Building a strategic growth strategy for Asia’s energy transition
Written by: Narsingh Chaudhary, Executive Vice President, Asia Power Business at Black & VeatchAsia is embarking on an energy transition journey as market dynamics and emerging technologies drive the need to evolve. Considering the diversity of the Asia region in terms of existing power infrastructure and future demand, each country’s strategic approach towards meeting its growth is significantly different.Existing grid infrastructures are running close to full capacity to meet the surge in energy consumption generated by the region’s rapid population growth and economic development.Indonesia suffered a blackout across Greater Jakarta and West Java that affected millions in Jakarta. Disruption in the transmission conductor at one of the power plants was identified as the culprit.Vietnam anticipates that its demand for electricity will exceed its supply by 6.6 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) in 2021. The electricity shortfall will increase to 15 billion kWh by 2023.At the same, over 700 million people in Asia Pacific are without access to electricity.Having access to clean and affordable energy is the key to bringing universal growth across all sections of the society and alleviating poverty.Opportunities in energy transitionThe energy transition presents an opportunity for Asia governments to expand and upgrade their grid infrastructure to support the ferocious growth without compromising on availability, affordability and sustainability.Asia needs to continue with its commitment to universal electrification, sustainability and improvement in energy efficiency by investing in integrated power infrastructure as it re-balances its energy portfolio.An integrated power infrastructure takes advantage of different generation, transmission and distribution technologies to help utilities overcome the pitfalls of aging infrastructure…
Linde begins work on $1.4 billion manufacturing complex in Singapore
Industrial gases and engineering company Linde has broken ground on a new integrated manufacturing complex to be located and integrated with its existing gasification facility on Jurong Island in Singapore.Linde’s new complex will quadruple its current production capacity in Singapore to produce and supply hydrogen and synthesis gas to support the multi-billion-dollar expansion of ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd’s integrated manufacturing complex.“Today’s event represents an important step in our strategic partnership with ExxonMobil, and signals our continued commitment to Singapore. This expansion of our existing facilities on Jurong Island, at an investment of $1.4 billion, is the single largest for our company globally and I am delighted that it will also add a number of high value manufacturing jobs in Singapore,” said Sanjiv Lamba, Executive Vice President & CEO Linde Asia-Pacific.“Our integrated complex will be equipped with Linde’s world-class technologies which underpin our commitment to provide safe, reliable and sustainable solutions for our customers.”“Linde’s partnership with ExxonMobil is illustrative of the collaborative, integrated ecosystem on Jurong Island, which enables companies in the Energy & Chemicals sector to establish competitive and reliable supply chains."We hope to continue working with Linde, and other like-minded companies, to develop more advanced manufacturing facilities that create good jobs for Singaporeans,” said Chng Kai Fong, Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board.Gan Seow Kee, Chairman & Managing Director, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific, added: “Today’s groundbreaking ceremony marks yet another important milestone in our long-term partnership with Linde. The new facility that Linde is building shows how a major ExxonMobil investment can further strengthen the…
SIMEC Energy Australia
Renewed Optimism SIMEC Energy is delivering clean energy across South Australia and Victoria, proving itself as a leading light in the country’s transition towards renewable power Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton Australia’s energy market is transforming. A national electricity output traditionally dominated by coal supplied by a long-established mining industry, the sector is steadily shifting towards cleaner sources of power. Indeed, according to the latest numbers from the national Department of the Environment and Energy, 2018 saw 19 percent of Australian electricity generated by renewable sources, an increase of 25 percent on 2017. In terms of volumes, 19 percent equates to 49,339 gigawatt hours of electricity generation, with a roughly even split between hydro, wind and solar. For companies such as SIMEC Energy, this transition phase represents a period of tremendous opportunity to make a difference. “This is a once in a generation movement that is now occurring in the energy sector,” states Marc Barrington, the company’s CEO. “I am a big believer in a strategic mix of all forms of power sources for the country which will include wind, all types of solar, storage and upgrades and improvements to transmission assets and transmission technologies. “However, a full-scale harnessing of our country’s renewable energy potential will take time, as both the supply and demand side need to build resilience and technologies need to be proven and bankable.” Barrington joined SIMEC in 2018, the latest chapter in a career which has seen him work in the energy sector for nearly two decades. From trading and wholesale risk management to M&A, and from energy productivity offerings to renewable energy project…
China looks to deepen ties in Africa as it hosts African Energy Chamber delegation
To support growing energy cooperation and investment between China and Africa, Beijing is set to play host to the African Energy Chamber.CEOs and Chairmen from China’s state-owned energy companies and the private sector, along with key industry associations in China, will meet with African Energy Chamber Executive Chairman Nj Ayuk and his delegation. The visit aims at further introducing the Chamber to the Chinese market following a series of roadshows organised in China by the Chamber over the past two years and increasing demand for investment information on Africa by Chinese investors.“The investment appetite of Chinese companies for Africa is only getting stronger given current international trade and business dynamics,” said Mickael Vogel, Director of Strategy at the Chamber. “We are receiving an increasing number of requests from Chinese companies to join the Chamber, especially to gain access to the latest investment opportunities in Africa, and to credible and reliable information on African energy markets. Our visit will be consolidating several relationships we have developed over the past two years and will lead to discussion on major energy deals for Africa.”Last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged an additional $60 billion for African development over the next three years during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Traditionally, a large majority of Chinese investments have been made in energy and transport, especially oil and gas, power, mining, railways and airport infrastructure.As Chinese investment into Africa increases, the Chamber is assisting several Chinese companies in navigating Africa’s fast growing energy markets. The move is part of the Chamber’s support…
Aurecon helps deliver Southeast Asia’s largest solar farm
The Vietnamese government has announced that it will increase investment in renewable energy for energy security and economic development.As part of this initiative, it aimed to produce 5,000 MW of the nation’s electricity through solar energy by June 2019. To realise this vision, engineering, design and advisory company Aurecon was engaged to bring the Dau Tieng 1 and 2 solar power projects to life.The 420 MW solar power plant is the largest in Southeast Asia. Aurecon served as the Owner’s Engineer, in addition to providing project management, design review, and site supervision services.The biggest challenge facing the project was the June 2019 deadline; to fulfil Vietnam’s renewable energy initiatives, the project was scheduled to be commissioned and connected to Vietnam’s power grid in under a year. Exacerbating the need for speed, the solar farm was also built next to a reservoir which would flood from October to February every year during monsoon season, pausing construction.Collaboration between the project’s partners and flexibility was critical to meeting the project’s deadline. The owner and contractors were invited to design meetings for critical items, where contributions were encouraged. Working closely with all parties, Aurecon conducted independent calculation checks to supplement the contractors’ designs, speeding up approvals and achieving the project’s outcomes.Additionally, to manage the site supervision of such a large-scale project, Aurecon collaborated closely with the client onsite inspections. Adopting a flexible approach, Aurecon joined the owner’s engineering team to ensure safety and efficiency was closely observed across the 500-hectare site.Working with a diverse team of multinational partners on the…
Veolia Water Technologies
Untapping Potential The need to safeguard and manage water sustainably is more important than ever, and Veolia Water Technologies is leading the charge with clients across the food and beverage sector Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Matthew Cole-Wilkin Water, despite covering 71 percent of the earth’s surface, is facing unprecedented pressure to supply our needs. Although the planet is blanketed by oceans, it is freshwater that holds the key to sustaining so much natural and manmade life. Whether it be plant photosynthesis, rearing animals or human hygiene, it is unquestionably our most precious resource. The problem? Just 2.5 percent of water is fresh, and 99 percent of this is not easily accessible, the vast majority trapped in glaciers and snow. Industries therefore face a battle to locate and preserve enough water to meet their requirements, the food and beverage (F&B) sector being the most prominent example. “Water is the lifeblood of the F&B industry,” asserts Thomas Debruyne, Market Manager (F&B) & Digital Transformation Manager, Veolia Water Technologies, Asia Pacific. “The water footprint for the production of common F&B products reflects the pressure that the industry has placed on freshwater resources. “Who would have imagined that 150 litres of freshwater is required to produce a small cup of coffee? Or that breweries produce, on average, four times more wastewater than beer, with the potential to harm the environment?” The statistics are unrelenting. For instance, 70 percent of global freshwater withdrawals are made by the F&B industry, which includes the agriculture sector, making it the world’s largest user. By…
TNB Repair And Maintenance Sdn. Bhd. (TNB Remaco)
Upholding the Energy Industry Having embodied excellence throughout its history, TNB REMACO is striding towards its vision of becoming the preferred service provider for the regional energy market Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Matt Cole-Wilkin Fuelled by a surge in socioeconomic development, urbanisation and industrialisation, the need for energy in Asia is becoming ever more pressing by the day. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, energy consumption in Southeast Asia nearly doubled between 1995 and 2015, growing at 3.4 percent annually during this period. What’s more, this growth in demand is expected to ramp up to 4.7 percent per year until 2035, driven by the expanding requirements of the power, industrial, transportation and construction sectors. Faced with this inevitable rise, TNB Repair And Maintenance Sdn. Bhd. (TNB REMACO) is one company that will be crucial to upholding the region’s power ambitions. “TNB REMACO was first incorporated as a subsidiary of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Malaysia’s largest electricity utility, in 1995,” states Zainudin Sabai, recalling the company’s history. “Over the years, it has accumulated a proven track record of providing services to the industry, particularly in power plant repair and maintenance and the provision of holistic solutions in every aspect of power plant operation and management.” Having spoken with TNB REMACO 16 months ago, it’s clear to see that the company’s long-standing reputation has not changed, still renowned for its extensive accomplishments and an esteemed track record, not only within Malaysia but equally across Southeast Asia, Kuwait, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. “We call ourselves a one-stop service provider,”…
China earmarks $435 million for solar projects subsidies in 2019
China's National Energy Administration has confirmed that it will be investing $435 million worth of subsidies into solar projects this year.Beijing will set an annual cap, for the first time, on solar subsidies in a bid to limit the amount of subsidised solar projects and to ease the backlog of payment which stands at 120 billion yuan ($17.3 billion).A draft document which appeared during a talk between the central authorities and solar industry stakeholders states that $108.62 million of the $435 million is to go into rooftop projects which will amount to 3.5W of the new capacity, with the rest of the money being assigned to solar stations.Beijing has been striving to boost competition in the solar industry by getting rid of low efficiency projects whilst in the middle of a plunge in equipment costs and surge in production capacity.The energy regulator had said that last month it will give priority to the construction of solar and wind projects which can operate without subsidies this year.At the end of 2018, China had installed solar power stations of 174 GW capacity and had generated around 177.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in the entire year.
Total Solar
Total Solar is becoming a partner of choice and thought leader in Asia’s vibrant, expansive market, the company being the first oil & gas giant to make serious inroads into this form of renewable powerWriter: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Matthew Cole-Wilkin “Pardon the pun, but solar is a super-hot market here,” muses Gavin Adda, CEO, Industrial & Commercial for Total Solar’s Asia business. Joking aside, Adda is right. According to a report by Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables, Asia-Pacific is poised to install 55 percent of the world’s new solar PV systems over the next five years, increasing its regional capacity by 60 percent by 2023. The large economies of China, India and Japan will account for 78 percent of this increase, but the allure of solar has caught on in many other Asian countries. “We are seeing a snowball effect,” Adda adds. “India, for instance, has gone from $30 million worth of projects annually to over a $1 billion in just a few years, and this enthusiasm for solar has taken off in the likes of the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia, among others.” So how did Adda, an Englishman with an Archaeology & Anthropology Masters from the University of Cambridge, end up in Singapore leading the regional solar business for one of the largest oil & gas companies in the world? “I completed an INSEAD MBA in France and Singapore before getting headhunted to work for Samsung in South Korea,” he recalls. “Samsung was quite an early adopter of solar, and it was…
Why Batteries are Key to Sustainable Energy in Southeast Asia
Anthony Tan, Vice President and Managing Director for UL ASEAN Region, explores the importance of batteries when increasing sustainability.
