meters to measure incoming and outgoing flows. This flow measurement solution has already proved its value many times for customers ranging from oil refineries to wastewater authorities. It is easy to install, and it can be used on pipes of any diameter, made of any material. Another advantage is the fact that it can be

47JANUARY 2013

Leakage Feature

attached to a pipe from outside. A service technician simply attaches the flow meters to pipes and connects them with measuring devices that transmit the resulting data by radio to a process control centre. These data are then used to produce an overview of flow rates over time. In the search for leaks, the measured values for night hours are important, because the amount of water that is used between two am and four am is typically minimal. Only the leaks in pipes continue to spew out water during this time. A sudden increase from one measured night-time value to the next is a clear indicator of a new leak.

Siemens’ measurement algorithms require between one and two weeks to record normal use in a water pipeline network. After that, they can detect new leaks automatically. The most difficult step in this process was to develop sufficiently intelligent algorithms.

“A drinking water network is not a pipeline with clearly defined inflows and outflows,” says Roland Rosen, head of Siemens’ Modelling, Simulation, and Optimisation (MSO) technology field. “We know exactly what’s flowing in, but our knowledge of where the water flows out is very vague. So we’re looking for deviations from a standard value that we don’t yet know.”

The laws of statistics provide the solution to this problem. If the network is sound, there is a characteristic distribution of measured values. This is similar to games of dice. “A leak has the same effect as loaded dice,” explains Dr Jan Christoph Wehrstedt, a mathematician who works at MSO. The computer programmes watch for unusual measured values every night. If they detect a distorted value distribution, an alarm goes off. In order to minimise false alarms, the software compares the results of several zones with one another. “If

an unusual amount of water runs through all the pipes at night all of a sudden, that’s not a leak — it means there’s a soccer game on,” says Wehrstedt, who knows this from experience. That’s because at halftime everyone’s running to the toilet. The system does not take such peak use into account.

No learning phase needed “In addition to the distribution of water flow and pressure, we’ve also been using Monte Carlo simulations recently,” says Wehrstedt. These simulations are particularly complex statistical processes that can detect leaks very quickly. “To do this, we create a simulation of the water piping network. Our computers then calculate the pressure conditions in the water flow within the network using measured inflows and outflows. This enables us to simulate the water flow along the branches and at the points of confluence,” he explains. The result is a computer model that engineers can use to run experiment with.

Measured values are compared with sensor data, substituting coincidental profiles for the unknown behaviour of consumers. The Monte Carlo simulation then generates fluctuations in the simulated values. These comparisons of measured and simulated values make it possible to skip the two-week learning phase. In order to take a closer look at suspect sections of the network, the teams install additional sensors. This eliminates the need for expensive searches of suspect pipe sections using pickaxes and shovels. “The Monte Carlo algorithms also indicate old leaks - in other words, leaks that already existed during the learning phase, which we would not have found by means of simple statistical processes,” adds Wehrstedt. Engineers recommend that network operators have their entire pipeline network checked once every quarter.

A conventional PC needs about 10 minutes to analyse a network that is approximately 500 kilometres long and has a few hundred nodes.

“Mathematically speaking, the problem of ensuring a metropolitan area’s water supply is a lot like analysing the outcome of an election,” says Wehrstedt. “In both cases researchers conduct a statistical analysis of the measured values and then estimate what kind of behaviour should be expected in the future. However, we’re not predicting how a group of citizens will vote - we’re predicting how much water they will use in a certain branch of a network.” Siemens engineers were able to test their system under real-life conditions in a major city soon after they had developed it. The leak seekers were soon rewarded. “Even though we were investigating a well-kept European water piping network, the very first run-through of our software revealed one or more leaks in every part of the city - which the network managers had not been aware of,” recalls Pirsing.

Compared with the conventional periods between inspections, the test run of the SIWA LeakControl system immediately saved the provider several hectolitres of drinking water per day at each (repaired) leak. All the same, one of the city’s inhabitants does not have pleasant memories of this test run. He had illegally tapped the water mains for many years in order to fill his swimming pool. After the water network analysis was carried out, a team of emergency technicians was sent out to investigate. The thrifty pool owner received a huge water bill. Without the analysis he would probably have been able to swim in stolen water for decades.

(Sourced with permission from Pictures of the Future Magazine, Spring 2012, Siemens AG)

49JANUARY 2013

Market Place

A BB has launched two new products in the Middle East - the ‘all-compatible’

ACS880-01 drive and the energy-efficient synchronous reluctance motor (SRM) and drive package. According to a press release issued by the company, the ACS880-01 wall-mounted drives from the new industrial drive series can be customised to the precise needs of many applications, including cranes, extruders, winches, conveyors, mixers, compressors, pumps and fans. They are available in nine frame sizes (R1 to R9) with a power range from 0.55 to 250 kW and voltage range from 380 to 500 V AC, with plans to extend to 690 V AC later.

With enclosure classes IP21 as standard (IP55 to be made available later as an option), the drives are compatible with a wide range of industries such as oil and gas, mining, metals, chemicals, cement, power plants, material handling, pulp and paper, woodworking and marine.

The press release stated that the ACS880-01 features a new intuitive and easy-to-use control panel with USB connection and the control panel supports over 20 languages. At the heart of the ACS880-01 is direct torque control (DTC), ABB’s motor control technology for controlling various motors, from AC induction

to permanent magnet motors. Integrated safety features, the release continued, include safe torque-off (STO) as standard, with extended safety functions available later as options via a safety functions module.

The new drive composer PC tool comes in two versions: a free version for basic start-up and maintenance purposes and a professional version for advanced drive configuration and monitoring. Communications includes a wide range of fieldbus adapters and a built-in drive-to-drive link for master–follower control systems. The built-in energy calculators provide information, including used and saved kWh and MWh, CO2 reduction and saved costs.

Motor increases energy efficiencyABB has also launched the energy-efficient synchronous reluctance motor (SRM) and drive package, which the company claims is unique due to the rotor design - it has no windings, unlike traditional synchronous designs. As a result, ABB claims the rotor suffers virtually no power losses and its temperature remains lower than in conventional rotors. The package includes a matched motor and drive with dedicated software and is optimised for variable speed operation.

ABB

new energy-efficient drives and motors

A spen Technology has announced the release of aspenONE V8 software.

According to a press release issued by the company, aspenONE V8 delivers a new version of Aspen HYSYS; solids modeling functionality (acquired from SolidSim earlier this year) integrated within Aspen Plus;

New aspenONEV8 Process optimisation software

the new Aspen PIMS Platinum; a new version of Aspen Collaborative Demand Manager, and innovations in advanced process control, energy` and economic analysis.

According to the press release, with aspenONE V8, new and occasional users become proficient faster, while experienced users can do more which is critical for process industry companies facing workforce development and skills shortages. Usability and visualisation enhancements in aspenONE V8, the release noted, enable users to collaborate more easily, shortening project times and increasing productivity.

Highlights of aspenONE V8 include:aspenONE EngineeringA new Aspen HYSYS. The press release claimed that new version re-defines simulation usability for the hydrocarbon industry with a redesigned interface, streamlined workflow and interactive analysis makes it faster and easier to generate optimized process simulations. Solids modeling integrated within the simulation environment. The integration of recently acquired SolidSim technology into Aspen Plus, the release notes, eliminates silos between previously disparate solids and liquids modeling processes, making it possible to optimise all chemical processes together for the first time.The new “Activate” feature in Aspen Plus and Aspen HYSYS, the press release continued, allows process engineers to find energy and capital cost savings faster. Through activated energy, which the company claims to be an industry first in process optimisation, process engineers can quickly identify ways to change designs to reduce energy, saving design time and future operating cost. Employing activated economics, process engineers can apply science rather than intuition to ensuring the best use of capital.

AspenTechnology

Abcd

51JANUARY 2013

World Future Energy Summit 2013, hosted by Masdar, is the centrepiece of Abu Dhabi sustainability week, which is expected to attract world leaders, government delegations, business executives, policymakers, scientists, engineers, investors and innovators. WFES 2013 will have the International Renewable Energy conference (iRec) and an exhibition with over 600 exhibiting companies from 40 countries including 20 national pavilions. The organisers project 70 new products to be launched at WFES 2013. Currently 40 projects worth over USD8 billion are confirmed to be part of the upgraded Project & finance village. other exhibition features at WFES 2013 include the new wfes eco-home and an energy efficiency Pavilion (both under the new Sustainable Living Area), the Technology exchange Platform, the green Jobs Career Fair, the green Ideas Fair, the Young Future Energy Leaders forum, and the food-energy-water nexus exhibition and gallery. The inaugural International Water Summit (iws) will gather water experts from around the globe in an effort to create an international think-tank dedicated to water sustainability and the water-energy nexus. Running for the duration of the event, the iws exhibition will feature 150 companies from more than 20 countries. germany, Italy, USA, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Singapore have confirmed among others their participation at iws. exhibitors include as borouge borealis, ch2mhiLL, Xylem, hyflux, metito, cla val europe, Abener Energia SA, gE Water, grundfos, hitachi, Mitsubishi, Shell and Schlumberger.

Contact: Claude TaljTel: +971 2 409 0409M: +971 50 452 8168E-mail: [email protected]: www.worldfutureenergysummit.com

Abu Dhabi Sustainability WeekJanuary 15 – 17, 2013, Abu Dhabi

held under the patronage of his highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Middle East Electricity 2013 is now in its 38th edition, making it one of the largest and longest-running power events in the region. To be held at the dubai international exhibition centre, middle east electricity is positioned as the meeting place for international companies to showcase their products and services for the power, lighting, renewable and nuclear sectors. “Middle East Electricity is the ideal meeting place for exhibitors from all over the world to showcase their products and services to an audience of key decision makers from more than 120 countries,” says Anita mathews, exhibition director of middle east electricity,“After a highly successful edition in 2012, where 15,120 unique visitors walked through the exhibition halls, we are looking forward to 2013, and have made some exciting developments in recent months as we keep aligned with industry trends.” one such development is middle east electricity’s co-location with the inaugural edition of Solar Middle East, a three-day event dedicated to the regional solar industry. Also, middle east electricity 2013 returns with the middle east electricity Awards, and an extended programme of technical seminars. green Energy Middle East Conference will take place on february 18, 2012. organised by informa exhibitions, middle east electricity 2013 is partnered with Power + water middle east in Abu dhabi, Power nigeria in Abuja and Africa electricity in Johannesburg.

Contact: The Middle East Electricity teamTel: +971 4 336 5161Fax: 971 4 335 3526E-mail: [email protected]: www.middleeastelectricity.com

Middle East ElectricityFebruary 17– 19, 2013, Dubai

Power challenges, trends and issues will be the essence of the upcoming POWER-gEN middle east 2013 conference and exhibition which will take place next month in doha, Qatar at Qatar national convention centre. under the Patronage of his excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry, this will mark the 11th year and third year in Qatar following on from the event’s success in 2012 which saw more than 3,000 attendees from over 63 countries. Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen, International Events Director, PennWell Corporation who are the organisers of the event, said: “we are excited to be returning to the thriving business hub of Qatar with a world-class conference programme that will see more than 60 high-level speakers deliver engaging presentations and lively panel discussions across four tracks with topics focusing on vital power issues and challenges as well as the growth of the gas, renewable and alternate energy sectors.”waterworld middle east 2013, which is co-located with POWER-gEN Middle East with platinum sponsorship from Qatar’s Ministry of Works – Ashghal, will see over 50 speakers and eminent chairs from 20 countries deliver presentations and panel discussions in response to the opportunities and challenges in water supply and sanitation in the MENA region.

Contact: James Caffall Forbes Associates T: +974 (3383) 4730URL: www.power-gen-middleeast.comURL: www.waterworldmiddleeast.com

EVENTS

POWER-GEN Middle East 2013WaterWorld Middle East 2013February 4-6, 2013, Doha

52 JANUARY 2013

PROCUREMENT UPDATESTenders & Projects

PROJECT NUMBERPROJECT NAME

TERRITORYCLIENT


DESCRIPTION

PERIODSTATUS

REMARKS

FINANCIAL CONSULTANTLEGAL CONSULTANT

MPP2424-OMusandam IPP DevelopmentOmanName: Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C.Address: Al-Harthy ComplexCity: Muscat PC 118 Postal/Zip Code: 261Country: OmanTel: (+968) 2457 3100Fax: (+968) 2457 3101E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.oman-oil.comEngineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for the development of an Independent Power Project (IPP) with capacity of 100-120 MW at Musandam.2014 New Tender This project is in Oman. The gas-fired power plant is part of a strategy to move Musandam away from diesel-fired power generation. The scheme will supply power to gas conditioning facility and Musandam residents. Oman Oil Company (OOC) has secured the mandate as lead developer of this IPP in a closed procurement process dictated by a desire to ensure its fast-track execution in tandem with the Musandam Gas Plant venture. It follows the constitution of a special high-level committee, with representatives from the Tender Board, Ministry of Finance, Authority for Electricity Regulation - Oman and the Public Authority for Electricity & Water (PAEW), to oversee the IPP procurement process. It is understood that the plant will be built at Tibat in Wilayat Bukha in Musandam Governorate. A pipeline will supply natural gas as feedstock for the IPP. The oil and gas major will likely form a consortium so that it meets Oman’s minimum eligibility requirements. Client will be

sole off-taker of power from the project and will sell the full output to Oman’s Rural Areas Electricity Company (Raeco). Oman Oil will buy power from this project for its new gas conditioning facility, which will be built nearby. The IPP is expected to come online by third quarter of 2014. A new company known as Musandam Power Company SAOC has been established to implement this project. Ernst & Young (Oman)Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP (Oman)WorleyParsons (Oman)Power & Alternative EnergyIndependent Power Plants (IPP)

TENDER CATEGORIESTENDER PRODUCTS

ZPR959-SAAl Barakka Substation Construction ProjectSaudi ArabiaName: Saudi Electricity Company - Central Region (Saudi Arabia)Address: Burj Al Faisaliyah Bldg., Floor 22, King Fahad RoadCity: Riyadh 11416 Postal/Zip Code: 22955Country: Saudi ArabiaTel: (+966-1) 461 9030 / 461 9009Fax: (+966-1) 403 2222E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.se.com.saConstruction of 110/13.8kV substation in Al Barakka. New Tender This project is at Madinah in Saudi Arabia. Purpose of the project is to enhance electricity distribution in the region. The project is currently under planning stage. A decision for launching tendering and bidding process for the construction contract is expected to be made in 2013.Power & Alternative EnergySubstations Construction

TERRITORYCLIENT

DESCRIPTION

PERIODREMARKS


54 JANUARY 2013


ZPR961-SAAl Shati Substation Construction ProjectSaudi ArabiaName: Saudi Electricity Company - Central Region (Saudi Arabia)Address: Burj Al Faisaliyah Bldg., Floor 22, King Fahad RoadCity: Riyadh 11416 Postal/Zip Code: 22955Country: Saudi ArabiaTel: (+966-1) 461 9030 / 461 9009Fax: (+966-1) 403 2222E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.se.com.saConstruction of 110/13.8kV substation in Al Shati. New Tender This project is at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Purpose of the project is to enhance electricity distribution in the region. The project is currently under planning stage. A decision for launching tendering and bidding process for the construction contract is expected to be made in 2013.Power & Alternative EnergySubstations Construction




TERRITORYCLIENT

DESCRIPTION

STATUSREMARKS


ZPR950-SAAl Muhandiseen Substation Construction ProjectSaudi ArabiaName: Saudi Electricity Company - Central Region (Saudi Arabia)Address: Burj Al Faisaliyah Bldg., Floor 22, King Fahad RoadCity: Riyadh 11416 Postal/Zip Code: 22955Country: Saudi ArabiaTel: (+966-1) 461 9030 / 461 9009Fax: (+966-1) 403 2222E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.se.com.saEngineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build 115/13.8kV substation in Al Muhandiseen.New Tender This project is at Al Khobar, Al Sharqiyah in Saudi Arabia. Purpose of the project is to


TERRITORYCLIENT

enhance electricity distribution in the region. The project is currently under planning stage. A decision for launching tendering and bidding process for the construction contract is expected to be made in 2013. Power & Alternative EnergySubstations Construction

DESCRIPTION

STATUSREMARKS


ZPR952-SANew Umm Al Hamam 8175 Substation Construction ProjectSaudi ArabiaName: Saudi Electricity Company - Central Region (Saudi Arabia)Address: Burj Al Faisaliyah Bldg., Floor 22, King Fahad RoadCity: Riyadh 11416 Postal/Zip Code: 22955Country: Saudi ArabiaTel: (+966-1) 461 9030 / 461 9009Fax: (+966-1) 403 2222E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.se.com.saEngineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build 132/13.8kV substation in New Umm Al Hamam 8175.New Tender This project is at Al Kharj in Saudi Arabia. Purpose of the project is to enhance electricity distribution in the region. The project is currently under planning stage. A decision for launching tendering and bidding process for the construction contract is expected to be made in 2013. Power & Alternative EnergySubstations Construction

TERRITORYCLIENT

DESCRIPTION

STATUSREMARKS


ZPR955-SAHail South 9031 Intercon-nection Line Construction ProjectSaudi ArabiaName: Saudi Electricity Company - Central Region (Saudi Arabia)Address: Burj Al Faisaliyah Bldg., Floor 22, King Fahad Road

TERRITORYCLIENT

55JANUARY 2013

Tenders & ProjectsPROCUREMENT UPDATES



TERRITORYCLIENT

City: Riyadh 11416 Postal/Zip Code: 22955Country: Saudi ArabiaTel: (+966-1) 461 9030 / 461 9009Fax: (+966-1) 403 2222E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.se.com.saConstruction of interconnection line in the substation of Hail South 9031.New Tender This project is in Saudi Arabia. Purpose of the project is to enhance electricity distribution in the region. The project is currently under planning stage. A decision for launching tendering and bidding process for the construction contract is expected to be made in 2013. Power & Alternative EnergyElectric Power Transmission & DistributionSubstations Construction

DESCRIPTION

STATUSREMARKS


140/2012-O/4IPP DevelopmentOmanName: Oman Power & Water Procurement Company S.A.O.CAddress: Muscat International Centre, 2nd Floor, Suite 504City: Ruwi PC 112 Postal/Zip Code: 1388Country: OmanTel: (+968) 2482 3028 / 2482 3000E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.omanpwp.co.omRequest for Qualifications (RFQ) for the development of an Independent Power Project (IPP).465 February 4, 2013 New Tender Tender No. 140/2012This project is at Raysut in Salalah. Companies who purchased the tender document include Mitsui & Company Limited, Bahwan Engineering Company, Galfar Engineering &

Contracting SAOG, Marubeni Corporation, Abener Engergia SA, EDF International, Siemens LLC, Sojitz Corporation, Kayson, Itochu Corporation, Galfar Engineering & Contracting SAOG and Al Sharikat Faniya Omania LLC. Tender documents can be obtained from:Tender Board Al-Khuwair, Oman.Tel:: (968) 2460 2073 / 2556Fax: (+968) 2460 2063.Last date to purchase tender documents is January 16, 2013. Tender opening date will be on February 04, 2013.Power & Alternative EnergyIndependent Power Plants (IPP)

DESCRIPTION

COSTPERIODSTATUS

REMARKS


MEW/130/2011-12-KXLPE Cables Installation WorksKuwaitName: Ministry of Electricity & Water (Kuwait)Address: Ministry of Electricity & Water Bldg., South Al Surra Street, Ministries AreaCity: Safat - 13001 Postal/Zip Code: 12Country: KuwaitTel: (+965) 2537 1000Fax: (+965) 2537 1420 / 1421 / 1422E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.energy.gov.kwSupply and installation of 300kV underground XLPE isolated and pilot cables with their accessories at a University City.8,930 January 13, 2013 New Tender Tender No. MEW/130/2011-2012This tender supply is at Al-Shaddadiah in Kuwait. The tender is open to following companies:1) Viscas Corporation, Japan - Local Agent: The Contractor General Trading & Contracting

TERRITORYCLIENT

DESCRIPTION

COSTPERIODSTATUS

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56 JANUARY 2013


Company2) EXSYM Corporation, Japan - Local Agent: Abdullah Al-Hamad Al-Sager & Brothers Company3) Prysmian Powerlink SRL, Italy - Local Agent: Saleh Jamal & Company4) Nexas, France - Local Agent: Abdulaziz A. Mohsin Alrashed Sons Company5) J-Power Systems Corporation, Japan - Local Agent: Electrical Contracting Company Ltd.6) Taihan Electric Wire Company Ltd., South Korea - Local Agent: Rank General Trading & Contracting Company7) LS Cable Ltd., South Korea - Local Agent: Canar Trading & Contracting Company8) Sudkabel GmbH, Germany - Local Agent: Al-Shubaily International General Trading & Contracting Company9) Demirer Kablo Tesisleri Ve Ticaret, Turkey - Local Agent: Gulf Care Medical Equipment & Tools10) China National Wire & Import Corporation, China - Local Agent: Wara Golden General Trading & Contracting Company.Tender documents can be collected from:Central Tenders Committee (CTC)Safat 13011,KuwaitTel: (+965) 2240 1200Fax: (+965) 2241 6574E-mail: [email protected] price of tender documents shall be paid by a certified cheque or by K-net. Bid Bond is KD 340,000/-. Power & Alternative EnergyCables & Accessories (All Types)

15/T/2012-JAzraq Photovoltaic Solar Plant ProjectJordan

Name: Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources (Jordan)Address: Jebel Amman, 7th CircleCity: Amman Postal/Zip Code: 140027Country: JordanTel: (+962-6) 586 3326Fax: (+962-6) 586 5714E-mail: [email protected], supply, construction, commissioning and warranty of grid connected photovoltaic solar plant in Azraq.705 January 31, 2013 New Tender Tender No. 15/T/2012This project is in Jordan. Tender documents can be obtained from:Ministry of Energy & Mineral ResourcesJabal Amman, JordanTel: (+962-6) 582 8971Fax: (+962-6) 582 1398.E-mail: [email protected] bond is JOD 100,000.Power & Alternative EnergyCables & Accessories (All Types)Electric Power Transmission & DistributionElectrical Materials (All Types) / Works & Services



TERRITORY

CLIENT

DESCRIPTION

COSTPERIODSTATUS

REMARKS

TENDER CATEGORIES

TENDER PRODUCTS

POWER & WATER MIDDLE EAST is a monthly magazine focusing on the power and water sectors in the Middle East, vital to the region’s well-being, security and growth.

As a platform which brings together the key stakeholders, from utilities, developers and contractors to consultants and suppliers to identify trends, opportunities and challenges, the publication is an essential point of reference for everyone involved in power and water industry.

57JANUARY 2013

CatChing ‘em allDPS Sharjah’s sustainability agenda goes beyond the school’s immediate universe of students and faculty. By Anoop K Menon

Nothing is impossible if you have 5,600 ambassadors of change, inspired and

ready for action. When these ambassadors are children, the potential for transformation is vast as these impressionable minds wield considerable influence over a larger community, comprising families, friends and neighbours. Even as DPS Sharjah, one of the biggest schools in the region for expatriate Indians, embarks on the path of sustainability, it is hoping to take the message beyond its immediate universe of students and faculty. “The world is already suffering the consequences of not taking care of the environment,” says Mrs. Vandana Marwaha, Principal, DPS Sharjah.

“We want to sensitise students to the necessity of protecting our planet.”

To become a sustainable school, DPS Sharjah is participating in the HSBC Eco-Schools Climate Initiative, launched by Emirates Wildlife Society-World Wildlife Fund (EWS-WWF), in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Education and HSBC. A key objective of this initiative is to achieve reductions in energy and water consumption and waste generation in schools across the country to reduce carbon emissions. To achieve these reductions, DPS Sharjah is working with organisations like Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), Bee’ah and the Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC). Successful schools are awarded the Green Flag, an

internationally acknowledged symbol for environmental excellence.

“Achieving the Green Flag certification would be a proud moment for us, but equally important is raising the students’ awareness on environmental issues,” said Mrs. Marwaha. “We are a 14-section school with 200 class rooms. If we can ensure that our students switch off the lights when not needed or don’t waste water or contribute positively to the environment, I think we have done our job.”

Thus, during summer holidays, students are assigned project work which encourages them to take previous months’ electricity and water bills and work towards savings. If there is a reduction, they are appreciated for the same.

Incidentally, the school’s faculty is actively involved in spreading the sustainability message. “Students learn better when they see their teachers walk the talk,” explained Mrs Marwaha. “For example, as part of our ‘Say No to Plastics’ initiative, we encouraged teachers to use ceramic cups instead of plastic cups. Listening apart, students also learn from seeing what is happening around them.”

Mrs. Vandana Marwaha, Principal, DPS Sharjah

EGBC Chairman Adnan Sharafi with Anjum Hasan and poster competition winner Aarushi Mittal

Model Earth Summit: DPS Sharjah represented the US

(L to R) Gundeep Singh, The Change Initiative; Ajita Nayar, EWS – WWF; Anoop K Menon, Power & Water Middle East; Safraz Dairkee, MAHY Khoory & Peter Milne, Target Green

58 JANUARY 2013

Spreading the wordUnder Principal Marwaha’s guidance, DPS Sharjah is spreading the sustainability message to other schools. Last month, it organised an inter-school event titled INFERNO 2012 -Educating Future Stewards of the Earth, which brought together all the Eco-Schools under one roof. That’s how I got the opportunity to see firsthand how far DPS has progressed with its sustainability agenda. At the Opinions session in INFERNO, I joined three other panellists to initiate and guide a discussion on the topic ‘Economic Growth and Sustainable Development cannot work in Isolation’. Together with Ajita Nayar, Education Manager at EWS – WWF; Safraz Dairkee, General Manager - Development & Engineering, MAHY Khoory and Gundeep Singh, CEO, The Change Initiative, I found myself at the receiving end of queries from students (usually it is us editors who do the asking) as they challenged us to explain why sustainable development is not an oxymoron and how the UAE is leading the region in the adoption of clean energy among other things. At the end of this session, the four of us were unanimous in our praise of the awareness quotient displayed by the students on sustainable development issues. Apart from Opinions, other highlights included Model Earth Summit, Green Flicks and My Earth Charter. The school also participates in external events to cultivate

environmental awareness among its students. “We want to participate in everything out there, which also brings out healthy competition. You may be happy that you are doing so much but when you see others doing it, you want to do

better,” said Marwaha. A few months ago, EGBC had

organised a Poster and Model Making Competition for students on the theme ‘Sustainable UAE - A New Vision.’ DPS Sharjah students, guided by the school’s Environment Coordinator Ms Anjum Hasan, won first places in both competitions. In her role, Ms Hasan is responsible for steering the environmental initiatives within the school. She also guided the team which won an award at the Dubai Children’s Science Congress (DCSC) for their micro project (developed with the support of Manipal University) which converted food waste to ethanol and biogas. “Under the Eco-School initiative, we have received funds from EWS-WWF to implement a project to reduce energy consumption. We are now going to implement an off-grid project which involves use of solar panels to power the canteen lights,” said Ms Hasan. Pleased with the success of the Model Earth Summit, EWS-WWF has asked DPS Sharjah to co-ordinate a Model IRENA summit for schools in Abu Dhabi.

Not a siloPrincipal Marwaha is a firm champion of interdisciplinary learning which has ensured that environmental education in her school isn’t confined to a silo, but is reflected across the entire curriculum. For example, during environmental workshops, all departments are invited to participate so that they understand how to

integrate environmental topics in their subjects to

induce environmentally responsible behaviour among students.

DPS’ student mass has been a magnet for industry partnerships. “They realise that it is the fastest way to achieving the maximum impact,” said Mrs. Marwaha. “We are very lucky in terms of having friends from the industry who support us and give us ideas.”

But she also admits that biggest hurdle on DPS Sharjah’s journey to becoming sustainable is the closed mindset. “A preset mind is always a challenge; it is something we encounter more in adults than in children. Everybody loves talking about the need to protect the environment but we have to ask ourselves - do I switch off the lights when I walk out of my room, do I half-fill my glass because I only need half a glass of water. You may have the right ideas, but to convince others around you is the biggest challenge.”

Moreover, not all the ideas may be viable. Mrs. Marwaha elaborated: “Youngsters have unlimited ideas but they need to be given correct direction. For example, our students wanted to use solar energy everywhere, but I had to explain to them that the investment may not be feasible. So we need to look at specific areas where solar is viable.”

EGBC Competition: The winning team members pose with the principal.

Group photo of Model Earth Summit participants

Power & Water January 2013

Documents

Transcript of Power & Water January 2013