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Fluor to design-build solar panel facility in Singapore
MARKET PROSPECTS ensure efficiency, sustainability and minimize plant operating costs. Preliminary design is expected to be completed by April 2009, and final design in April 2010. The project should be operational in 2013.
ADB extends loan for water supply in India
T
he Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$71 million supplementary loan for an urban water supply project in India’s Madhya Pradesh state. The project aims to improve the water supply services, sewerage and sanitation services, storm-water drainage, and solid waste management in Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore and Jabalpur. ADB and India signed a US$181 million loan agreement in March 2005 to support the project. However, progress was hampered by the slow awarding of contracts, which eventually led to a huge cost overrun due to the rupee appreciation and price increases since the project appraisal in 2003. “Without the additional funding, the project in its original scope cannot be completed, and the integrity of the urban infrastructure system for water supply, sewerage, and waste disposal will be severely undermined,” warned Hiroyuki Ikemoto, an urban economist at ADB’s South Asia Department. The Madhya Pradesh government and the municipal corporations will invest an additional US$37 million in the project, while UN-Habitat will co-finance a US$500 000 grant through its Water for Asian Cities Program.
Veolia forms strategic partnership in MENA region
V
eolia Water and Abu Dhabi investment company Mubadala Development Co are launching a joint-venture company that will focus on water production and waste water collection and treatment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The joint venture company will be owned 51% by Veolia Water and 49% by Mubadala. 4
Pump Industry Analyst
BIOFUELS
DuPont Danisco invests in first biofuels pilot facility
D
uPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC (DDCE) has broken ground for its first pilot-scale biorefinery and state-of-the-art biofuels R&D facility in Vonore, Tennessee. The DuPont Danisco joint venture has partnered with the University of Tennessee Research Foundation, through Genera Energy LLC, to develop the pilot facility and the agronomic supply chain for switchgrass in Tennessee. The facility will convert nonfood feedstocks, including corn cob and switchgrass, into ethanol and will allow for commercial introduction without the need for demonstration scale testing. It is expected to be operational in 2009. “We must have speed to market to make our efforts in advanced biofuels a reality, and this pilot facility in Tennessee is allowing us to move forward,” said Nick Fanandakis, group vice president – DuPont Applied BioSciences. The pilot-scale biorefinery will develop the commercial package for DDCE’s cellulosic ethanol technology. The project will use the University of Tennessee’s expertise in cellulosic feedstock production and co-product research, as well as its work with Tennessee farmers to develop the first dedicated cellulosic energy crop supply chain for cellulosic biorefineries using switchgrass. The facility will be able to operate on two different nonfood biomass feedstocks – corn stover, cobs and fiber; and switchgrass.
PHARMACEUTICALS
Jacobs expands biopharma facility in Ireland
J
acobs Engineering Group Inc has received a contract to provide engineering, procurement and construction management services to support the ongoing expansion of Genzyme’s biopharma fill/finish tabletting facility in Waterford, Ireland. Jacobs designed and installed the original production facility in 2001. For the current project, Jacobs will fit out an existing shell
and add a new utilities building to expand the 3600-sq m facility. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2009.
SOLAR
Fluor to design-build solar panel facility in Singapore
R
enewable Energy Corp (REC) Group has selected Fluor Corp for the engineering, procurement, construction management (EPCM), and commissioning services for a new solar panel manufacturing complex in Singapore. The new complex will produce wafers, cells and modules. Fluor’s contract is worth US$420 million and includes the utilities, infrastructure, facilities and roadways. Once the complex is complete, REC expects production of 740 MW of wafers, 550 MW of cells and 590 MW of modules by 2012.
CHEMICALS
SNC-Lavalin awarded contract for Mexican sulphuric acid plant
S
NC-Lavalin has been selected by Mexico’s Minera y Metalurgica del Boleo SA de CV (MMB) for the technology package, engineering, project management and procurement services, and construction assistance of a new, 2400 metric tones per day sulphuric acid plant in Baja, Mexico. The plant will be part of MMB’s mining and processing complex currently under development in Baja, which will be Mexico’s largest copper-cobalt project to date. The facilities are expected to produce 50 000 tonnes of copper and 1850 tonnes of cobalt annually. The total capital investment for the new acid plant, including the 46MW power island, is approximately US$120 million. The new plant will feature an advanced heat recovery system, entitling the company to carbon credits for its investment. Work on the project has already started and the complex is scheduled to begin operating in March 2010.
October 2008
ADB extends loan for water supply in India
T
he Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$71 million supplementary loan for an urban water supply project in India’s Madhya Pradesh state. The project aims to improve the water supply services, sewerage and sanitation services, storm-water drainage, and solid waste management in Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore and Jabalpur. ADB and India signed a US$181 million loan agreement in March 2005 to support the project. However, progress was hampered by the slow awarding of contracts, which eventually led to a huge cost overrun due to the rupee appreciation and price increases since the project appraisal in 2003. “Without the additional funding, the project in its original scope cannot be completed, and the integrity of the urban infrastructure system for water supply, sewerage, and waste disposal will be severely undermined,” warned Hiroyuki Ikemoto, an urban economist at ADB’s South Asia Department. The Madhya Pradesh government and the municipal corporations will invest an additional US$37 million in the project, while UN-Habitat will co-finance a US$500 000 grant through its Water for Asian Cities Program.
Veolia forms strategic partnership in MENA region
V
eolia Water and Abu Dhabi investment company Mubadala Development Co are launching a joint-venture company that will focus on water production and waste water collection and treatment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The joint venture company will be owned 51% by Veolia Water and 49% by Mubadala. 4
Pump Industry Analyst
BIOFUELS
DuPont Danisco invests in first biofuels pilot facility
D
uPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC (DDCE) has broken ground for its first pilot-scale biorefinery and state-of-the-art biofuels R&D facility in Vonore, Tennessee. The DuPont Danisco joint venture has partnered with the University of Tennessee Research Foundation, through Genera Energy LLC, to develop the pilot facility and the agronomic supply chain for switchgrass in Tennessee. The facility will convert nonfood feedstocks, including corn cob and switchgrass, into ethanol and will allow for commercial introduction without the need for demonstration scale testing. It is expected to be operational in 2009. “We must have speed to market to make our efforts in advanced biofuels a reality, and this pilot facility in Tennessee is allowing us to move forward,” said Nick Fanandakis, group vice president – DuPont Applied BioSciences. The pilot-scale biorefinery will develop the commercial package for DDCE’s cellulosic ethanol technology. The project will use the University of Tennessee’s expertise in cellulosic feedstock production and co-product research, as well as its work with Tennessee farmers to develop the first dedicated cellulosic energy crop supply chain for cellulosic biorefineries using switchgrass. The facility will be able to operate on two different nonfood biomass feedstocks – corn stover, cobs and fiber; and switchgrass.
PHARMACEUTICALS
Jacobs expands biopharma facility in Ireland
J
acobs Engineering Group Inc has received a contract to provide engineering, procurement and construction management services to support the ongoing expansion of Genzyme’s biopharma fill/finish tabletting facility in Waterford, Ireland. Jacobs designed and installed the original production facility in 2001. For the current project, Jacobs will fit out an existing shell
and add a new utilities building to expand the 3600-sq m facility. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2009.
SOLAR
Fluor to design-build solar panel facility in Singapore
R
enewable Energy Corp (REC) Group has selected Fluor Corp for the engineering, procurement, construction management (EPCM), and commissioning services for a new solar panel manufacturing complex in Singapore. The new complex will produce wafers, cells and modules. Fluor’s contract is worth US$420 million and includes the utilities, infrastructure, facilities and roadways. Once the complex is complete, REC expects production of 740 MW of wafers, 550 MW of cells and 590 MW of modules by 2012.
CHEMICALS
SNC-Lavalin awarded contract for Mexican sulphuric acid plant
S
NC-Lavalin has been selected by Mexico’s Minera y Metalurgica del Boleo SA de CV (MMB) for the technology package, engineering, project management and procurement services, and construction assistance of a new, 2400 metric tones per day sulphuric acid plant in Baja, Mexico. The plant will be part of MMB’s mining and processing complex currently under development in Baja, which will be Mexico’s largest copper-cobalt project to date. The facilities are expected to produce 50 000 tonnes of copper and 1850 tonnes of cobalt annually. The total capital investment for the new acid plant, including the 46MW power island, is approximately US$120 million. The new plant will feature an advanced heat recovery system, entitling the company to carbon credits for its investment. Work on the project has already started and the complex is scheduled to begin operating in March 2010.
October 2008