Energy & Utilities Q4

UK £4.95CAN $14.75USA $7.99EUR €7.90SA ZAR 58.00

Inspired by your success

Energy & Utilities

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To discuss funding of R1 million or more, please call 086 069 3888 or visit www.idc.co.za

Turning renewable energy generation into a breeze

The IDC Green Industries Unit is providing development finance

to a number of industry projects that will reduce the nation’s

carbon output.

The unit supports the development – in line with government’s

objectives of a totally carbon-neutral country by 2050 – of green

industries and solutions including wind farms, solar thermal

energy, bio-ethanol fuels, photovoltaic electricity generation

and waste management.

If you have the true entrepreneurial spirit and a project that

can contribute to creating jobs and building South Africa’s

industrial capacity, visit www.idc.co.za to find out how the IDC

can help you go green.

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carbon output.










6117 Fan Ad.indd 1 2012/02/27 3:39 PM

Editor’s note

Heads of DepartmentsEditorial: Editor in ChiefDaemon Sands [email protected]: Director of Research Don [email protected]: Corporate Director Anthony [email protected]: Lead Designer Alina [email protected]: Stephen [email protected] enquiries or subscriptions can be sent to [email protected] MAGAZINE is published by Littlegate Publishing LTD which is a Registered Company in the United Kingdom. Company Registration: 07657236 Registered office: 343 City Road London EC1 V1LRVAT registration number:116 776007Littlegate Publishing LtdThe Glasshouse, Kings Lane Norwich, NR1 3PSUnited Kingdom

Littlegate Publishing Ltd does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher.Copyright © Littlegate Publishing Ltd 2012

By Tiffany RomeroEditor of Endeavour, Energy & Utilities

Protecting the natural heritage of this world for our future generations is the responsibility of all of us and at Endeavour Magazine we take it particularly seriously. Any demand for change in corporate industry to become carbon neutral and green is impeded by the unchanging demand for products of the same standard and pace from customers. This gives some companies an easy excuse to put up their hands and claim impotence.

Yes, some businesses do have cause for concern. There is a simple economic truth, the ultimate decision makers are the accountants who have increasing swathes of power in times of economic crisis and it is the bottom line that will endorse or condemn decisions made by even those at the top. Here is the famous example: businesses that are making billions a year by producing a well-used product that comes with the tag of requiring a highly expensive means of disposal benefit from government clauses (in some countries) that they can only be fined a certain amount of money per year for polluting. That being said, if the amount they are fined is less than the expense of safely removing the waste, the bottom line is that - to protect the jobs and careers of those employed there and to keep the business successful - they will happily pay the fine instead.

But things are changing. Global awareness of the problem is rising and with it a new breed of company is pushing through the flood of pollution and leaving a wake of clear water. These are the businesses that are proving that success in industry is down to innovation and a clear approach to problem solving. These are the inventors, the out-of-the-box thinkers and the hard-workers; these are the businesses that are the heroes of today and the saviours of tomorrow.

This is the Energy and Utilities Magazine.

Enjoy.

Kindest

Tiffany Romero

3Endeavour Magazine • Energy & Utilities 2012 •

UK £4.95CAN $14.75USA $7.99EUR €7.90SA ZAR 58.00

Inspired by your success

Energy & Utilities

1. Cover-Utilities.indd 1 09/08/2012 15:04

EHL:Looking Forward

Tenesol: Poised for South African Sun Power

Jutlandia Terminal: Portal to the Future.

Amplemann:As Easy As Crossing the Street:

Senet: Under Any Conditions

SNA: Energy Revolution

Treated Timber Products:In Pole Position

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44

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CTR: Warm Regards

Features

5056

Lauritzen:Safeguarding The Line To sSuccess64

Eurolux:Lighting the Future

Biotherm: Power To The People

Dall Energy:Applying Invention

DHV: A Sustainable Future68

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EWEA:Generating Change

Innovation Group:The Virtual Powerstaion

Total Wind:Blowing the Competition Away

PP Techniq:Blade Runner

“All men are the same except for their belief in their own selves” Miyamoto MusashiKensei, author of “Go Shin No Ryu”Book of Five Rings

EUROLUX - MEETING TOMORROW’S ENERGY CHALLENGES TODAY

7

Eurolux (PTY) Ltdwww.eurolux.co.za

+27 (21) 528 8400

Written by Chris Farnell

Endeavour Magazine • Energy & Utilities 2012 •

Eurolux

Company director Shaun Bouchier talks to us about the ways Eurolux is helping families and businesses meet the challenge of rising energy prices, the importance of strong business relationships and how Eurolux is working to give something back to the community.

These days you can’t open a newspaper without reading about rising energy prices and the terrible consequences of climate change. Governments, businesses and even families are having to rise to the challenge to make the way we live and work more sustainable.

Eurolux is one of the companies making this possible. For 20 years Eurolux has been selling and distributing energy efficient lighting to electrical wholesalers, retail chain outlets and specialised lighting stores. The company has been pivotal in bringing the latest innovations in the lighting industry to South African businesses and consumers since it was founded in 1991. Eurolux has been on the front line, importing energy efficient products such as Compact Fluorescent Lamps that produce five times as much light per watt as a standard incandescent, while using only a fifth of the electricity, or the increasingly popular LEDs that can last for up to 30,000 hours.

“It’s really been about communicating with our customers, preparing them for the potential electricity price increases and introducing them to new solutions,” says Shaun Bouchier, one of Eurolux’s team of three directors.

Those solutions are needed now more than ever. Fifteen per cent of the electricity used in most homes goes towards keeping the lights on, and that number jumps to 25% for commercial buildings. South Africa has begun introducing energy efficiency requirements for lighting, aiming to help people keep their energy bills down and soften their impact on the environment. As a well known innovator in the

industry, Eurolux has fortunately only had to make minor changes to meet these new requirements.

Valued PartnersAs well as sourcing products

designed to meet the new energy needs of Southern Africa, Eurolux has put in place a logistics network that ensures those products are readily available.

“Our excellent logistics setup is one of our unique selling points,” Bouchier explains. “There are very few areas in South Africa that we can’t deliver to within 24 to 48 hours.”

This is achieved with Eurolux’s own in-house couriers and the assistance of distribution

companies such as UTI Sun Couriers, Zultrans and MPS.

“The couriers have their own fenced-off area within the dispatch section of each warehouse and they are each given a specific area of responsibility, whether it’s geographic or client based,” Bouchier says. “It works really well.”

“We don’t deal with factories or manufacturers unless we’ve visited their facilities and made sure we’re not dealing with sweatshops or trading companies.”Shaun Bouchier, Company Director

Eurolux

9

Because Eurolux specialises in imports and distribution, the company depends on strong relationships with its business partners to get its products to the general public. Potential distributors are given the chance to inspect Eurolux’s range of products at their unique lifestyle showrooms in Johannesburg and Cape Town. These showrooms have been designed to display the light fittings in their intended habitat - in people’s homes.

As well as working closely with their partner stores and couriers, Eurolux is also extremely selective about where it sources its products from. Eurolux works with companies that include major European manufacturers such as ELGO Leuchten and SG Armaturen and is always on the lookout for companies whose products could find a market in South Africa. Bouchier is clear however that before signing any deals, Eurolux likes to get a good idea of just who they will be working with.

Bouchier tells us, “We don’t deal with factories or manufacturers unless we’ve visited their facilities and made sure we’re not dealing with sweatshops or trading companies. We also like to see who else they are supplying. We like to work with businesses who sell to major retailers or companies like ourselves. We are always careful to align ourselves with reputable manufacturers.”

Once Eurolux decides to work with a manufacturer, they stay loyal. Eurolux has long lasting relationships with many of its suppliers.

+27 11 974 8028Endeavour Magazine • Energy & Utilities 2012 •

Eurolux products also carry the SABS stamp of approval, ensuring that all imports are in compliance with the necessary safety standards.

Building for the FutureNo pun intended, but the future

is looking bright for Eurolux. The strategies that saw the company grow its business even throughout the recession look to continue bringing Eurolux success in the years to come.

While the global economy was taking a beating, Eurolux was able to thrive by expanding its product range and looking for business in new market sectors. Going forward, Eurolux is going to build on those achievements.

As well as meeting the rising demand for energy efficient lighting, the company has recently started expanding into the project lighting sector. Earlier this year it introduced a project lighting range that includes high bays, pendants and downlights for commercial, retail and manufacturing environments. The move has been a natural progression for Eurolux. Project lighting is a huge part of the lighting market, but Eurolux has held off entering this sector until they were sure they could provide products of the right quality and durability.

Meanwhile, Eurolux is becoming a widely recognised brand in South Africa, as Bouchier puts it “People see our name and are able to make the association of a supplier of quality, affordable lighting.”

Eurolux has been able to achieve this through focused and committed customer service, as well as a dedicated marketing push. They’ve put together a dynamic marketing team and have appointed a brand manager, using a combination of television and print adverts with social media marketing. Bouchier is particularly pleased with the company’s new website.

“It’s a great website, really user friendly,” Bouchier says. “Customers can browse through the product ranges, select the items they want and after selecting their specific geographic area, that enquiry will automatically be e-mailed to several local retailers, who are then afforded the opportunity to submit a quotation.

With Eurolux currently expanding its distribution footprint into other parts of Africa, there are clearly some exciting things on the horizon for this company.

Eurolux

Eurolux

Giving Something BackFor Eurolux success is far more than an end unto itself,

and it’s obvious that Bouchier is proud of the corporate involvement schemes that the company has been involved in. Eurolux has frequently helped out with everything from schools to old age homes. Bouchier is particularly proud of Eurolux’s recent partnership with the Sophakama Primary School in Du Noon, Cape Town.

At the beginning of the project, Sophakama was in desperate need of refurbishments. Eurolux came in and planted over 80 new trees on the school grounds, installed new fans and playground equipment and renovated some of the classrooms. Naturally, they also improved the school’s lighting, which involved replacing several floodlights with more modern, energy efficient alternatives. Eurolux was able to do all of this by reaching out to its top retail partners in the Western Cape, using their well-established business relationships to help the community.

For Bouchier, the reasons for engaging in this project are self-evident.

“We realised that we are in the fortunate position to make a difference by helping children achieve their dreams for education, in particular. To us it may seem like a small thing, planting some trees and installing new light fittings, but it can make a huge difference to people,” he says matter-of-factly. “For us it was just the right thing to do. We believe it’s a privilege to be in a position where you can help those less fortunate.”

As Eurolux continues to expand, it looks like they’ll soon be in a position to do even more.


AS EASY AS CROSSING THE STREET


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Ampelmannwww.ampelmann.nl0031 20 24 00 121

Written by Daemon Sands



The Ampelmann System is a self stabilising, ship mounted access platform for the offshore sector allowing fast and safe access from moving ships to offshore structures even in rough sea conditions. The company was founded by the inventor and CEO Jan van der Tempel who developed the system in 2002 whilst completing his PhD Thesis in offshore wind. Having witnessed first-hand the difficulties occurring in transfering personnel from a transport vessel to the rig, he knew there had to be a better way of doing it. Even in rough weather, people shouldn’t feel in danger of physical injury just trying to get to work, and, should injuries occur, it shouldn’t be dangerous to get them from the rig onto a transport vessel.

“All companies want to embrace change and innovation, but not on their own turf,” Jan Van der Tempel.

Before Ampelmann, to get personnel from a ship onto an offshore-platform required a rubber dingy or a helicopter, a rope ladder and a lot of crossed fingers, all completely reliant on

Ampelmann

Health and safety has always been a concern of the offshore marine sector, due to the nature of the work and the unpredictable environment of such industries. People who work in this sector have to be vigilant all the time to get their work done, but even before they can get their work started they first have to get onto their place of work safely.

Ampelmann

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good weather to accomplish this simple task. These were also expensive and took time to organise. Imagine the difficulties when it came to transferring materials and heavy equipment and machinery. Previously, for routine maintenance to offshore platforms such as painting or repairs, an additional jack-up barge or temporary platform would have to be used; these were either costly or the availability was low.

Clearly it was time for a change. The Ampelmann works by fastening a stabilizing platform onto the deck of a ship with a bridge/arm that can be extended from there to latch onto the stand-alone structure of the rig. The decked platform itself is raised on a number of hydraulic cylinders that cooperate with a host of different technologies that measure the movement of the vessel and counteracts that using hydraulics to keep the platform and the Ampelmann bridge stable enough for personnel to walk across. This means that a dozen personnel can make it from boat to rig within the same amount of time it takes to walk the street.

Coincidentally, although unconnected, this is where the name Ampelmann came from.

“Ampelmann is the green or red figure on a traffic light. At the stage we felt we needed a secret code for the project, I happened to see it and used that. The commonality of the two only came later.” –Jan Van Der Tempel.

The Ampelmann design is applicable across a wide variety of offshore locations, wind turbines and oil rigs, wherever two carriers of personel need to transport people from one vehicle to another. The practicalities behind each


Ampelmann

require them to be built bespokely for that particular location to keep it as safe as possible. So what was once simply an idea has now become a commodity and a point to mention for those companies making use of this engineering design.

The company has a number of very high level technology suppliers who have received significant investment throughout development and manufacturing of the system. The company also benefits from a range of offshore partners who have been involved in commissioning, development, testing and operation, such as Shell, Boskalis and SMIT.

The hydraulic cylinders which move under the platform to keep it and its cargo steady despite the sea conditions beneath are designed and created by VAPO on a bespoke project basis and then shipped to Ampelmann for implementation.

The Ampelmann design has proven righteously effective and they are working together with clients to determine how to use the same system to create safer methods of transferring heavy machinery and equipment. It’s a simple formula: INCREASE THE SAFETY- YOU INCREASE THE PRODUCTIVITY and this eliminates much of the costs spent

Ampelmann

17

on keeping the previous, dangerous methods, safe. Ampelmann are doubling in size every year which is

impressive, even for a company propelled by a brilliant idea and a distinct need. It is also supported by the Delft University, which is where Jan developed the concept and completed his PhD.

This has paved the way for future engineers looking to get their teeth into an innovative and fast paced company which has been based on the application of a good idea to a need. Judging by the rate of expansion the company is

experiencing it could very well prove to be a very long and very interesting career.

Companies that start by establishing needs and solving problems build themselves and grow by following the same ethos.

In conclusion, the Ampelmann System is no doubt the forerunner of a number of innovative systems that this company is going to be developing, and with Mr. Jan van der Tempel at the helm they are already well ahead of their competitors.


AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE ENERGY REVOLUTION

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SNA Consulting Electrical Engineerswww.snaconsulting.co.za

0027 31 465 3020



For several years now South Africa has been staring down the barrel of an energy crisis, with its power stations stretched far too thin. Meanwhile, the dangers of global warming are becoming more apparent every day, and it is becoming ever more important to make the most of alternative, less harmful sources of energy. On top of that, all over the world we’re still clawing our way out of a serious financial crisis and everyone has to watch their outgoings - of which energy can often be the most costly.

However, where there is a need, there is an opportunity,

and many young companies are starting to meet the challenges. One such company is SNA Consulting Electrical Engineers.Established in Durban in 2003, the company has already generated an impressive list of projects which managing director Sydney Naidoo has personally seen

through to completion from the earliest stages of design.Despite being relatively young, the company has built up a

client base that has included work for the local, regional and central governments, as well as work for private developers in the commercial and industrial sectors.

Specialising in electrical and electronic engineering, the company offers services as varied as feasibility studies, tender documents and community liaison through to contract administration, inspections and post completion audits.

SNA boasts an impressive résumé of electrical engineering

SNA Consulting Electrical Engineers

20

Energy, where we get it from, and how we use it is becoming an issue we all have to be aware of in everything we do. Endeavour Magazine talks to a firm of consultant engineers who are helping to make sure buildings in the government, commercial and residential sectors are ready to meet the challenge.



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projects. Some of these projects are glamorous, such as the installation of floodlighting, TV and radio broadcasting systems, and fire detection and evacuation systems in sports stadiums. Others are vitally important, such as the installation of operating theatres, intensive care wards and intercom systems in hospitals. A lot of the building services work they do are simply designing and installing the everyday things that none of us notice as long as they’re working correctly - lighting systems, escalators, information display systems. SNA brings its expertise to bear on projects like these and more, but talking to Naidoo, it becomes clear that the company’s real passion lies in the efficient, clean use of energy.

“Our expertise in energy management, particularly renewable energy, is one of our key selling points,” Naidoo explains.

A Passion for EnergySNA has developed an integrated design philosophy

that focuses on solutions driven by technology while demonstrating an awareness of the impact that their projects will have on the environment. As public awareness of the world’s dwindling resources is rising, SNA’s expertise is increasingly in demand, even during the hardest economic times.

“Over the last year we’ve probably done better than most companies in our market sector,” Naidoo admits. “We’ve been growing consistently for the last three years. We lost some projects to the downturn, but at the same time we’ve


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actually picked up work as a result of the downturn because our projects are saving people money.”

This is a trend Naidoo expects to continue even as the financial situation improves.

“The opportunities for renewable energy are rising because our customers have seen real savings,” Naidoo says.

It’s easy to see the truth in what Naidoo says just by taking a look at some of the energy management and renewable energy projects his company has been involved in. SNA Consulting Electrical Engineers has provided solar power plants and wind power plants to clients ranging from the Umgeni Eco-Tourism Centre and Umnini Thusong Centre, right through to the City Fleet Offices and Claremont Taxi Rank.

Meanwhile, the firm’s energy efficiency expertise has been sought out by clients as varied as the City Hospital, Kendra Retirement Homes, the ABSA Stadium and Pick’N’Pay, who have made use of SNA’s expertise in several of their stores.

Of course, as the demand for engineers with an expertise in renewable energy increases, so does the competition, and SNA are constantly investing in keeping themselves on the cutting edge of energy technology. Their methodologies and design approaches are informed by the latest thinking in the field.

The Best TeamThe most valuable asset a company like SNA has is


23

the expertise of its staff, and the company has a tightly constructed team trained to the absolute peak. Naidoo is able to vouch for the expertise of his team personally, as he is responsible for the training of every team member in his company.

Over the years the firm has built incredibly strong ties with the Durban University of Technology, helping to assess its curriculum and provide practical training to students, several of whom have gone on to work for SNA. So far the company has trained three students who have all gone on to qualify as technicians, and right now the company is training up another two.

Today SNA has a compact team of 11, consisting of technologists, technicians and designers. By keeping the team compact, SNA is able to provide a responsive, flexible service to its clients, as well

as building close relationships with both clients and each other.

“The advantage of a team this size is that it’s a much more personal concern,” Naidoo explains. “We’re all able to discuss everything on a daily basis, giving us plenty of opportunities to exchange ideas. It also allows me to keep a close eye on everything that goes into and out of the office.”

This approach has led towards SNA developing some strong partnerships with its clients, and the company receives a lot of repeat business thanks to its dedication to finishing projects to deadline and within budget without sacrificing quality. SNA Consulting Electrical Engineers is becoming a name that people trust. It’s no surprise that Naidoo is expecting the company’s turnover to increase drastically over the next few years, and he’s already planning to focus more of his company’s efforts into the energy saving efforts that made SNA’s name.

“Next we’re going to be moving heavily into renewable energy,” he tells us. “At the moment roughly 60% of our business comes from building services, and 40% of it comes from energy management. Eventually we’re aiming to have 30% of our business in building management, 40% of it coming from energy distribution and the rest of our business being generated through our renewably energy work.”

As more people become educated about the importance of managing our resources, for economic as well as environmental reasons, companies like SNA Consulting Electrical Engineers are going to be crucial in changing the way we do things.

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UNDER ANY CONDITIONS

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SENETwww.senet.co.za

0027 11 409 1300



Over the years, SENET has come to pride itself on the range of expertise its engineers are able to display. Diversity is a watchword for this company, and you only need to look at the range of services the company offers to realise how seriously they take it. In the lead up to a project SENET has the capabilities needed for scoping, pre-feasibility, feasibility and bankable feasibility studies. Once the project is started up, they offer consultancy services, design and estimate audits, due diligence studies, project procurement and logistics, project financial studies and specialist engineering.

The company demonstrated a particular talent for working on the infrastructure of large mining projects, with their services being utilised by operations mining for copper,

nickel, zinc, cobalt, gold, uranium, coal, iron ore, and diamonds.

However, SENET doesn’t just stand out in the range of projects it is able to work on. This company has built a reputation based on

where it works almost as much as how it works.

An Adaptable OperationIt may seem an obvious thing to point out but Africa

is a big place, and across the continent you’ll find a huge array of different climates and political situations. Where many engineering firms prefer to stay close to home, SENET literally goes the extra mile. The company has experience on mining and construction projects throughout West Africa, North Africa and Sub-Sahara Africa, even moving as far afield as Asia and Central and South America.

“We really come into our own working in Africa,” joint managing director Neil Senior says. “Our project workers

SENET

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SENET is a well-established project management and engineering company that has made a name for itself working on a diverse range of projects throughout Africa over the past 22 years, with the experience to work under even the harshest conditions.


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have a great deal of experience working on projects outside of South Africa. If it’s a difficult country with difficult logistics and a difficult climate, we’re the company for the job.”

The in depth understanding SENET has of issues such as cross border logistics, freighting, and the difficulties of executing large construction projects in a place with only limited infrastructure has become invaluable on numerous projects.

Regardless of where they are working, SENET emphasises quality, safety and environmental responsibility on all their projects. This has lead to them receiving awards from several respected bodies, including the Quality, Safety and Export Achievement awards.

A Proud HistorySENET’s dedicated, wide ranging approach to

engineering has left it very well established, with quite the history behind it.

“We’ve been in business for 22 years and our staff level is now at around 500 people,” Senior explains.

In fact, right now the company is approaching a major milestone: “We’re approaching our 500th project now,” Senior says, with justifiable pride.

Perhaps SENET’s success comes from the fact that the company was founded by a team of project managers and engineers who already had years of experience in the fields of design, construction, process engineering and materials handling.

These people founded SENET in 1989 based on two

SENET

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Our Company has been involved in the design and manufacture of our range of “KEEGOR”® brand products since our inception in 1959, and are proud to have been involved with supplying equipment for many projects managed by SENET, worldwide over the years.

Latham Filtration Technology (Pty) Ltd is a leading provider of high performance pressure filtration systems for a broad range of applications including chemical processing, water treatment, mining and industrial processes. Reputed for innovation in design including fully automated, unmanned operation and self-diagnostic electrical fault monitoring capabilities. Latham systems are built to last and engineered to offer continuous long life performance.

principles. Firstly, SENET recognises proven principles and experience - something the company has in abundance after several decades operating in the field. Secondly, the company places a great deal of value on its client relations, and develops and maintains those relationships with trust, respect and honesty.

In the mining and materials handling arena SENET has a proven track record of providing solutions that are pragmatic and uniquely customised to the task at hand. SENET’s engineers have an ingrained respect for tried and tested methods, while remaining open minded enough to take the best from the latest technological developments and industry trends.

From the very beginning, SENET has been an innovator. In the early nineties the company developed a range of equipment for heap leach stacking and agglomeration equipment that was well received across the world, and went on to become a world leader in heap leach equipment technology. Today SENET will still design and build prototypes to solve new problems for their clients.

Likewise, not long after the company was founded, it was completing export type projects in every corner of the African continent and beyond. SENET has truly shown the value of the phrase “start as you mean to go on”, and it says a lot that after 22 years the company’s original directors are still involved in the running of the company.

A Matter of TrustReturning to the present day, things are going well for


SENET

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SENET. “The last year has been very good for us,” Senior says. “partly because we’ve been getting a lot of great work in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the last five years with Glencore/ Groupe Bazano.”

SENET’s founding principle of building long lasting, mutually beneficial relationships has paid off, and existing clients keep coming back with more projects.

“We get a lot of repeat business from our clients, from large and smaller mining companies such as Glencore, Randgold Resources, Nevsun, Cluff, etc.” Senior says. “They return to us time and again because we bring our projects in on time, and within budget.”

Another reason why the company has built up such a reservoir of trust with its clients is the company’s unwavering commitment to transparency, achieving good discounts from suppliers for SENET’s clients.

“Most of our projects are EPCM, where we carry out the project on behalf of the client but with everything very ‘open book’ and auditable,” says Senior. “We work closely with a lot of junior miners who often don’t have access to a lot of their own infrastructure so trust is crucial in our relationships with these mining companies, as our team at SENET combines and works for and on behalf of the client with SENET personnel carrying out the implementation of the project.”

Placing Value on SkillsOf course, for SENET to do what it does, it’s critical that

it has the skilled people needed to plan and execute these

projects. This is becoming an increasingly severe issue at a time when there is a huge skills shortage in the mining and engineering sectors.

SENET is doing what it can to combat the worst effects of the skills shortage, as Senior explains: “We provide continual training to all our staff, from our project engineers and project managers, through to all the levels of design, project planning and estimating.”

However, regardless of the training courses put in place the skills shortage remains a serious problem. This means SENET is making sure that it puts a premium value on talent.

“We incentivise our people, using rewards such as end-of-year bonuses,” Senior explains. “Aside from that, we make sure we pay our people well while always keeping an eye out for new people with good performance.

“Wherever possible we promote from within, however we’re always open to the possibility of bringing in good people from outside, especially if they’re recommended to us through word of mouth.”

Overall, the future of SENET is looking bright. The company continues to work in the DRC on copper cobalt projects as well as continuing its work on gold mining projects in West Africa. Senior also mentions the possibility of expanding into nickel mining work, possibly in the Philipines and Tanzania.

Whatever happens, SENET’s founding principles and diverse skills base look set to ensure it does what it’s always done - great work under a huge range of circumstances.

CASTLELEAD WORKSA division of Zimco Group (Pty) LtdCo. Reg. No. 1947/024245/075 Wright Street, Factoria Krugersdorp, South AfricaPO Box 3472, Kenmare, Gauteng, 1745, South AfricaTel: +27 (011) 955-3570Fax: +27 (011) 955-2372 [email protected]

South Africa’s largest manufacturer of lead products

ANODES - SHEETS - PIPES TUBES - WIRE

SABS certified OSO 9001, OSO 14001 and OHSAS 18001


SOLAR GIANT TENESOL POISED FOR SOUTH AFRICA SUN POWER LEAP

33

Tenesol+27 (21) 763 5924

www.tenesol.com

Written by Ben Walker


Tenesol

The recent move by the South African Government inviting proposals and tenders for ‘green’ energy projects to feed the national grid is good news for leading solar players like Tenesol Manufacturing of Cape Town, makers of photovoltaic modules.

“We are currently working with customers on a number of projects which might be selected in the Government’s bidding process,” says Tenesol’s Southern Africa Area Manager Thibaud Vibert.

The Government initiative follows on the publication in March of the 20-year master energy Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). This anticipates energy from renewable sources making up 42% of all new electricity generation in South Africa - a big shift from the 30% assigned to renewable energy under the draft released for public comment last year.

And the distinct winner for the plan is solar PV, says Frost & Sullivan Energy and Power Research Analyst Dominic Goncalves.

The Cabinet-backed IRP report allocates a staggering 8,400MW of solar PV to be built by 2030, rolling out 300MW a year of large-scale PV from 2012 onward. “This renders South Africa as a potential solar

goldmine at a timely stage when solar PV’s two biggest markets, Spain and Germany, are currently oversaturated and floundering,” says Goncalves.

Tenesol Manufacturing is the largest manufacturer and designer of photovoltaic panels in South Africa, part of the Tenesol Group, a global solar PV player headquartered in France and owned by Total. Its Cape Town plant produces a wide range of products and services from standard single PV units to complete turnkey solutions.

Solar and South Africa would be a marriage made in the stars. Here is Africa’s largest and most sophisticated economy with almost year-round sunlight. Electricity demand is increasing and the supply system faltering. The South African Government says sunlight is one of the continent’s “greatest assets”. Everywhere, deference is paid to the carbon footprint issue and the virtue of sustainables.

Yet despite the IRP vision, the current South Africa’s PV market is growing at a rate of only 7.6 percent, lagging

While South Africa has all the credentials for being a top solar power nation, implementation has been slow and sporadic. Tenesol’s Southern Africa Area Manager Thibaud Vibert tells Endeavour’s Ben Walker why this is set to change.

Tenesol

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Tenesol

“significantly behind global uptake levels”, according to Frost and Sullivan.

Photovoltaic cells use light to generate electricity. Solar PV cells can be arranged in panels on a roof or walls and can feed electricity directly into a building, and with the latest technology can be integrated into roof tiles, with groups added together to provide increasing levels of power.

These can range from small, kilowatt-sized solar panels for use in domestic households, to larger arrays functioning as separate solar power plants feeding power directly into the electricity grid.

“With an average of more than 2,500 hours of sunshine every year, South Africa has the perfect climate for solar panels. Its solar radiation output is over twice that of Europe - making it one of the highest in the world - and the most readily accessible resource available,” says Vibert.

Yet past and present economics have conspired to frustrate solar’s natural place in the scheme of things. Even with the hikes and sharp upward movement in price projections, electricity in South Africa remains comparatively cheap, while the upfront cost of installing PV generators, particularly where they are connected to the grid, is high in comparison.

“Here as elsewhere in the world, solar electricity is still more expensive than that obtained from the utilities. This is the main disadvantage.”

For the solar industry there are basically two markets; off-grid and grid-tie. Off-grid consists of small installations – ranging from 50 watts to 10kw – and at present the majority of South African photovoltaics comes from small scale off-grid end-users; homes, schools, health centres, farms and remote areas. There have been several sensitive and high-profile customers—most of the lodges in the Kruger National

Park for example, where the laying of power lines would be environmentally disruptive, are PV.

“The current market take-up for householders I would say is very, very small unless we are talking about farmers or those who live in places where there is no grid connection,” says Thibaud Vibert.

More recently, companies have been using PV as a marketing tool to showcase their clean energy trends, while several municipalities have been experimenting with PV for road signage, street lights and billboard illumination.

“The market for the grid connected system here is very slow and very small, and for one simple reason. In South Africa you are not authorised to inject current into the grid without a license. So at the moment the market is not ready and there is no public programme for connecting houses to the grid. In Germany and Italy, feed-in tariffs on small generators have been in operation for a number of years and this has encouraged a huge growth in the domestic PV market. Now with the Government’s latest initiatives this may all change, and Tenesol South Africa is ready for the opportunity and the challenge.”

Technological innovation is the main pillar of Tenesol’s competitiveness, with an R&D commitment to meet the most pressing requirements. Tenesol focuses on the areas of product quality improvement, energy saving, and effective pollution reduction it considers essential for sustainable development within its client’s industries.

“Our South African plant employs 170 people, three shifts a day, five days a week. Job creation is a Government priority and we want to continue to grow, investing in people.

“The main customer is the Tenesol Group and his worldwide customers, and we also have customers in South Africa, South America, the Caribbean and elsewhere. Currently 90%

“With an average of more than 2,500 hours of sunshine every year, South Africa has the perfect climate for solar panels. Its solar radiation output is over twice that of Europe - making it one of the highest in the world - and the most readily accessible resource available”Thibaud Vibert, Southern Africa Area Manager

Tenesol

37

of our Cape Town production is dedicated to Europe, where quality requirements and delivery expectations are among the highest in the world. We deliver to this type of quality, and so everybody in South Africa benefits.”

Each year the global price of PV is declining and Thibaud Vibert envisages the time when the PV electricity price will match that of the grid price. “When, I cannot say but I believe in South Africa it will be a shorter time than in some other countries.

“Tenesol is committed to South Africa. We have been here for fourteen years and grown every year at a steady rate. We have a vast knowledge and experience. When this greater market is ready we will be ready to deliver a very high quality product and service to the people of South Africa.

“The environment is changing and moving in the right direction, and with the Government’s radical renewable programme, I would go as far as to say that the picture today is far better than in the past.”


LOOKING FORWARD

39

EHL Consultingwww.ehl.co.za

0027 11 370 7400



It’s been a long time since the foundation of EHL Consulting in 1980. Over the last 31 years the company has gone on to become one of the most recognised names in

South African engineering. Perhaps better than anyone, EHL Consulting’s managing director Fred Knoetze knows the story of this company inside out.

He was there at the very beginning, when the founding partners were only just setting out.

“Myself and the founding members all worked together for one of the largest construction companies in the country at the time,” he tells us, “so we got to know each other prior to EHL being established.”

He goes on to explain: “EHL Consulting was formed in 1980 as a partnership with two founding members, its name comes from the surnames of the founding partners as well as a third partner who came onboard as the company

grew. Eventually it became a limited company in 1997, and since then has been expanding to the point it’s reached now.”

Understanding the company from bottom to top

Knoetze himself didn’t become part of the company until 1989, when he joined up as an engineer. Over the coming years, Knoetze worked his way up through the company, eventually reaching his current

position as managing director.Having known the company’s founders since the

beginning, and having gained firsthand experience at every level of the company, Knoetze has a unique perspective on the company.

“It gives you quite a number of advantages, in that you know the operations of the company right down to ground level,” he admits. “You are intimately acquainted with every facet of the business. It means that when you make a decision you understand the intricate ways the staff will react at every level.”

However, while Knoetze’s experience is invaluable, he also acknowledges that the company has changed over time,

EHL Consulting

Over the years, EHL Consulting’s managing director has seen his company from every possible angle, giving him an intimate understanding of its workings. The company has an impressive history behind it, but as we found out, its best days may be yet to come.

EHL Consulting

“What we have decided to do is to attract people by word of mouth. If we create a good working environment our people will go back into the circles of other professionals they know and they will spread that message.” Fred Knoetze, Managing Director

41

and is aware that the situation on the shop floor won’t always be the same one he experiences: “People are different, and staff at the different levels of the company won’t always share your point of view. But those are the challenges and that’s what makes this job special. It’s bringing those different perspectives together that makes the company work at the end of the day.”

Ensuring that the company has the right people, and that the right perspectives are being brought into the company is a huge task right now, not just for EHL Consulting, but for the entire engineering industry.

“The skill shortage is very much still with us,” Knoetze says matter-of-factly. “However what we have decided to do is to attract people by word of mouth. If we create a good working environment our people will go back into the circles of other professionals they know and they will spread that message.”

Attracting the cream of the existing talent isn’t enough to solve the issues created by the skills shortage however. It’s also important to foster new talent, and invest in the talent that you already have.

“What I found very early on in my time here is that irrespective of your qualifications or education, working in engineering is a very specific environment which you can

only really understand by working there yourself,” Knoetze explains. “So we’ve acknowledged you have to go through that period of training when you come here and have coaches and mentors in place to help people through that accelerated training process. Coupled with the coaching and mentoring schemes we have this understanding that you have got to keep training people at every level, so we’re constantly working to improve our workers’ skills base. Throughout the company we’ve adopted a transfer of skills training mentality.”

It’s an approach that seems to be paying off. EHL Consulting has been doing extremely well for itself.

“We have established ourselves as a recognised brand in the industry,” Knoetze says proudly. “We operate in a niche market in the mining industry, and we’ve built an association with the most prominent gold mining companies as well as bringing on some platinum mines as clients. In the niche market that we are in we’ve seen year on year growth, while at the same time we’ve seen general market expansion in South Africa.”

Weathering the recessionHowever, even the biggest companies have been hit hard

by the global downturn over the last few years.“Our biggest challenge, as with most companies in the


EHL Consulting

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industry, has been the consequences of the international recession,” Knoetze admits. “Our own company has faced shrinkage of about 20%. But what we’ve managed to do during that time is look internally at how we will face those challenges and bring in cost cutting exercises to make us more efficient. What we’re working on now is getting the right resources in to face that challenge.”

Yet in a strange way the recession has been a mixed blessing for EHL Consulting. With less business than usual coming in, the company has gained the breathing space to take stock of itself and prepare to be at the forefront once

again when the markets pick up.“We have managed to, after many years, bring in the

quality management system ISO 9000,” Knoetze says.

An electrifying futureThis will place EHL Consulting in good stead as the

market improves, and Knoetze already has his eyes on the new opportunities that are appearing in the market. The company’s strong foundations and recognisable name give it a good launch pad from which it can expand into other markets.

“We’re very much planning to expand our horizons going forward, the company is well established in its niche market, but over and above that we’re looking at going worldwide,” Knoetze explains.

With the skills and resources the company has, they are ideally placed to deal with issues faced by businesses across

the board.“We are an electrical company,”

Knoetze says simply. “We recognise that there are needs in that field, so we’re looking to offer consulting services in an energy environment and exploit new areas of renewable energy. On top of that, from a South African point of view we recognise our country’s infrastructure is insufficient, partly as a result of its legacy from the past. We believe our company is in a

position to help overcome those obstacles.”In short, we’re going to be hearing a lot more from EHL

Consulting in the future.“Everybody knows us and where we’re established at

the moment,” Knoetze says. “They’re going to see us at the forefront of anything energy related going forward.”

“Although the company has gone through the effects of the recession, what we’ve been able to do is use the downturn in business to free up resources to put those systems in place and it’s the best thing we could have done.”

EHL Consulting


IN POLE POSITION

45

Treated Timber Productswww.treatedtimberproducts.com

+27 33 342 2679

Written by Ben Walker


According to the World Bank, a staggering 93 per cent of Africa’s economically viable hydropower potential - one tenth of the world’s total - remains unexploited.

Electric power makes up as much as 80 per cent of Africa’s infrastructure deficiencies. Worn out and unreliable, it is a major failure, crippling manufacturing, slowing economic progress, and compromising social life.

Yet the prospective if distant prize is incalculable. Exploit the enormous hydropower potential in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Uganda, the geothermal potential in Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia, natural gas in

Tanzania and Rwanda, coal in Tanzania and the DR Congo, and the living standards of a continent would be transformed.

“Africa is sometimes called the Dark Continent, but there’s a huge potential in and around central Africa – huge reserves of oil and gas,” says Gary Wessels, Financial Director of Treated Timber Products of

Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.“But none of those countries have any significant power

generation and they are going to have to start to look at power generation. To distribute power they will need poles, and this is where we come in.”

Specialist in the production of transmission, telephone and fencing poles, TTP is the largest producer of utility poles in the southern hemisphere.

Its focus on reliability, innovation, quality and durability puts it clear ahead of its rivals. Local and global customers include national electricity supply and telecommunication

Treated Timber Products

Efficient energy generation and transmission could transform Africa, but the current realities are dismal. Gary Wessels of sector leader Treated Timber Products of South Africa, tells Ben Walker what his company is achieving and geared to deliver.



utilities, provincial governments, regional municipalities and turnkey installation companies. TTP also provides treated products for road guardrail posts, fruit trellising, farm fencing, and posts used in wet areas and marine conditions.

And with four treating plants strategically positioned within 100 km’s of both Durban and Maputo harbours, it exports to almost every country in Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean rim countries.

“For the past 72 years TTP has been the African market leader of high quality pressure treated wooden poles, and

our expanding commercial forests and pole processing plant infrastructure will keep us as the market leader well into the future.”

In a tough market - competing with producers from Europe and South America and across Africa – high

performance is critical. “We have always applied two basics,” says Wessels. “The first is the availability of poles stored at our various plants. Typically we have between forty and forty five thousand cubes of raw material ready for treatment and processing. This is probably three times more than any other South African rival, and ensures reliability of supply and the ability to meet large emergency orders at any time”

The second differentiator is TTP’s strict, brand-defining adherence to wood treatment and preservatives, - carried out to the highest international quality standards – together

with the advantages that come from the largest drying kiln capacity in Africa.

“There are two ways of making lots of money in this industry. One is not to dry the poles - so cutting costs and getting them out faster. The other is not to apply the essential


“We employ local people and develop their skills through constant training, information sharing and upgrading.” Gary Wessels


chemicals that preserve and extend the life of a pole. Each operation is a very expensive procedure.”

Last year a TTP team went to Jordan to inspect poles made by a competitor. “We found that the poles had been in the ground for just five years. They had not been treated or dried correctly and because of this they had failed.”

But with TTP creosote treated poles have an anticipated service life of some forty years – high quality, cost-effective products at a price only 15-20% dearer than competitors. “The cost of a pole makes up about 10% of the cost of erecting distribution lines. So 1% extra could make the difference between a four year life and a forty year-plus service life.”

Up to ten years ago TTP’s market was largely domestic - on the transmissions side it now supplies some 50% of the South African market – but now half its output is exported. “We are focussed on West and Central Africa, and this is where we see our growth coming from.”

Raw material supply is the biggest challenge, and the company has responded by entering into agreements, swap arrangements with some of the bigger suppliers - cubes for poles – and the acquisition of significant commercial forest holdings in the Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa.

Timber used by company is 100% South African, and TTP and its associate companies now have some 17000ha of commercial forests, with rights to a further 15000ha and timber swap agreements with South African Pulp and mining timber companies. “As a result we have sufficient timber for the next five years or so. But we continue to look at further purchases and arrangements,” says Gary Wessels. Relationships with the supply chain and across to TTP’s auditors, E M Luiz, and insurers Bro Ko-Op/ Safire Insurance Company, are long-standing and excellent, says Wessels.

TTP’s founding Holley family began treating wooden transmission poles on the present site in 1939, with the original plant continuously renovated and upgraded. Pole processing capacity has increased significantly with the acquisition of the Cramond and Ashton plants, the Ramanas Kilns, and recently the Low Creek plant.

Characteristically, the family firm takes its social responsibilities seriously, with promotion from within its own ranks and through a sister business MAQHILIKA, a marketing and manufacturing company with timber farm holdings.

“We employ local people and develop their skills through constant training, information sharing and upgrading. This policy of human resources development has enabled Treated Timber Products to enhance our employees’ potential, with the result that they have the necessary skills to be able to move into management positions and make an effective contribution to the business.”

Medium terms growth prospects are on course. “I don’t foresee any slump in the local markets over the next 24 months, and indications are that the supply, mostly to our Eskom and Telkom markets should be good over the next 18 months.”

Next March, ‘Power Generation World Africa’, the continent’s largest generation exhibition, opens in Johannesburg, drawing producers, utilities, governments and municipalities. Maximising assets and new solutions are among its themes, and TTP, Africa’s brand leader, is ready and geared to deliver.

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Reg No: 2000/027673/06A licenced Financial Services Provider

(No. 2092)


PORTAL TO THE FUTURE

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Jutlandia Terminalwww.jut.dk

+45 75 136 022

Written by Don Campbell


Jutlandia Terminal

Demand for energy is at a historic high and offshore wind farms are able to generate clean and reliable energy with less upkeep and maintenance than alternative sources. Wind turbines installed offshore are less invasive to their immediate environment and have no waste products. As far as reliable energy is concerned they are the future.

The key challenge however, is getting them there.

Based at the Port of Esbjerg, the biggest port in the world for the offshore industry, Jutlandia Terminal has capitalized on a number of key elements that have galvanized their position as a leading solutions provider to the offshore wind industry. Esbjerg itself provides direct access to Scandinavian and European markets through extensive rail, air and truck networks bottlenecking them to the port which offers direct access to the North Sea.

There they are doing for the offshore energy industry what Henry Ford did for the automotive sector with very similar positive results - a smooth, regulated system of streamlining the sector by assembling the turbines at their terminal,

where a shell and the required pieces arrive in their transport mode and leave ready to be shipped out and installed. What no doubt began as a practical solution to speed up the assemblage process has opened up the industry by providing jobs, accessibility and continuity, setting a standard that has revolutionized their sector.

What was once a difficult industry to be involved in, where the benefits, although tremendous, were overshadowed by the logistical difficulties and expense, required innovative approaches such as these to develop the confidence of its partners. Jutlandia Terminal offers such confidence by providing a one-stop shop for empires like Siemens who,

Jutlandia Terminal

according to the European Wind Energy Association, were responsible for 80% of the total wind energy capacity installed in the North Sea during 2011.

The process is simple: for a company like Siemens, Jutlandia have provided open storage facilities, procurement

and logistical tools at their base in Esbjerg. The technology and equipment is of the highest calibre, but what really stands out is the skilled work force that, with a foundation of experience derived from over 30 years servicing this particular field has brought an unmatched level of reliability.

What is remarkable is that, in the 1970s when the terminal was first established, they were focussed on citrus fruit and

plywood! Fortunately, when the offshore industry in North Sea took off, the port in Esbjerg was perfectly located to service it. The citrus and plywood industry disappeared and they haven’t looked back since. This focus on organic development and growth is a constant in Kristian’s approach

- as the offshore industry has grown and changed, so has Jutlandia, resulting in a massive upgrade of equipment and machinery at the terminal over the past 5 years which enable them to handle larger and larger components, following the industry trend for developing increasingly larger turbines.

While offering the services of the terminal, Jutlandia also act as solution specialists; applying themselves to a key

The fastest way to get new electricity into the grid is by windmills, so this is one of the big reasons that UK are investing heavily in this market. The powerplants in the UK are old and instead of building new ones, which could take 5 years each, you can build a windfarm within 1-2 years from installation start.


Jutlandia Terminal

Always able to deliver various sorts of lashing/securing materials at competitive prices.

www.dmsaarhus.com +45 86 100 011

logistical process is required when dealing with projects of this size and scale. This process could not have been predetermined but has been developed through a “hands-on approach” and a focus on strong customer satisfaction.

HOW THEY EFFECT THE INDUSTRYThe offshore wind industry is booming and the climb

is destined to continue thanks to a major EU initiative to focus on producing clean energy. This demand has led to increasing levels of investment in technology aiming to drive down the cost of wind energy throughout the development cycle.

To accomplish this task each individual link in the chain of production, assemblage, logistics and set-up all had to take a look at their operations and determine what could be done to improve. Some companies were forced to overhaul their entire process and reinvent themselves however Jutlandia Terminal was well ahead of its competitors.

“Our success is not only about leadership but also the development of the port and taking the opportunities as they are presented and working on them swiftly.” Kristian Svarrer

It couldn’t have been more fortunate for the North Sea industry as Jutlandia’s positioning meant that on the side of the companies wanting to get into the industry they had a partner who’s location and development was already where it was needed to allow them to take a giant leap forward instead of a small step and the businesses capable of providing the logistics of the turbines to their final destination, via shipping, had work readily available

Jutlandia Terminal

to them so they were able to prepare and plan. This continuity is partly responsible for the fast enhancements in this industry.

WHAT’S ON IN THE FUTURE AND CONCLUSIONCompetition is growing fast in this industry and while

Jutlandia does have the advantage of its port facilities, it isn’t the only company in the world offering these services. The differential factor between them and their main competitors is their experience. Having built the terminal up from the ground and moving with the ebb and flows of the tides of their industry they know the secrets. There is the “know how” that separates them.

Risk assessment is important in this industry and to ensure that the future is secure it’s vital that policies are followed now. Jutlandia have an entire department dedicated to ensuring risk assessment is gingerly looked after. Their high standards and approach to excellence are some of the reasons why their customers come to them and why Siemens use them as a base of operations.

“The key to long term success is building the legislations and procedures required for this industry into the strategic plan and working alongside them. Seeing them as a benefit and not a hinderence.” Kristian Svarrer

There will be a continuous demand for wind power in the world, and for new and exciting methods of collecting it and as the sector changes, improves and learns so too will the leaders of Jutlandia Terminal. They can’t help it, it’s in their nature.

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Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission Companywww.ctr.dk+45 38185777

Written by William Dodd

57

WARM REGARDS


Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission Company

CTR is a company with a mission. They are responsible for providing reliable, cheap heating to over 275,000 households across five municipalities in the Greater Copenhagen Area.

“We buy hot water from the big incineration plants and power plants in the Greater Copenhagen Area and transmit the water through a series of high pressure pipelines to various heating companies owned by the municipalities,” explains Inga Thorup Madsen, President and CEO of CTR. “We don’t have any contact with the end user, instead we act more as a go-between.”

CTR, or the Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission Company, to give it its full name, was founded in 1984 from the municipalities of Frederiksberg, Gentofte, Gladsaxe, Copenhagen and Tårnby. Since then they’ve done an excellent job of mediating between the power companies and the heating providers. But CTR is so much more than a middle man between the heating companies and the power companies. The systems they put in place ensure that

customers are always getting the best value for their heat.

“On the one hand we buy heat from plants where there is a surplus then our systems ensure that the cheapest plant available will take care

of our customer’s heat needs. If the customers need more we move onto more expensive plants,” Madsen explains. “We also work together with heat producers and the other transmission companies so that we are able to forecast the price and capacity of heat in the future. It’s very energy effective to have this system in place, compared to a system where only one producer has to supply a whole area.”

It’s a vast, intricate system, which isn’t surprising when you consider that CTR has invested in the region of 3 billion DKK into the heat transmission network. It has been responsible for the construction, development and operation of a 54km network, including three booster pump stations, 14 peak-load units and 26 heat-exchanger stations, all managed from CTR’s control room through its extended control, regulation and monitoring system.


District heating at its best

WWW.RAMBOLL.COM/RE

For more than 25 years Ramboll has been CTR’s main consultant,assisting the company during all stages of the project life cycle from planning and design to operation and maintenance of Copenhagen’s city-wide heat transmission system. When working with our international clients we use Copenhagen as inspiration and a model for other district heating projects.

2012-Annonce_Endeavour Magazine_portræt CTR_188x138mm.indd 1 3/28/2012 8:47:57 AM

The engineering teams behind Ramboll’s services to CTR are very experienced and part of Ramboll’s 450 staff strong energy consultancy group. Since CTR was established in 1984, Ramboll’s assistance has covered all aspects of planning and design as well as close support during construction and commissioning. Current assignments are related to CTR’s constant expansion and optimisation together with operation & maintenance consultancy services.



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This district heating system has numerous advantages over other heating systems. It manages to be both cheap and eco-friendly by making sure that the surplus heat generated by power plants is used in the most effective way possible. The interconnected nature of the grid makes it possible for that heat to be taken from any of the big power plants or incinerators across the region and redirected to where it’s needed.

The Most Valuable ResourceOf course, the most valuable resource CTR has, perhaps

even more valuable than the heat it’s distributing across the Greater Copenhagen area, is its people. In a fast moving, high technology field like this, it’s absolutely crucial to have the best people, and to keep those people trained up.

For Madsen, the key to building great staff is clear.“We educate our staff and try to create good conditions

for them,” she says. “We’re particularly proud of our great working atmosphere. Because we’ve built a reputation for treating our staff well we’re in a better position to recruit new people, because they are attracted to our working conditions and the opportunities we offer to develop their careers.”

It’s an aspect of the business that CTR is constantly developing. There is a program in place whereby employees are given an annual interview to discuss their needs and set goals for the coming year. There are also bi-weekly symposiums to give employees an open forum to share knowledge and discuss how work should be completed, so that staff feel a real sense of ownership over the companies achievements.

Powerful PartnershipsAs well as utilising its own workforce, CTR has also built

crucial partnerships with other companies, working together towards some truly ambitious goals. By working closely with its partner companies, CTR is aiming to have a completely carbon neutral heating system for their area by 2025. It’s aiming to do this by focusing on biomass and geothermal based heat. CTR has taken several important steps towards this goal, for instance, in its part ownership of a geothermal plant opened in 2006.

This plant stands as one of CTR’s lasting achievement. It’s impossible not to be impressed by the demonstration geothermal plant CTR helped reach construction. The plant is built around a 3 kilometre hole into the ground, where water up to 70 degrees Celsius is found. CTR is looking to get involved in further geothermal projects, and is together with the partners investigating the possibility of building a larger plant with 7 dwellings in a star formation.

But this is only one string to CTR’s bow. They are currently looking how to help the municipalities in their strategies for energy supply in the future. Some of them are expanding their heating network and items are whether district heating systems should be further connected, and how the planning climate and energy can be coordinated between companies and municipalities.

“We are working together with the heating deliverers, trying to meet efficiency goals through a variety of techniques. A crucial part of that is the way we run the whole system so that at any hour of the day we are using the most effective heat production at that time,” Madsen says. “We are also constantly working with our heat production suppliers, negotiating ways to meet any deficiencies in the system.

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We’re able to work this way because we are a publically owned company in a non-liberalised sector - our aim isn’t to create a surplus, and we’re motivated by concerns other than profit. This means that at every moment we are trying to find the best heat production that can be arranged at that moment.”

Because the company is run this way, in many ways their goals are set far higher than other companies.

“We are asked to aim for very ambitious goals by our municipalities,” Madsen says. “This prompts us to try to develop new systems with new technology. If we want to be carbon neutral by 2025 we need to introduce new technology to the system.”

Among the changes the company shall meet the need for new capacity in the future. “We are not a production company so we have to ask ourselves a number of questions about where we should get that extra capacity,” Madsen says. “This means negotiating new deals with energy providers and analysing what we can draw from new plants in the Copenhagen area, as well as the sorts of fuel and technology we should be investing in.”

Right now their main priority is to limit the consumption of fossil fuels, and CTR is proud to say that here Copenhagen is miles ahead of similar capitals, also thanks to 27 years of good service from CTR’s district heating system.

It’s a system that has proved to be sustainable and effective for densely populated areas, minimising heat loss while using fuels in the most efficient way possible. It’s a model that cities all over the world could stand to learn from.


A/S J. Lauritzen’swww.lauri.dk+45 75 12 3133


65

SAFEGUARDING THE LINE TO SUCCESS


Lauritzen

66

Last issue I had the pleasure of speaking with Kristian Svarrer about Jutlandia Terminal, where an innovative approach to manufacturing and assembling wind turbines was progressively changing the industry.

This issue, I jumped at the opportunity to speak with Kristian again, he is an inspiring leader with a powerful vision of the future and a rare clarity about what needs to be done to get there. When historians look back at our era they will certainly count Lauritzen as the epicentre of corporate environmental consideration.

WHO ARE THEYLauritzen are a niche company dealing with environment-

friendly intermodal transport predominantly from Scandinavia to Italy where they offer a turn-key operation to their clients. A family owned business with more than 125 years of experience, with three generations adding their experience and knowledge to the next.

“Our forwarding department was established in 1982 and developed in order to meet the increasing demand for door-to-door transport and just-in-time deliveries.” - Kristian Svarrer

Experience is valued with the staff and this is one of the

main reasons why the company has continued to grow over the years and seen many competitors fall behind. Solid

experience provides the best sort of foundation for required change, diversification and organic growth. These three areas have been the mainstay for Lauritzen over the years.

WHAT DO THEY DOA philosophy of finding a niche sector of an industry and

exploring it fully to tap the best resources within that niche seems to be an important factor and with this there are a key number of areas that Lauritzen specialize in:

Shipping and projects - since the establishment of Lauritzen in 1884 the shipping and projects department have been a major part of the company’s activities and over the years the shipping and projects department have been participating in all aspects of the maritime business. Today, the shipping and projects department focuses on agency and projects related to the windmill and the offshore industries.

Storage and logistics - as a partner for electronic as well as trading and manufacturing companies Lauritzen are in the prime position to provide customized solutions in a number


of fields including, packaging, daily delivery, quality control, refinement, traceability, integration as well as handling of food and animal feed which they are fully approved to do.

Full assemblage of wind turbines at Jutlandia Terminal - one of the few places perfectly situated and equipped to do so.

Seaport Stevedoring, a daughter company of A/S J. Lauritzen Eftf., handles loading and unloading of all types of goods, whether it is containers, windmills, timber, cold storage goods, general cargo or more complex project cargo.

But at their core Lauritzen are a freight forwarding company who use the railway network to deliver their products, making use of trucks on either end. The reason for this is simple:

“Not only is it a niche approach but we’re able to load more onto the trailers and thanks to various developments we’re also able to get them to their destinations sooner,” - Kristian Svarrer

Using the railways provides a unique set of benefits that aren’t found with road, as mentioned the trailers you put on the train are able to take heavier loads up to 28 tonnes per trailer, capable of hauling more tonnes per trip, and it is more environmentally sustainable.

“We deal with a lot of ceramic tile and marble, which need to be carefully packed and we find being able to load up more when using a rail solution is a benefit because we can deliver more, with higher levels of safety and at a fast pace,” - Kristian Svarrer

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THINGSMore and more companies are picking up the trend of

looking at environmentally proficient means of conducting business. Lauritzen is the sort of company to lead such trends, looking at every individual segment of their offering, addressing every small detail and finding a way to improve upon it even by a small margin.

However, they don’t cut costs. Their approach isn’t one of cutting quality away to save money, but rather investing money and time into the right places and the best directions to ensure a solid future.

A solid future is the very impression you get whenever reviewing any of the projects handled by Lauritzen and by Kristian himself. This company may be 125 years old but the vitality and energy in their approach is that of a far younger company where vitality, excitement and action are still the fundamentals.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE FUTUREEfficiency, as always, is the key. The understanding that

time is money has been taken to hand and a new office is being opened in Norway to take full advantage of their niche industry which will further shorten the transit time by a full day compared to the time it would take road vehicles to do the same thing.

“We’re expecting this time next year to have a turn-over of 50%-100% more than we have today,” - Kristian Svarrer.

Bold words but what is amazing is that Lauritzen in its totality are making money by saving people time and money while lowering their environmental impact and building a new standard of sustainability.

In earnest, there should be more companies like Lauritzen out there.

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A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

69

DHVwww.dhv.com

+31 40 2509 484



A design and engineering company that works across the globe, DHV has roughly 5,000 employees and offices in India, China, Canada, South Africa and Portugal as well as its headquarters in the Netherlands. The firm is active in markets that include water treatment, infrastructure, space planning and aviation while informing its clients how they can improve their properties to save money and decrease their impact on the environment.

And it all started for the Eindhoven office as an offshoot from Philips.

Speaking the client’s languageDHV’s head of business development Renewable Energy

Solutions, Ad Schrijvers, explains: “We were originally a design and engineering office that was part of Philips in the 80s and 90s. During that period we designed every building that Philips planned. Mainly, we built semiconductor factories for Philips all over the world. We build factories in China, India, Taiwan and the Netherlands.”

This all changed in the early nineties however, when the world was hit by an economic crisis and Philips had to sell the engineering and design office to DHV. Of course, even then, the company’s relationship with Philips didn’t end.

“We still do jobs for Philip,” Schrijvers says. “At the end of the 90s, interest in solar power began to grow. The processes used in manufacturing solar panels were more or less similar

Big businesses are about making a profit, which means you don’t always associate them with a concerted effort to make the world a better place. However, at a time when the environment is increasingly at risk and it seems a day doesn’t go by without some new bad news about the economy, DHV is not only pushing for practices in design and construction that save money and protect the environment, but thriving as it does so.

DHV

71

DHV

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to semiconductor techniques. We had a lot of the necessary knowledge and skills already, so we entered that market.”

The firm’s background in building semiconductor factories has proved to be an advantage when interacting with clients in the same industry.

“Our customers like us because we speak the same language,” Schrijvers tells us. “So they can discuss the economics, the utilities and the process with us really easily. Our grounding in semiconductors gives us the grounding to understand our clients.”

As well as making it easy to communicate with their clients, DHV’s long history in the construction industry means it is also experienced in communicating with government bodies, which makes acquiring the necessary permits easier, as well as ensuring that their buildings meet the local rules and regulations.

Working for a greener futureIn all their work DHV is constantly thinking about

the environmental impact of what they do. They pride themselves on their status as a climate neutral company, and

in all the advice they give to their clients sustainability is at the forefront of their minds.

“Sustainability is one of the main issues in our office,” Schrijvers says. “We want to bring the most sustainable solutions to our projects. For that we have invented a sustainability matrix, a sort of checklist that we discuss with our customers to tell them which sustainable solutions we’d like to implement. Most of these solutions are either

free or very cheap. Some involve a small investment at the beginning, but the savings clients make on energy bills will cover the costs very quickly.”

Unfortunately in the current economic climate, any businesses are reluctant to put down money now even if it means making savings later.

Schrijvers explains: “People are trying to save money at the moment. They don’t want to put down that investment in

“Sustainability is one of the main issues in our office. We want to bring the most sustainable solutions to our projects.” Ad Schrijvers


DHV

the beginning, which can make it difficult. Some companies are looking forward and investing now to earn back the money in a couple of years, but others are waiting until times improve before they spend money on implementing the necessary savings, which ironically means they’ll be losing money in the mean time.”

In some places, governments are actually stepping in to encourage more responsible environmental practices, and when they do, DHV is ideally placed to help companies meet new regulations.

“One example is that customers who use a lot of city water are being forced by governments to reclaim as much as possible of the waste water because the water is limited,” Schrijvers says. “We also do a lot of work in places where the infrastructure doesn’t supply the amount of energy that is needed for a factory, so we have to design energy saving solutions to make projects feasible.”

Global solutions, locallyThroughout DHV’s practice, they abide by the motto

“Global solutions, locally implemented”. Schrijvers explains exactly what this motto means: “We act globally because we are an international company. We can provide global solutions because we can use knowledge from all over the world, but at the same time we want to sit next to the client rather than opposite them and help realise our client’s dreams. We act locally because wherever we

are working we have relationships with local partners to understand local businesses.”

Keeping the talent in-houseIn a field like solar power, which has gone from being

on the fringe of the energy sector when DHV first became involved with it to something that is now seen a major alternative to fossil fuels around the world, it’s natural that the field will always be extremely fast moving. To stay competitive, DHV has to be constantly aware of the latest developments in solar technology.

“We have strong connections with equipment suppliers, as well as with research labs like ECN, TNO, and the universities,” Schrijvers says. “We are also constantly visiting exhibitions, for instance, soon we’re going to be standing at the Photovoltaic exhibition. We’re always in close contact with the key players in this market.”

This is crucial, as unlike many other design and engineering companies, DHV doesn’t have to sub-contract any of its work.

“We can deliver total design management,” Schrijvers explains proudly. “We have every discipline in-house. Architectural, technical, construction management, we can deliver the whole range within our own company. That means the customer will get the best solution for the lowest price because we’re not a contractor, we’re a design company. We’re independent.”

DHV

73

Of course, keeping everything in-house means it’s important to attract and retain the right people. Fortunately for DHV this isn’t a problem.

“People want to work for us because we get some great projects,” Schrijvers says. “We want to be the best of our class and attract the most outstanding projects. By having those projects and a good salary, we then attract the most talented people who want to take on those challenges. Because we have those people, we then get given the most exciting projects. It’s a sort of Catch 22 situation.”

A sunny futureThe last few years have been hard on many businesses, but by

not keeping all its eggs in one basket DHV has managed to avoid the worst of the recession.

“We had a little dip in 2009,” Schrijvers admits, “but because we work in so many different markets we’re able to cushion ourselves. When the public market is going down the private market is picking up, so we can change our focus depending on how the markets are changing.”

The future for DHV is looking bright. While the solar panels market has taken a hit from big competition from China, the end result is that the market is growing, and new opportunities are opening up all the time.

“We have some very nice projects on the horizon for the future,” Schrijvers confides. “We are looking into new technologies for solar power and we’re hoping for some very nice opportunities in the near future.”

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€300,000.


BioTherm Energywww.biothermenergy.com+27 11 367 4600


POWER TO THE PEOPLE


BioTherm Energy

76

According to science, Africa was the cradle of life, and now thanks to science, once again it is becoming the cradle of change. And as the most abundant and most loved resources in Africa are harnessed, it is the people of Africa who are finally seeing the benefits.

Founded in 2003, BioTherm is one of South Africa’s first independent power producers, initially focused on developing waste gas and heat cogeneration projects, however its new gems now come in the form of wind and solar projects.

The South African energy sector is undergoing significant change and now has the potential to become one of the fastest growing renewable energy industries in the world. The Department of Energy is holding five rounds of tenders to allocate a total of 3,725 megawatts to prospective developers over the next 2 years. Continuing its pioneering nature and in the face of extreme competition, BioTherm Energy is one of the first successfully selected bidders approved to develop and operate one wind energy project and two solar projects. It is the only South African developer to have secured three

preferred bidder projects in Round I.Renewable energy has the potential to

catalyse the rollout of the “Green Industrial Revolution” in South Africa, which would then not only deliver energy to meet the needs of South Africa’s growing economy but also create much needed employment opportunities and the creation of new

industries that will ultimately result in South Africa becoming that gateway to Africa for renewable energy technologies and solutions.

In the past, Spain was considered to be the “hotspot” for solar energy - thanks to the high DNI which was thought for a long time to be the highest in the world. DNI refers to the ratio of absorbable sunshine strength and is essential when generating energy through photovoltaic cells. Certain parts of Africa, particularly Southern Africa has a DNI level, 25% greater than its Spanish counterpart.

BioTherm Energy is one of South Africa’s leading renewable energy developers and has embarked on a mission to deliver clean, renewable energy to South Africa through the development, construction and operation of wind and


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BioTherm Energy

solar farms in the Eastern, Western and Northern Cape provinces.

Headed by Jasandra Nyker, who has an impressive background of over 15 years private equity experience and having been directly involved in the renewable energy technology and project investing for the last seven years, this green project development company is changing ideas, opening doors and paving a new road for African companies. With a predominantly South African team in place, the Company has taken a vertically integrated approach to project development and execution. From Greenfield development to project acquisition and construction, the senior management team brings over 100 years of project development and power project construction and operational experience.

Technological advancements in both wind and solar power are continually decreasing the cost barriers for using wind and solar as a cleaner alternative to existing energy sources. As wind and solar become lower cost effective solutions, its market adoption will broaden to focus further downstream on consumer applications. While common in Europe and the US, the end consumer market has not yet taken off in South Africa and thereby presents a further opportunity for mass market adoption of renewable energy solutions.

With wind and solar energy projects throughout South Africa particularly in the Eastern, Western and Northern Cape provinces, BioTherm targets areas which have a steady and reliable wind and solar resource and the potential to connect to the electrical grid.

“We have a growing project pipeline in various development phases that if built could result in significantly increasing power generation capacity-

“We not only aim to own and operate our wind and solar projects, but also seek to employ and train local people and aggressively expand into Sub Saharan Africa.” Jasandra Nyker

An example of this integrated approach is that upon learning that there was limited information about bat populations and their movements in South Africa, we installed monitoring equipment at 11 different locations to track their movement. This equipment records bat calls and

The IDC is a national development finance institution assisting sustainable economic growth in South Africa through supporting entrepreneurship in competitive and viable new industries.

The IDC supports South Africa’s transition towards a low carbon economy through investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects to support production capacity, competitiveness and operational efficiency resulting in job creation.

The IDC aims to develop and grow green industries by acting as a key strategic investment partner to companies such as Biotherm Energy and facilitating projects which enhance the environment, improve energy supply and reduce carbon emissions whilst demonstrating economic merit, sustainability and profitability.

BioTherm Energy

79

thus identifies the specific species which have traversed the site. Bat Conservation International is aware of this initiative. The Programme will continue for three years. The information will be made available to scientists and will help guide us in creating a precautionary approach to operating our projects, with sonar bat deflectors if appropriate.

The Company has also come up with unique ways to ensure that the projects it builds in South Africa provide long term sustainable impact to the communities which surround its project facilities. This is important for BioTherm as its project locations are often in rural and economically deprived areas of the country and should provide social upliftment and catalyse economic development.

There are several companies that the company recognizes who have helped BioTherm in their projects and endeavours.

“The companies we work with have to be able to not only provide the best level of services to our projects but also to work hard to meet the deadlines and targets set by the REIPP process. We owe part of our success to this mutual focus on deliverance,” – Jasandra Nyker.

When determining the best solution for energy production, it is often a question of availability relative to cost. This is why in many African countries, including South Africa, coal has been the dominant energy feedstock. It is a low cost solution due to its ease of access, proven production methods and resultant low levelised cost of electricity. However, this is changing as feedstock costs and the levelised cost of electricity is increasing.

By providing the opportunity for natural and perpetual wind and solar resources to be harnessed, change now has

the elbow room it needs to get underway. This will have a significant and a sustainable impact on African nations far beyond simple power generation. The ability to create green, abundant and independent power will provide improved energy security and ensure that access to energy is now a local offering. In doing so, it will significantly help reduce the reliance of diesel and coal power generation.

BioTherm’s first round projects, together with the other successful Round I projects will lead the way for an entire industrial movement that will ultimately result in sustainable job creation, the empowerment of people with a game-changing effect that will ultimately further catalyse economic growth and what is deemed to be the new “green” industrial revolution.

WE HAVE MANAGEDTO GO FURTHERTHAN ANYONE ELSE

Group Five, one of the leading construction companies in Africa and South Africa and Spain’s Iberdrola Engineering and Construction a global leader in Engineering and Construction of renewable solutions have teamed up to provide expertise and support to the South African renewable market. This group has the ability to swiftly redeploy resources between countries of operation to meet clients’ requirements, as well as to be able to maximise opportunities for local employment and job creation.


Dall Energywww.dallenergy.com+45 2987 2222


81

APPLYING INVENTION


“Before I founded the company I was a consultant with a major firm and a researcher at the technical university developing biomass technology,” he tells us. “I invented a process for the gasification of biomass and managed to get a patent. It was a new patent for biomass in district heating and

before long I’d found a potential partner in the US. However the consulting company I was working for wasn’t keen on owning too many technologies. We agreed that if I wanted making inventions to be a major part of my business model I should go and found my own company. The American company

said they would invest in this company and back me up. So I bought the patent I had made, which was then the property of the consultant firm, and that’s how we started the company.”

For Bentzen’s new business venture to be a success it

It’s not often you get to talk to somebody who not only founded their own company, but actually invented the product that they sell, so speaking to Jens Dall Bentzen, founder and Managing Director of Dall Energy is a unique experience. Fortunately, Bentzen is happy to share his story.

Dall Energy

Dall Energy

83

would need a unique selling point. Fortunately, with the patents he now owned Bentzen had just that.

“My first patent is part of a biomass system, and we hold several more patents that are part of this overall system. Our key technology is a way of combusting biomass. This we developed as a concept in 2008, before building a prototype in 2009 and a full scale version in 2010 and 2011,” Bentzen explains. “It burns very clean, with very little dust or emissions. The low level of dust it emits is good because it means we have very few problems with the heat exchanges. The system also has the advantage of being able to take a huge variety of fuels. The system has very few maintenance costs because nothing hot is moving in the furnace, so it’s a robust system.”

Growing The BusinessBentzen’s new company, Dall Energy, is a small affair.“It’s only me and one member of staff, then the

companies we work with as consultants and industrial partners,” he says simply. “The only staff member we have is a former chief of research and development from a big industrial company. We’ve known each other for more than 10 years. He was tired of where he was and we discussed if he wanted to be a partner, but he was approaching his pension, so he became staff and we’ve got a great relationship with a lot of trust.”

As Bentzen went into business for himself, he’d soon find that inventing his new system was the easy part. The tricky part would be finding customers.

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Dall Energy

“Our biggest challenge was to finalise the agreements around the first full scale reference plant, then actually get it built and commissioned. Finalising those agreements was a bigger challenge than the technology!” Bentzen says. “Still, we were able to build a licensing and partnering model, whereby we have agreements with customers and partners on how to share risks and share rights in the future.”

The problem is, before people are willing to invest in a new design they want to see it working in practice, but Dall Energy can’t build its new designs without investment, creating a Catch-22 situation. Fortunately Bentzen has managed to find ways past these obstacles. The main reason for this success was financial support from the R&D programme managed by the Danish Energy Agency. Dall Energy is currently working on two major projects close to Copenhagen that will result in two biomass plants of the Dall Energy design.

“We’re putting a strong focus on these two projects near Copenhagen. One is a heat and power plant. The costumer is a utility and so the project will be a great reference for us. Our other, equally important project is with an industrial customer and gives us a reference model for the industrial sector to look at,” Bentzen tells us excitedly. “We have a strong base in Research and Development in Denmark and we’ll start pursuing partners throughout the world who we can licence our designs to. We’re already talking to potential international partners who are interested in our technology.”

As part of the licensing package, Dall Energy will be responsible of actually manufacturing some of the components.

“We want to eventually manufacture some of the components,” he says, “but most of the components that go into these plants are heavy gear, so if people are building designs around the world it doesn’t make sense to build the total plant in Denmark and ship it. Instead, the large components will be manufactured locally.”

For now, the company has many leads. Across Denmark people have become familiar with Dall Energy’s technology, they’re just waiting to see how its newly built plants are going to last out the next winter.

“We’ve had a successful start. I’d hoped once we had the first plant up and running it would bring more contracts, but as the technology is new, the company is new and the investment is considerable, then most costumers are still pretty conservative,” Bentzen reflects. “But we are very happy with the two contracts here close to our capital Copenhagen and one in the US. We are confident we will built much more plants throughout the world in the coming years”

Green ConcernsThe push for greener energy sources and environmentally

friendly solution may seem like a recent fashion, but Bentzen say that these discussions were already part of the political agenda in Denmark 20 years ago.

“For me it goes back to when I started at university and there was an intensive government push to be more green,” he says. “So it’s new at all that we need to be carbon neutral. One of the advantages of our designs is that they are not only carbon neutral, but also lower in other emissions.”

Dall Energy

85

Still, while the importance of watching your environmental impact isn’t exactly new, Bentzen concedes that politically people are more vocal about the environment than they used to be.

“The political focus on environmentalism is bigger now than 20 years ago. Maybe it’s not new but there’s stronger more of it,” he says. “This has helped us because when Dall Energy was founded the government had started a funding scheme for demonstrations of new energy technology. Before that, the government was mostly supporting research into new energy technology, but focus has shifted towards demonstration projects. We have been very fortunate to receive support to demonstrate our technology and this support is indeed a key element of our success. ”

The Key to Great R&DAsked what he thinks the key to a successful Research

and Development company is, Bentzen doesn’t have to think long.

“First we focus on our references, and on our patents, ensuring we’ve got a strong product to sell. That’s been our key strategy since we started. Secondly, you have to make sure you find sound partners. There’s not a strict formula for finding the right partner. Usually we look at their vision, the ownership history of the company and the people behind it. I have a preference for personally owned companies which have a good track record and a good reputation.”

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Gascooling for Dall Energy_2012.indd 1 3/23/2012 2:07:58 PMEndeavour Magazine • Energy & Utilities 2012 •

GENERATING CHANGE EWEAwww.ewea.org16 - 19 April 2012Bella Center Copenhagen, Denmark

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GENERATING CHANGE by Daemon Sands


EWEAwww.ewea.org16 - 19 April 2012Bella Center Copenhagen, Denmark

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) was formally launched in Stockholm. EWEA was an initiative to bring together a large body of experts working in this industry through Europe, to combine ideas and pave a solid future.

This is an industrial success story:In 2007, EWEA turned 25. To celebrate and commemorate

this achievement a new strapline was adopted, “25 years – powering change”.

No doubt it’s an appropriate line, one that directly reflects their association and the industry’s past achievements and future goals.

Wind turbine generators have grown from 55 kW in 1982 to 5,000 kW today, rotor diameters from 15 metres to 126 metres and global installed capacity is now 194,000 MW compared to 100 MW in 1980. In Europe alone the wind energy’s share of power supply has increased from 0.001% to 4%, and associated manufacturers continue to dominate

On September 1982, a handful of European manufacturers of agricultural machinery flew to California to assess the market for wind energy. A month later they returned with enough orders to begin serious production of wind turbines. Within that year, 25-30 turbines had been shipped and installed. The following year over 350 wind turbines, with a total capacity of 20 MW, were exported. The “California wind rush” had begun and the modern wind energy industry was born.

EWEA

EWEA

the rapidly growing global market. Indeed, wind power is one of the biggest European industrial success stories in the past quarter of a century.

In 1982, EWEA took on the challenge of promoting wind energy to become the driving force behind the development of a sustainable energy supply. The road to this achievement has been long, requiring a great deal of research and development and a strong, focussed passion for success.

During the association’s adolescence many of the cornerstones that have shaped the way we look at the industry today had not yet been realized, and it seemed that they had more words than they had megawatts. But progress, even when slow, is still progress and today things are different - today the megawatts are there. In 2010, renewable energy accounted for 41% of all electricity generating capacity installed in the EU, 17% of that was wind power. New EU-wide legislation had set a target of sourcing 20% of all energy from renewable sources by 2020 and in the electricity sector, 34% of all


EWEA

consumption will be met by renewables by that same year. Wind power will account for 15% to 18% of all electricity consumption by 2020. (Figures garnered from EWEA website www.ewea.org)

Key decisions have to be taken and these will have a tremendous impact on the future of EWEA and the future of energy in the EU and inevitably the world. EWEA wants wind to be the leading technology in transforming the global energy supply structure towards a truly sustainable future, based on unlimited, clean and competitive renewable technologies.

Our previous century was marked by a fight for the control of a depleting fuel resource, where the people of

the countries involved often suffered for it. This century’s fight will see the countries and regions following strategies of development, deployment and exportation of renewable technologies to a world that will soon be unable to continue without it.

Location for the base of operations is as important as the location for the setup of wind farms, and as the voice of the wind industry, EWEA is ideally situated in Brussels within close proximity to the key European decision makers. As the voice of the wind industry, it is their role to actively promote the use of wind power globally and to ensure that they are within the limelight.

Now benefitting from over 700 members from almost 60

EWEA

countries including manufacturers with a leading share of the world wind power market, component suppliers, research institutes, national wind and renewables associations, developers, electricity providers, financers, insurers and consultants. This network is responsible for the strength of EWEA.

The lobbying activities undertaken by EWEA create a suitable legal framework within which members can successfully develop their own businesses, as in any industry the future relies on new ideas coming from young companies that thrive due to the fertile groundwork put in place by the powerful giants already established.

To ensure transparency, EWEA voluntarily registered

itself to the European Commission directory of interest representatives, thereby subscribing to the European Commission Code of Conduct.

All in all EWEA is the driving force of this industry, a catalyst between the great companies that are directing how the future of energy is generated, not only for Europe but the world.

EWEA is a founder member of the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) which groups the eight key renewable industry and research associations under one umbrella organisation. EWEA is also a member of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).


Innovation Groupwww.za.innovation-group.com+ 27 11 790 5200

Written by Martin White

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THE VIRTUALPOWER STATION


South Africa, with its abundance of natural resources, still faces a serious energy crisis that threatens economic growth for the entire nation. Demand for energy is stretching supply to the point where load shedding and rapidly increasing energy prices are a serious concern for businesses and consumers alike across the country. Endeavour Magazine looks at how experience gained in claims management and business process outsourcing for the insurance sector can provide an answer for long term energy security in the country.

London Stock Exchange listed Innovation Group is a leading international outsourcing and software provider for the insurance, automotive and property sectors, employing over 2000 staff in 13 countries covering the largest insurance markets across the world. Originally established in the UK in 1996 and developing its first claims solutions for the insurance sector in 1999, the company has grown to represent more than 800 clients including many of the leading insurers, fleet management companies and financial service providers worldwide. A great deal of this growth can be attributed to the company’s approach of developing tailored solutions to individual client needs according to the markets in which they operate. This is why their South African operation has embarked on a major alternative energy solutions programme as explained by Llewellan Vance, Business Development Manager for Innovation Group South Africa:

“A national power emergency was declared in 2008 and since then South Africa has been subject to rolling blackouts and vast increases in energy prices mainly due to the demand for energy beginning to completely outstrip supply but also to cover the cost of power plant refurbishment and building new generating capacity.

“Climate change is a local and global problem and South Africa’s state utility Eskom has had to address the critical issues of how energy can be supplied sustainably whilst also looking at how to reduce consumption.”

Innovation Group

Innovation Group

These challenges helped to force a renewed government focus on the development of sustainable energy policies and provided an ideal opportunity for Innovation Group to carry over its extensive experience in the insurance sector as Llewellan explains:

“As a group we specialise in claims administration and providing solutions to encompass the full claims cycle. In addition we provide incident management processes and solutions which enable us to effectively service our clients through our panel of accredited service providers. Globally the group processes in excess of 1.2 million claims annually and pays out over ZAR 1 billion in claims each month, whereas in South Africa we handle over 160,000 incidents per month paying out over ZAR 400 million to service providers on behalf of our clients.

“As part of our incident management processes we have traditionally been involved with the replacement of electric geysers (boilers) in the event of breakdown or failure; with increasing focus being placed on sustainability, we decided we could shift our outsourcing model towards the use of solar water heating through reactive insurance related boiler replacements.”

Electric water heating is highly energy intensive and is a factor that has further added to the problems affecting the South African energy sector. Solar water heating eliminates the demand of conventional electric systems by using natural solar thermal energy for water heating. South Africa is considered to be an ideal market for use of solar thermal energy due to the high rate of annual sunshine and solar radiation levels ranking among the highest in the world.

Innovation Group embarked on a rigorous process for the selection of solar water heating system suppliers to be used as part of a major rollout programme. Each supplier was required to be accredited by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) to be recognised an Eskom solar water heating provider. The Eskom objective was to stimulate the uptake of solar water heating systems by offering a rebate which is paid to offset the cost of converting against long term energy saving. The issue of supplier selection remains an important factor as Llewellan explains:

“We ensure that an extensive due diligence process is followed to assess the quality of local and imported system manufacturers and extend this approach to also cover the capabilities of approved solar water heating installers on a national basis. The government, through Eskom, has focussed on supporting local content and this is enforced through the rebate programme, we support this alongside our insurance partners through investment in local suppliers and installers as a means of skills development and job creation.

“We have developed very strong relationships with our suppliers and service providers meaning we can centrally manage each and every installation on behalf of our insurance clients to offer a bespoke system for each end user. Through continuous improvement we have developed a national network of suppliers and installers meaning we can offer the best possible response time and service for the end customer.”

As the concept of sustainability is still a relatively new phenomenon in South Africa, the problem remains that consumers are still slow to accept the technology but continuous improvement has allowed Innovation Group to refine its processes even further to help improve conversion rates:


Innovation Group

“By applying continuous learning principles from each roll-out project we are able to optimise reasons for conversion and address barriers for change. We are able to offer a comprehensive cost analysis to each end-user which breaks down the cost of conversion against monthly savings to offer a strong financial incentive. We have found that one of the main call to action barriers is the up-front cost of conversion as even with the Eskom rebate customers can be put off because the lead time for settlement of the rebate can take as long as six to eight weeks.”

“Through the central management of each conversion we are able to settle each rebate payment with the end user up front so they receive the benefit almost immediately where after we apply for the Eskom rebate through our service providers. This approach means we can offer an instant return when monthly savings are factored into the value proposition meaning that we can optimise conversions even when the end customer is operating a fully functioning electric system.”

For the company to achieve its ambitious target of removing energy demand of up to 600 megawatts from the national power grid it becomes even more important that it is successful in converting households with functioning systems just as well as those who suffer system failures:

“We approach this task by seeking to maximise both proactive and reactive conversions across the market. Proactively we approach leads from our insurance and corporate clients to offer conversions from a value and cost saving perspective. By maximising conversion of proactive business we can also secure access to our insurance client’s reactive conversions which arise in the event of system failure. By increasing volume we can achieve greater leverage with our supply chain partners by developing economies of scale which further adds to our long term value proposition.”

Developing close links with the supply chain has also allowed Innovation Group to enhance value added services to enhance customer satisfaction and improve quality through after sale care:

“We are the only company to develop an enhanced service and maintenance plan which includes a warranty covering each system for up to 10 years after installation. We follow up with each customer to ensure a positive experience and we are able to liaise with our suppliers to rectify any problems that are identified with either the installation or operation

of the equipment. This approach also helps our suppliers to ensure that each installation is carried out correctly first time.”

The model that Innovation Group has developed is unique and the first of its kind in South Africa. The approach represents a commitment to quality and consistency which has not been seen before and also has the potential to make a significant contribution to energy saving through the implementation of mass roll out projects supported by a comprehensive and well managed supply chain. The company has a very strong ethical approach to the way it carries out its business which further attributes to its potential:

“As a company we are committed to playing our part in solving the energy crisis and supporting environmental protection. We continuously strive to create a total solution for the end user which addresses all of their concerns and creates a compelling reason to buy. We aim to be a major role player in addressing the problems affecting the energy sector by promoting a more sustainable way of living.”

The company has also extended its initiative to include complementary technologies such as heat pumps which utilise thermal energy in the air for water heating using technology developed for air conditioning. The company has further enhanced its supply chain to include specialists involved in air conditioning to make this technology available when an equally energy efficient alternative to solar water heating is required.

The Innovation Group renewable energy solutions initiative presents a ground-breaking approach to energy saving and, should the project reach its target, it will reduce energy consumption at a rate equal to the generation capacity of one entire national power station. This comparison puts into perspective both the ambition behind the initiative and the confidence of the corporate clients and insurers who support it. It is not inconceivable to see Innovation Group as a key facilitator for driving residential sustainable energy technologies throughout South Africa bringing much needed investment into the market. This type of investment driven growth brings a host of additional economic benefits above and beyond improving energy security including job creation and skills development which is no small achievement in such a challenging international economic environment. It goes to show how innovation is the driving force behind economic growth.

96

The Innovation Group Solar Team


Innovation Group specialises in the administration of energy saving solutions and provides complete back offi ce support for large scale green projects.

Through our comprehensive solar water heater installation and management solution, we aim to make a signifi cant contribution towards a better and more sustainable future for all. With an international footprint and strong local presence we can assist in the design of any mass consumer or employee solar water heater rollout project. Our focus on effi ciency and removal of risk ensures that all our projects run within your budget without compromising on quality control.

Call us today to fi nd out how we can assist you to contribute towards a greener tomorrow.

INNOVATION GROUP (PTY) LTD

Innovation House | 192 Bram Fischer Drive | Randburg | South Africa | Private Bag x99, Bryanston, 2021, South AfricaT: +27 (0) 11 790 5821 | F: +27 (0) 11 790 5221 | E: [email protected] | www.innovation-group.com/saInnovation Group is an authorised Financial Services Provider

Endeavour Advert_20120430_Final.indd 1 2012/04/30 03:51:34 PM

Total Windwww.totalwind.com+45 9660 1900


99

BLOWING THE COMPETITION AWAY


Wind power is the world’s fastest growing source of renewable energy. In the EU, new legislation has set an aggressive target for 20% of all energy to be provided from renewable sources by 2020 and with this in mind one must consider the rate at which wind turbines must be installed in order for this target to be reached.

As of 2010 there were more than 70,000 wind turbines in operation throughout the EU with an installed capacity of 19.5MW per 1000km of land area with one of the highest densities being in Denmark, which as a nation has been at the forefront of the industry since the beginning. Endeavour Magazine looks at the rapid rise of the Danish wind energy installation and project management company Total Wind and the philosophy that has allowed the company to become a leading global player in the field.

Total Wind

Total Wind

A Complete SolutionTotal Wind is a business that has demonstrated

phenomenal growth. Since the company was founded by Jens Nygaard Laursen in 2003 alongside a small group of experienced Danish engineers working in the wind energy industry it has grown to employ over 400 people working in many of the key growing wind energy markets across the world. The company owes this growth to being one of the first companies to develop a comprehensive solution for turbine manufacturers and utilities by providing complete turnkey project management from transport and installation through to service of turbines as Jens explains:

“We were one of the first complete solution providers for the sector meaning we have been able to change the industry alongside our colleagues. We have worked to develop our strength in skills and focus our resources on key growth markets in Europe and South America allowing us to adapt and work locally. We have achieved this by only using our own engineers and retaining complete control and responsibility for every installation. The most important objective for us is to work closely with our customers wherever the market may be to ensure that we do things properly.”

The Total Wind method is to work closely with its clients focusing carefully on all aspects of the installation and logistics requirements in order to optimise cost efficiency. This is achieved through effective use of the company’s own highly skilled and experienced workforce. Clients are supported with in house project managers with a team of

101

360° CAMP SOLUTIONSANYWHERE. FOR ANY PROJECT.

Site Facility specializes in project management of flexible camp facility services – all over the world. A camp solution turns transport time into working time. The residents increase their productivity. And the camp strengthens social cohesion. Site Facility Camp solutions is a full service packaged. Our clients only have to move in, feel at home and enjoy.

www.sitefacility.com


skilled engineers and technicians responsible for installation, mechanical and electrical engineering work for any wind turbine type.

Employees are seen as the most important asset to the company and skills development has been instrumental in supporting the company’s growth as Jens explains:

“In the beginning the company employed more than 80% Danish engineers but now they account for less than 10% of our workforce as we have become a multinational group. It is most important for us to understand each of our markets and employ only the best local engineers. We invest heavily in training and co-operate closely with manufacturers and utilities to help our engineers develop skills and gain the best possible understanding of new and existing technologies.”

No CompromiseWorking at height, in hazardous conditions and difficult

environments with heavy equipment presents significant potential dangers for staff working on site and Total Wind takes this fact very seriously. The company is highly committed to the safety and protection of its staff and has worked to develop a comprehensive health and safety policy which not only meets but exceeds most local and national standards:

“Our most important asset is our staff and our priority is to ensure that they return home safely from every project. We developed our health and safety policy through our experience gained working in the UK market and continued to work in compliance with British health and safety requirements in addition to the regulations of our other markets. We believe the British standards to be the most comprehensive and applied this approach throughout our business and its subsidiaries.”

The company also applies this same uncompromising approach in ensuring that its personnel are always fully equipped through meticulous planning and co-ordination. Transportation of each turbine is managed straight from the manufacturer through to the installation through its specialist logistics partners. Hjortdal Special Transportation is one of the most experienced logistics service providers to

the wind industry in the world with over 25 years’ experience in transportation of wind turbines using its own highly equipped fleet of custom built low loaders and transport equipment. Total Wind itself operates its own in house cranes and equipment for installation of turbines up to 140 meters in height with its own operators and technicians equipped with the best available protective equipment and tools.

Total Wind also recognises the importance of providing a safe and comfortable working environment for staff on the ground. Working with partner Site Facility, the company sets up a fully equipped camp with accommodation and office facilities for all staff working at the installation site. The Mobile Living Camp and Mobile Office Camp facilities provided by Site Facility allow workers to remain on site throughout the project in a comfortable environment with high quality accommodation, canteen and living quarters along with fully equipped office facilities. The innovative modular solution provided by Site Facility is completely mobile and can be set up at any installation site to minimise time lost through travel and maximizing productivity – minimizing total installation cost for the customer – whilst also providing the best possible facilities for staff on site.

The FutureAccording to the European Wind Energy association the

wind sector is set for continued growth especially in Europe. The wind industry in the EU has demonstrated an average annual growth of over 15% over the past 17 years and this trend is set to continue on the back of 9,616 MW installed during 2011 worth over 12 billion Euros. Despite challenges facing the European economic environment these figures demonstrate the level of investor confidence that remains in the wind industry. Total Wind is well positioned to take advantage of this future growth but must continue to focus on quality of service and cost efficiency as Jens explains:

“Europe will continue to be a key market for us as I believe it will demonstrate sustained growth over the coming years, whilst the financial crisis will undoubtedly affect growth we still continue to see strong investment in wind power. The challenges remain in the rate of change within the industry

Total Wind

Total Wind

103

and cost pressure. Whilst the market is highly competitive we will continue to work closely with the leading players in the sector to help us keep up with the rate of change and maintain cost effectiveness.”

Total Wind, alongside its installation and project management operations also continues to develop its wind turbine service solutions offering for wind turbine manufacturers and world leading utilities scale operators including scheduled maintenance, fault diagnosis, ad hoc repairs and component replacement both on and offshore. These services further support its clients in ensuring minimal disruption to wind farm operations and long term cost saving through regular technical maintenance.

Total Wind has developed a complete service provision which covers the entire life cycle of a wind farm from the point a turbine leaves the factory to successful operation of turbines many years into the future. This is achieved through effective investment in skills and working closely and proactively with clients on site to ensure optimum cost efficiency and minimal reduction, but most importantly to ensure that all tasks are carried out correctly first time. The Total Wind philosophy demonstrates a strong client-led approach and unparalleled attention to detail across the spectrum of the company’s activities. This approach correlates directly to the needs of the industry in protecting the client’s bottom line through focus on quality and efficiency therefore playing its part in safeguarding the investment potential and profitability in wind energy as a whole and supporting a clean energy future for all.

With more than 25 years experience in transportation of wind turbines, we believe that we have the necessary experience, expertise, and not least the right equipment to supply any wind park - without regard to physical location, country or type of wind.

Fabriksvej 8DK-9690 Fjerritslevtel: +45 98 21 73 76web: www.fnor.dk


Endeavour Magazine • May 2012 •105

BLADE RUNNERPP Techniq

www.pptechniq.com+45 7488 7288


PP Techniq

106

Wind power is a highly innovative industry where a significant proportion of company revenues is invested in research and development. Whilst a great deal is invested into the design of turbines to increase their energy generating capacity this has set a trend for ever larger turbines and presents challenges in keeping them operational. Endeavour Magazine looks behind the scenes at advances in wind turbine maintenance to keep the blades turning.

Wind power is one of the fastest growing energy sources in the world. In the EU alone investment in new wind farms exceeded €13 billion during 2010 with almost 20% of all new energy electricity generating capacity now coming from wind power both on and offshore. There can be little doubt that this is a large and growing market but an often overlooked issue relates to the maintenance of existing wind turbines. The design, construction and material composition of wind turbines has changed dramatically since the first utility scale wind farms were developed in the late 1970s and all turbines must be maintained and repaired in the event of failure. From a financial perspective it is imperative that wind turbines are kept operational at all times but in some cases shutdown becomes unavoidable. Wind turbine blades are ever increasing in size with rotor diameters now reaching

over 150 meters for the largest of turbines and historically repair and maintenance of these blades has been a major task. Often the repair of wind turbine blades will involve complete removal of the hub and bringing the blades to ground by crane which presents more challenges when turbines are situated offshore. This is extremely capital intensive in a market where cost control is of absolute importance.

PP Techniq, founded in 2003 by inventor and current director Paul Teichert, is a company established to develop advanced and cost effective applications for the wind energy sector. The company specialises in the development of new technologies and innovative use of materials by working alongside a range of leading specialist consultants and technology partners.

The flagship innovation from PP Techniq is the “FF360” blade guided access and maintenance platform which allows safe 360 degree access to wind turbine blades. The system allows access for two workers who can adjust their position in relation to the wind turbine blade to perform maintenance and inspection duties from a safe and stable operating platform. The system can also be used to carry equipment for scanning, cleaning and surface treatment meaning that most maintenance duties can be performed with little disruption to turbine operation. Gert Vinther Knudsen, Project Manager for PP Techniq explains:

“O ne of the main challenges the wind industry faces is how to set up a programme for regular inspection and overhaul of the blades (one of the most important and expensive components on a wind turbine) to ensure maximum output and to minimise costs and downtime throughout the turbine´s full lifetime.

“There is a need to access the installed blades in a cost effective way for inspection, surface treatment, cleaning and repair due to damages caused by handling and production failures and due to impact by hail, rain, salt, lightning etc. The blades are working under extreme conditions at very high speed! Furthermore there is a need to access the blades for aftersales activities to optimise the blade´s aerodynamics to increase output.

“These challenges will only increase with time as blades are going to become increasingly large and increasingly more advanced and will be installed in large numbers on huge turbines both on- and offshore.”

“The Blade Guided System makes it possible to access rotor blades independent of distance from tower to blade, length of blade, height and type of tower. Due to the controlled grip on the blade the platform is serving as a safe and calm working platform even when there are sudden changes in wind speed


PP Techniq

and direction. Furthermore only by being in firm contact with the blade the exact position of the technician and/or equipment can be fully controlled. Thus the technicians can focus on doing the work in a safe and fast manner, to keep downtime at a minimum.

“The Blade Guided System will be the ideal carrier of tools and robots to carry out semi or fully automated process on blades such as surface treatment, cleaning, inspection and NDT (non-destructive testing).

“From our perspective; alternative solutions such as tower based solutions, rope access, baskets hanging in a crane etc. will soon come to their limit due to the obvious challenge to access the increasingly larger blades. “

The ideas behind the Blade Guided System have been patented worldwide.

“Today we have realised the Blade Guided System in our FF360-platform which has been type-certified according to CE regulation for use on-shore. Furthermore we have made design studies on alternative Blade Guided solutions to be developed according to customers specific needs. “

The versatility and ease of rigging for the system also helps to minimise the time a turbine is taken out of operation and helps improve productivity as maintenance duties are carried out.

Recognising the potential of a sophisticated, reliable and fast working platform for wind turbine maintenance Force Technology has worked in close collaboration with PP Techniq to adapt a compatible non-destructive testing system used to analyse blade condition. Force Technology has extensive experience in non-destructive testing methods including development of lightweight and compact ultrasound scanning systems which allow detailed analysis of surfaces and internal structures. The Force Technology in house developed “P-Scan” testing equipment allows fully automated inspection of the blade surface and internal structure enabling assessment for wear, fatigue or damage.

“Our concept has been designed to support the use of automated equipment for maintenance work and Force Technology is a leader in providing on-site automated

scanners for non-destructive testing of wind turbine blades but the challenge for them is finding ways in which scanners can be used along the length of the blade itself. Through adapting a scanning system to work with the blade guided system we have been able to provide a platform which allows for constant and stable scanning across the entire length of the blade.”

Non-destructive testing methods have proven to be highly effective as a preventative measure to avoid down time in wind turbine operation by allowing potential blade failure problems to be identified and rectified as early as possible as part of a regular maintenance and inspection programme, the platform developed by PP Techniq also means maintenance work can be performed quickly with minimal disruption.

“The key focus remains on preventative testing. Even under normal conditions blades are subjected to high levels of stress. For example a wind turbine blade operates at 350 kph and at this speed even small particles in the air will have an abrasive effect on the blade surface. This abrasive effect causes wear to the blade and means regular testing and maintenance of the blade surface is very important to prevent further damage which over time could lead to failure.”

Today, in a challenging international economic environment, wind energy is coming under intense scrutiny and governments must demonstrate careful planning and budgetary control when formulating energy policy, the industry must do what it can to enhance the productivity and cost effectiveness of wind power. It is undisputable that investor confidence remains in wind power with the sector contributing a total of €32 billion to EU GDP during 2010 and creating 30% more jobs when EU unemployment rose by 9.6%. In order for confidence in the industry to be maintained it is vitally important that operational wind farms are as productive as possible and down time is kept to an absolute minimum. Innovations such as those demonstrated by PP Techniq and Force Technology go a long way in improving the efficiency of wind turbine maintenance and such effective use of technology can only contribute to the long term prosperity of the industry.


PP Techniq

Blade Guided SystemSolving the challenge to access installed rotorblades in a safe and fast manner to keep turbine downtime at a minimum. Independent of distance from tower to blade, shape and length of blade, height and type of tower.

PP Techniq ApSNordborgvej 81DK-6430 NordborgDenmark

[email protected]+45 74887288www.pptechniq.com

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