Energy Magazine Feb2023 PDF

February 2023 | energydigital.
com
INDUSTRY X.0
Discovery and Impact: Nuclear
Innovations driving energy-
sustainable energy producing
countries
SMART ENERGY
INSIDE
Branching Out:
SolarBotanic Trees
GOOGLE’S
CAPTURING CARBON
Why technology and
GLOBAL
regulation are key
SUSTAINABILIT Y
STRATEGY Head of Sustainability, Google
EMEA, Adam Elman offers insight
into the integral nature of AI
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF FEATURE DESIGNERS DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCERS MARKETING MANAGER
MARIAM AHMAD SOPHIE-ANN PINNELL MARTA EUGENIO LAUREN ALICE TYE
HECTOR PENROSE ERNEST DE NEVE
CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER SAM HUBBARD THOMAS EASTERFORD PROJECT DIRECTORS
SCOTT BIRCH MIMI GUNN DREW HARDMAN LEWIS HAMMOND
JUSTIN SMITH JOSEPH HANA
MANAGING EDITOR MEDIA SALES DIRECTORS
REBEKAH BIRLESON SALLY MOUSTA
NEIL PERRY JINGXI ANG LEWIS HAMMOND
ADVERT DESIGNERS
PROOFREADER MANAGING DIRECTOR
JORDAN WOOD PRODUCTION DIRECTORS
LEWIS VAUGHAN
JESS GIBSON DANILO CARDOSO GEORGIA ALLEN
CALLUM HOOD DANIELA KIANICKOVÁ CEO
CHIEF DESIGN OFFICER
MATT JOHNSON GLEN WHITE
VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION MANAGERS
KIERAN WAITE JANE ARNETA
HEAD OF DESIGN
MARIA GONZALEZ
ANDY WOOLLACOTT SENIOR VIDEOGRAPHER CHARLIE KING
HUDSON MELDRUM YEVHENIIA SUBBOTINA
LEAD DESIGNER
REBEKAH BIRLESON
FOREWORD
An AI power play
Fueling the next wave of innovation within the energy
sector - in this issue of Energy Digital Magazine, we
take a closer look at how AI and smart technology
are integral to hitting net zero targets and driving the
energy transition.
As we have seen in recent years, after countless
climate catastrophes and a worldwide energy crisis,
it is not enough to concentrate solely on the role of
renewables. In the energy sector, we must utilise AI in
the effort towards increasing efficiency and flexibility,
while also reducing cost.
Within this issue, we examine the role of carbon
capture and how AI is used to accelerate advanced
materials within the process, and the role of AI in
Google’s sustainability efforts all over the world.
As always, we hear from a range of industry
leaders on the role of AI within the energy sector,
who provide their insight and strategic action
plans to help further innovate the world of energy.
MARIAM AHMAD
ENERGY DIGITAL MAGAZINE mariam.ahmad@bizclikmedia.com
IS PUBLISHED BY
© 2023 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
energydigital.com 5
CONTENTS
Our Regular
Upfront Section:
10 Big Picture
12 The Brief
14 Timeline:
Sustainable Saudi Vision
16 Trailblazer:
Greg Jackson
20 Five Minutes With:
Carol Johnson
52
Industry x.0
Discovery & impact:
Innovations driving
sustainable energy
26 60
Black & Veatch Motor Oil
Digital twins offer real-time Motor Oil offers shining light
modelling for data centres in new world of energy issues
82
YBS
Making customers central
to digital transformation
74
Smart energy
Branching out: SolarBotanic Trees
108 100
Technology AI in energy
Capturing carbon: Google for the greener good
The environmentally-friendly vacuum
116
Top 10
Nuclear energy-producing
countries
TO
L
OP 1 E A
O U
D
T
OUT N
A BizClik Brand
1OO
D
OO
NOW
NOW
E R S

BIG PICTURE
Golden Hills Wind Farm

Alameda County, California
Golden Hills Wind Farm in Alameda County,
California, comprises 48 wind turbines,
generating 85.9 megawatts of energy, with 48
1.7MW GE wind turbines. The turbine blades have
a diameter of 100 metres and can power 25,500
homes. The project was developed by Nextera
Energy Resources for Google.
10 February 2023
energydigital.com 11
THE BRIEF
“SO WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT CLIMATE
MITIGATION, WE ALSO
BY THE NUMBERS
NEED TO THINK ABOUT Less than 1% of cars in the US
CLIMATE ADAPTATION are electric; this will increase by
AND CLIMATE RISK”
23.17% in 2027.
Adam Elman
Head of Sustainability
Google EMEA

READ MORE
Sinopec and QatarEnergy sign 27 year

“CARBON CLEAN
LNG agreement
RECENTLY CLOSED A
China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) and
$150MN SERIES C ROUND
QatarEnergy have signed a long-term Liquified Natural Gas
LED BY CHEVRON, WITH
(LNG) purchase and sales agreement for the annual supply
PARTICIPATION FROM
of four million tonnes of LNG to Sinopec.
EXISTING INVESTORS AND
NEW INVESTORS” READ MORE
Prateek Bumb
Co-Founder,
Alfa Laval is set to supply the world’s
Carbon Clean
 largest green hydrogen plant
Alfa Lavel, the Swedish company specialising in heat
READ MORE
transfer, centrifugal separation, and fluid handling, has
signed on to supply the world’s largest green hydrogen
plant in NEOM, a US$500bn futuristic city that is being built
“WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS from scratch in the north-western deserts of Saudi Arabia.
WITH A NUMBER OF
POTENTIAL JOINT VENTURE READ MORE
PARTNERS THAT CAN

FACILITATE GLOBAL Global number of oil and gas
DISTRIBUTION AND contracts fall by 7% in Q3 of 2022
MANUFACTURING GlobalData, a data and analytics company, has found that
Harry Corrigan the overall number of contracts in the oil and gas industry
Founder and Chairman,
declined by 7% in Q3 2022, decreasing from 1,662 in the
SolarBotanic Tree Project
 previous quarter to 1,542 in the current one.
READ MORE READ MORE
12 February 2023
 ACCENTURE
Accenture and Planet
are set to collaborate on
W
AI-powered geospatial
intelligence tools for
sustainability, traceable
I
supply chains and climate
risk solutions. N
 FISCHER FARMS N
Energy agreement The world’s largest
vertical farm, in Food
Enterprise Park, Norfolk, E
R
is due to open in early
2023. The four-acre site
will supply 6.5 tonnes
US & UK partner on
of vegetables all year,
and when completed,
will be powered by
S
energy agreement renewable energy.
The ‘UK-US Energy Security and Affordability

FEB23
Partnership’ will work to reduce global  OIL AND GAS
dependency on Russian energy exports, Oil and gas companies
stabilise energy markets, and step-up are spending vast sums
collaboration on energy efficiency, nuclear,
and renewables.
of around $58bn on new
production that will tip L
O
As part of this, the US will strive to export the world towards climate
at least 9-10bn cubic metres of LNG over catastrophe, reveals
the next year via UK terminals, more than a report from the financial
doubling the level exported in 2021. This will
benefit both UK and European partners. To
fulfil this shared objective, both governments
think tank Carbon Tracker.
 ENERGY CRISIS
S
will work to proactively identify and resolve
any issues faced by exporters and importers.
CONTINUES
Enel's Francesco Starace
E
Furthermore, the partnership will also
drive international investment in clean
energy technologies, from offshore wind
has stated that it will take
years to get energy prices
back to pre-Ukraine war
R
to carbon capture.
This will complement the work the UK
and US are doing together with G7 partners
levels. The global energy
crisis, triggered by Russia's
invasion of Ukraine,
S
to support the use of clean and sustainable has displayed a clear
energy in developing countries through the over-reliance on one
Just Energy Transition Partnerships. energy source.
TIMELINE
Sustainable
Saudi Vision
As part of its Vision 2030 initiative, the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched the
Saudi Green Initiative, with the ultimate goal
of reaching net zero by 2060
Saudi Green Initiative National Environment

kicks off National Renewable Strategy
Energy Programme
In line with Vision 2030, The The National Environment
Saudi Green Initiative works As part of the Saudi Strategy outlines the
on increasing Saudi Arabia’s Sustainable Vision, the framework to be followed
reliance on clean energy, country launched a by the Kingdom of Saudi
offsetting emissions, and National Renewable Energy Arabia in the context of rising
protecting the environment. Programme. This involves environmental compliance
Overall objectives include 11.8GW planned with Acwa across all sectors. This
cutting down global methane Power by 2025 and falls includes the development
emissions, increasing exports within the objective to have of natural vegetation, and
of blue and green hydrogen, 50% of electricity generated initiatives such as a reduction
protecting and rehabilitating by renewables by 2030, the in emissions and a 30%
coral reefs, and more. rest coming from natural gas. increase of EVs in the city.
14 February 2023
Launch of Sakaka Solar
Launch of CCE framework Power Plant & Dumat Al
International Solar Alliance Jandal Wind Farm
Part of Saudi’s G20 Presidency,
In 2019, Saudi Arabia joined CCE (Circular Carbon The solar plant Sakaka is a
the International Solar Alliance, Economy) is framed as an 300MW photovoltaic (PV)
which is a treaty-based, inter- extension of the circular solar project that aims to
governmental organisation economy and adds a new generate 9.5GW of renewable
for countries that fall within category – remove – to the energy by 2023 and 58.7GW
the ‘Tropics’ category. As part established principles of by 2030. The Dumat Al Jandal
of this initiative, International reduce, reuse, recycle (the Wind Farm is a 400MW utility-
Solar Alliance (ISA) has 3Rs) referring to removing scale project that’s connected
proposed an agreement to carbon dioxide (CO2) both to the country’s grid and
facilitate the trading of solar at the combustion stage and generates electricity for up to
power across borders. directly from the atmosphere. 700,000 homes.
TRAILBLAZER
TRAILBLAZER
Believe it or Wa
Greg Jackson
CEO of Octopus Energy – the UK’s fastest-growing green energy
retailer – Greg Jackson is revolutionising the sustainable energy
industry one home at a time, with the backing of world-leading
global investors
L
aunched in 2016 by CEO Greg Jackson, Growing up with a single mother who
Octopus Energy Group is an energy struggled to pay electricity bills, Jackson’s
tech pioneer that is focused on overarching goal with Octopus Energy is
delivering green energy to homes in the UK to ensure that customers are treated fairly
– and now globally, too. and are not burdened by inflated energy
With investment from names such as bills. In his own words – and as seen on
Origi Energy, Tokyo Gas, CPP Investments his LinkedIn – Jackson wants to “disrupt
and Generation, the sustainable investment industries that underserve customers
fund co-chaired by Al Gore, Octopus Energy and society.”
is leading somewhat of a green energy “After experiencing my bills jump
revolution, with the company now valued frequently when I was paying them myself
at £4 billion. as an adult, I knew that something had to
Jackson isn’t your typical company CEO: in be done to change this,” Jackson said.
his youth, his first job was making milk rounds Through his work at Octopus Energy,
in his neighbourhood, he subsequently went Jackson has managed to absorb £150mn
on to join Green Peace at the age of 16, and of the cost increase on behalf of customers
then spent his young adult years as a video since the start of the energy crisis.
game developer.
Jackson eventually started Octopus Green energy
Energy when he realised that there was Octopus Energy Group works out just how
a severe lack of affordable energy providers. much power customers are taking out of the
16 February 2023
att:
TRAILBLAZER
“Moving towards clean,

grid annually from a mix of power sources
– such as fossil fuels – and ensures an equal
amount of renewable energy is added into cheap, renewable
the system in its place over the year, buying
energy directly through renewable sources, energy is a huge
such as solar and wind farms.This makes opportunity for citizens
electricity consumption effectively net zero
and, concomitantly, gradually helps make
around the world
the energy system greener. to enjoy a better life”
One of Europe's largest investors in
renewable power, Octopus Energy Generation We can’t carry on like this; we have to
manages a total of 300+ UK green energy escape from these colossal gas prices
producers. Although the company currently of the global markets.”
powers over 1.2 million homes, the goal is to The founding team of Octopus are
raise this number to 50 millions worldwide mainly from tech backgrounds, as opposed
by 2027. to energy-focused. Consequently, this
Speaking on issues surrounding the means that the company is more interested
net-zero goal and how sustainable energy in utilising technology to keep prices fair
is integral to this effort, Jackson said: and push towards a renewable future
“If we’d moved to renewables through the use of a smart grid.
sooner a nation, the crisis
would be less Customer service
bad now. A key factor of Jackson’s strategy, and
a personal love of his own, is ensuring
18 February 2023
“If we think of our assets as the customers with
whom we build trusted relationships and the
understanding we have of the system required
to deliver this, I think this opportunity is bigger
than the internet”
a high level of customer satisfaction. Octopus

Energy prides itself on providing just this,
and is the only energy supplier to receive
Which?’s highest endorsement for five years
in a row.
Jackson personally spends around
an hour each day dealing directly with
customers to understand how the company
can better their experience. He also
discusses pricing strategies, trade-offs and
how to implement better infrastructure.
Global presence
With just a single base in the UK initially,
now in 2022, Octopus Energy Group powers
homes with green energy in Germany, the
USA, Japan, Spain, Italy, France and New
Zealand. There are a total of 10 businesses
working across 4 continents to tackle
energy transformation.
As for the future, Octopus is looking to
expand its reach globally, having recently
also launched in Australia partnered with
Hanwha Group – a leading solar panel
manufacturer – expanding the move to
greener energy. “Energy companies are
going to end up more like technology
companies, like AirBnB, Amazon, Google
and Monzo,” says Jackson. “They will
be global.”
FIVE MINUTES WITH...
CAROL
JOHNSTON
Carol Johnston, VP Energy, Utilities & Resources
at IFS, talks partnering with the energy sector to
counter the doomsday clock
I also manage and run our customer

advisory board - a group of people from
the industry that guide and consult with
us, helping us make sure our solutions are
aligned to the market.
I’ve worked for companies like ABB
Group, MDSI and Itron, where I was
part of smart meter implementation
Q. TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF projects. Now, at IFS, I have moved over
AND YOUR ROLE WITHIN IFS into the industry team, looking at the
» I am Vice President of the energy, energy industry as a whole – the trends
utilities, and resources team for IFS. IFS and challenges in that industry and how
develops and delivers cloud enterprise we should be responding with new
software for companies around the solutions and our long-term roadmap.
world who manufacture and distribute In energy, for example, there is a lot
goods, build and maintain assets, and of convergence, and the focus is on
manage service-focused operations. renewables.
20 February 2023
“The growth of
cyber attacks on the
industry, especially
in the US, is evidence
of how energy is
becoming a weapon”
predictive asset maintenance and

management, radiating out to support
the ERP functions and field service.
We deploy a lens in which we see how
Q. WHAT IS IFS' GOAL FOR 2023, everything revolves around the asset,
WHAT TRANSFORMATIONS ARE YOU at the back of which is the customer.
CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH? That’s critical.
» IFS is going through huge
transformational changes, both Q. YOU TALK ABOUT THE ENERGY
organically as we build our solutions and SECTOR’S IMPENDING DOOMSDAY,
add new capabilities, and inorganically, DO YOU MIND ELABORATING?
through strategic acquisitions. The » The Doomsday Clock was created by
goal and vision in the energy sector atomic scientists and marks the man-
is to support organisations’ goals for made threats to humanity, primarily
asset management and infrastructure, nuclear war, but now climate change has
bleeding out on the ERP side. now been added to the list.
We support asset-heavy industries, The energy sector obviously has a big
with energy being one of those. Some role to play in taking us away from the
competitors see it all through a CRM lens, midnight point at which catastrophe
but others will start from the ERP side, strikes. Climate change is certainly
before adding in asset management. We a huge focus for utilities, which IFS
start from asset management, making it fully recognises - utilities and energy,
easier to procure through supply chain including oil and gas, contribute about
management and project management, 25% of the overall carbon production on
and to maintain and manage the earth. So, this is a key area for us, and we
asset lifecycle. Now we’re moving into have the solutions to help tackle these
FIVE MINUTES WITH...
major worldwide challenges. There is a level of industry conservatism

For example, our solutions can aid we must overcome. However, the
energy organisations in their efforts big difference with us is that we have
to meet the current sustainability solutions that are tailored and not
standards and regulations, helping generic. We have a proven offering,
them to deliver a reliable service that and we are ready to shout about it.
is both sustainable and affordable.
Q. DURING YOUR TIME HERE, WHAT
Q. WHAT HAS BEEN IFS’ HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST LESSON?
GREATEST CHALLENGE WITHIN » The biggest lesson for me is the
THE ENERGY SECTOR? importance of getting the word out
» Our greatest challenge is achieving about our portfolio and everything
greater brand recognition. We must we do within the entire sector.
make it clear how our portfolio meets The other big lesson I have learned
the challenges facing the energy sector. so far is how to stretch our applications
Whereas previously, the focus was for scheduling, workforce and field
on manufacturing and construction, service management into a complete
aerospace and defence, now it’s enterprise asset-management offering,
a matter of making sure people know along with the project management and
that, through our organic and inorganic financial capabilities that we bring to the
growth, IFS is firmly embedded in table. It’s about the broader portfolio,
the energy sector. as opposed to slices of a solution.
And we are very serious about
partnering with the utility sector. The
leadership team is ensuring we introduce
ourselves properly to this industry.
“The energy sector

obviously has a big
role to play in taking
us away from the
midnight point at which
catastrophe strikes”
22 February 2023
facing all the challenges the industr
is going through. Rapid transformation
is afoot, with the focus on sustainability
and dealing with the political disruption
of energy supplies.
The growth of cyber attacks on the
industry, especially in the US, is evidence
of how energy is becoming a weapon,
Q. WHAT DO THE NEXT 12 MONTHS because obviously, nobody in the
HOLD FOR YOU AND THE COMPANY? developed world can operate
» We are working on predictions without it.
for 2023 in concert with our advisory
board, looking at the challenges in the
industry, and ensuring that our long-
term roadmap and solutions remain
completely relevant.
We’re continuing to stitch it all
together in a compelling use case,
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26 February 2023
DIGITAL T WINS
OFFER REAL - TIME
MODELLING FOR
DATA CENTRES
AD FEATURE
WRITTEN BY:
GEORGE
HOPKIN
PRODUCED BY:
LEWIS
VAUGHAN
28 February 2023
BLACK & VEATCH
Black & Veatch provides insights on

digital twin technology and its impact
on data centre development, including
design, construction, and sustainability
D
igital twin technology has Digital twins are not simply simulation
gone from a futuristic ideal tools because they also provide a
to a present-day reality for previously inaccessible depth and breadth
data centre developers and of exploration of data. It allows clients to
operators. This highly specialised review a project in a virtual world before
virtual modelling can impact the entire implementing it and allows developers
data centre lifecycle, beginning with site to sell the project to stakeholders earlier.
due diligence and moving into design The digital twin can also support
and construction, as well as measuring operations of the data centre, where
sustainability objectives and creating tools monitoring and other tasks are done
for operational excellence. remotely and the ops officer can review
Black & Veatch is using its internal resources issues from any location to make
to develop real-time modelling for global decisions that have a significant impact
clients. Digital twin technology eliminates on the enterprise.
geographical barriers in initial site due This report features industry insights from
diligence and design phases. The entire team key personnel at Black & Veatch who are
can virtually walk the “completed” project invested in its activities and translate the
without leaving their desks. This provides great company’s achievements into professional
convenience, but the real value is evolving. services for its core industries.
Example of
an image caption
BLACK & VEATCH
DUE DILIGENCE INSIGHTS

“Clients know
BEFORE A SHOVEL GOES
INTO THE GROUND how large a data
Digital twin modelling allows clients
centre they're
to design a site even before the land or looking to build,
so our team
building is purchased, says Black & Veatch’s
Shilpa Maganti and Greg Zalewski
Black & Veatch perform site due diligence
for data centres and mission-critical
works with them
facilities, collaborating with clients to assess
greenfield and brownfield sites using the
to build a virtual
company’s expertise in the power, water, master plan”
telecom/fibre, environmental and data
centre industries.
SHILPA A. MAGANTI, P.E.
The company has the capability, PROJECT MANAGER,
scalability, and global resources to help BLACK & VEATCH
clients select sites that will meet future
capacity and sustainability requirements. consultants and long-term relationships with
This expedites challenging schedules and utility providers in major markets worldwide.
gives clients a competitive advantage by “We might have a client who has a piece
leveraging Black & Veatch’s vast global of land and asks us, ‘Can we build a data
internal resource pool, preferred sub- centre here?’” explains Shilpa Maganti, Black
BLACK & VEATCH
& Veatch’s Data Centres Project Manager.

“At that point, we would look at the site, SHILPA A. MAGANTI, P.E.
look at the topography, even the soil TITLE: PROJECT MANAGER
conditions. We have to be able to answer INDUSTRY: ENGINEERING
the question of whether we can even build
LOCATION: UNITED STATES
at that location.“
“We also need to calculate the civil and
structural side issues related to a project
– do we need to blast the site? How is the
grading going to work?” Shilpa Maganti is a Project Manager
Black & Veatch also considers power and for Black & Veatch with more than
utilities during a site due diligence project, 13 years of experience with a wide variety
including an overview of potential cooling of auxiliary power system designs and arc
systems and water supplies. flash hazard analyses associated with data
“Then we move on to other centres, power plants and mission-critical
investigations, including the environmental industrial facilities.
side and master planning. We investigate Shilpa’s experience includes design
any environmental impacts. Most of the and specification of auxiliary electrical
clients we work with know how large a data distribution equipment for new and
centre they're looking to build on that piece retrofit data centre projects. She is
of land, so our team works with them to experienced in performing power system
build a master plan.” studies, including load flow, short-circuit
and arc flash hazard analysis engineering
activities using SKM (Power Tools for
Windows) or Electrical Transient and
Analysis Program (ETAP) - PowerStation
by OTI. She has developed procurement
and design-build/ Engineering,
Procurement and Construction.
EXECUTIVE BIO
BLACK & VEATCH
“You can visualise Digital twin tech gives real-time

understanding of critical issues
what that project Some developer clients may already have
their own facilities, which requires Black
will look like & Veatch to carry out a facility assessment.
before you ever

“Evaluating an existing facility requires
more extensive detail. Do we need to make
put a shovel in any structural improvements? Are there

any permitting or zoning requirements
the ground” that change the land use, or the use of this
building? What are those implications?”
Greg Zalewski, Preconstruction Manager at
GREG ZALEWSKI Black & Veatch, says digital twin technology
PRECONSTRUCTION MANAGER, gives the client a real-time understanding
BLACK & VEATCH
of a broad range of critical issues.
“And it means you're not waiting for
architects and engineers to come back and
GREG ZALEWSKI redraft; you can make a lot of those changes
TITLE: PRECONSTRUCTION MANAGER on the fly using that digital model of a digital
INDUSTRY: ENGINEERING twin,” says Zalewski. “It doesn't have to be a
fully developed model – you can do some
very rough block models and get an idea
of how it will all work. From there you can
Greg Zalewski is a Preconstruction visualise what that project will look like and
Manager at Black & Veatch and what your facility will be, before you ever
has more than 14 years of experience put a shovel in the ground.”
providing project estimating services
for data centers and mission critical
facilities, including modular systems.
He is responsible for the development
of project cost models for opportunities Greg Zalewski
ranging from Design Requirements
Reports to At-Risk cost estimates for
engineer-procure-construct (EPC)
EXECUTIVE BIO
opportunities. He considers cost factors

such as site investigations, the local labor
market, availability of materials, quantities
from design drawings, and quotations
from suppliers. He also develops cost
opinions for reports and feasibility studies
and maintains procedures for quality
control of cost opinions.
BLACK & VEATCH
REGIONAL FOCUS: DATA CENTRES IN INDIA FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES
India aims to secure much of the ramping up to secure market share. In recent
regional investment being made years, many have acquired local players
in Asia, which is expected to account for or entered into joint-venture arrangements.
half of the global data centre market by Developers looking to fast-track
2025. The country reclassified data centres construction face challenges including
as “infrastructure” in April 2022, and this access to local teams at wage rates that
CASE STUDY
change in legislation is expected to attract retain reliable and high-quality outcomes,

investment from developers having access while also designing facilities that are
to capital at lower credit rates as a result. sustainable within the Indian market,
With huge potential for demand growth, particularly with the country facing
international data centre providers are increased climate change impact.
BLACK & VEATCH
SUSTAINABILITY IS CRUCIAL FOR Together with its clients, partners

and employees, Black & Veatch’s work
THE FUTURE OF DATA CENTRES designing and building tomorrow's
infrastructure plays a powerful role in
Global business and society demand data improving sustainable outcomes.
centres – and sustainable designs are “Our clients are feeling accountable
the future, says Black & Veatch’s Angie for sustainability and making sure they
Nygren, Amol Samant and Drew Derrick have sustainable options in their designs,”
Black & Veatch is committed to continuous says Black & Veatch Architect Angie
improvement for clients and communities, Nygren. “The need for data centres is
so sustainability is ingrained into the not going away, so how can they not feel
company’s strategy. Mitigating and accountable?”
adapting to climate change, decarbonising Black & Veatch Project Manager Amol
supply chains, and creating a more diverse Samant has also seen a significant increase
and inclusive workforce are just some of in the number of conversations around
the challenges the company is committed sustainability in his work with clients. Some
to addressing head-on. of the most important factors to consider
34 February 2023
BLACK & VEATCH
“Our clients
are feeling
accountable for
sustainability and
making sure they
have sustainable
options in
their designs”
ANGIE NYGREN
ARCHITECT &
EXECUTION MANAGER,
BLACK & VEATCH
ANGIE NYGREN, NCARB, Angie Nygren is a licensed architect

AIA, LEED AP BD+C and Execution Manager for Black
TITLE: ARCHITECT & EXECUTION MANAGER & Veatch with more than 13 years of
INDUSTRY: ENGINEERING experience in design of complex building
types. Her expertise extends to several
market sectors, including athletic training
facilities, football stadiums, mixed-use
developments, and data centres.
Angie is responsible for the cross-
discipline coordination of the complex
EXECUTIVE BIO
building systems within mission-critical

facilities. She leads the design team
through design and documentation and
is responsible for coordinating across
disciplines to uphold the client’s standards,
design intent, and project schedule.
BLACK & VEATCH
Digital twins offer real-time

modelling for data centres
“The city centre

is where the
infrastructure for
things like power
are available, but
there is a scarcity
of water”
AMOL SAMANT
PROJECT MANAGER,
BLACK & VEATCH
36 February 2023
BLACK & VEATCH
are water, heating and cooling, and

noise pollution, all of which can present AMOL SAMANT
challenges for sustainability-minded TITLE: SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
clients regarding where a data centre can INDUSTRY: ENGINEERING
be placed.
LOCATION: VIKROLI, MUMBAI, INDIA
“The city centre is where the
infrastructures for utilities, like power, are
available,” says Samant. ”At the same time,
there is a scarcity of water, and we cannot
use the huge amount of water required for Amol Samant is a senior Project
data centre cooling at the same location.” Manager with more than 25
years of diverse experience with
A technical “balancing act” multiple complex projects like IT parks,
to save energy, power and water shopping malls, health care facilities
This can mean Black & Veatch has and data centers. His project activities
to work with the client to perform “a have included condition assessments,
balancing act” to save energy, power feasibility studies, design and
and water while still ensuring data construction administration.
centre facilities are optimised. Amol has served as Project Director for
“We've had a client come to us recently mission critical data center projects
and tell us they want to use air-cooled which include complex electro
chillers, which are not necessarily the mechanical installations, centralized
most efficient cooling option available,” chilled water systems, hot aisle systems,
says Black & Veatch Mechanical Engineer thermal energy storage.
Drew Derrick. “But they've made the
EXECUTIVE BIO
BLACK & VEATCH
“After you've built it, it’s much more

expensive for the client to make changes”
DREW DERRICK
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING MANAGER,
BLACK & VEATCH
decision that they want to use cold

chillers so they can save water. DREW DERRICK,
“We have that discussion with the PE, CXA, DCEP, ATD
client, bringing their requirements and TITLE: MECHANICAL
preferences to the forefront. Then we ENGINEERING MANAGER
can design a system around their values INDUSTRY: ENGINEERING
for sustainability – and that can be an
interesting topic of the conversation if the
client hasn’t thought of it before.”
Derrick predicts that, in the next decade, Drew Derrick is a Mechanical
the data centre construction industry Engineering Manager with
will see more liquid cooling options more than 20 years of experience
– both direct-to-chip or immersion- with heating ventilating and air
type technology – but this will require conditioning (HVAC) and plumbing
systems for mission-critical
facilities, including data centres.
Drew Derrick
His project activities include
condition assessments, feasibility
studies, design, construction
administration, value engineering
and commissioning.
Drew has engineered and served
as certified commissioning agent for
mission-critical mechanical systems
subject to client reliability criteria,
EXECUTIVE BIO
redundancy, and single-point

vulnerabilities. He has experience
developing mechanical systems
for sensitive compartmented
information facilities (SCIF) subject
to DCID 6/9, and is an Accredited
Tier Design (ATD) by Uptime Institute.
BLACK & VEATCH
clients to make upfront investments in structural system using different materials,

the technology to reap the rewards of its we can pull those quantities and materials
better functionality over time. from the model and give them a carbon
Digital twin technology also allows factor,” says Nygren. “Then clients can
clients to quickly determine how know whether a concrete structure, a steel
sustainable their new data centre structure, or a timber frame might affect
would be using different materials for the carbon footprint of these different
construction. “From a rough design of the structural systems.”
BLACK & VEATCH
REGIONAL FOCUS: NEW GROWTH FOR DATA CENTRES IN ASIA PACIFIC
The data centre market is set to officials citing the intensity of water use
grow across the Asia Pacific region and electricity as a key factor behind the
over the next five years, with many sources previous moratorium. Such circumstances
projecting a double-digit growth. This highlight the looming issue facing new
demand growth – for data locally and development, as our hunger for data
regionally – could see significant capacity competes for energy and water resources.
development beyond traditional regional Well-planned and calibrated growth
centres, such as Singapore and Hong Kong. is required at a national level, while on a
Investment flows could shift to locations project-level, best-in-class technologies
such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines and practices for energy and water
with low existing capacity alongside efficiency must be considered early to
CASE STUDY
promising demographics and projected ensure long-term viability of projects.

economic growth. This must be considered alongside
Countries like Singapore have only making sure adequate and reliable utility
recently lifted moratoriums on data interconnection infrastructure is in place or
centre development, with government developed in parallel.
40 February 2023
BLACK & VEATCH
DIGITAL TWINS MEAN that operationally it's going to function

CLIENTS CAN DESIGN for them,” says Black & Veatch Architect
Angie Nygren. “So, in a sense, we're really
TWICE, BUT BUILD ONCE designing twice.”
CFD modelling is used to build interior
Data centre virtual models mean and exterior twins, which allows Black &
contractors can work together Veatch to work with clients to fine-tune
with perfect precision, says Black master plans. “We had a project where the
& Veatch’s Angie Nygren, Drew client was using direct evaporative units
Derrick and Greg Zalewski on the exterior of the building, sucking in
Black & Veatch’s integrated design, large volumes of air,” says Black & Veatch
engineering, and construction approach Mechanical Engineering Manager Drew
increases project performance while Derrick. “Diesel generators for the project
ensuring cost and schedule certainty for were sitting relatively close. We found that
critical infrastructure. As clients’ single when the generators were on, the exhaust
point of contract responsibility, Black fumes came back into the building.
& Veatch works in a collaborative team “We ran the model and had to extend
to maximise return on investment and the stacks, moving the generators a little
deliver projects of the highest value farther away, so we could make those
possible. The company’s design-build modifications before it became a problem
teams identify and implement creative in the field,” says Derrick. “After you've
solutions through a contractor-led, built it, it’s much more expensive for the
construction-driven model. client to make that kind of change.”
“With the 3D fly-throughs
we can offer, the client knows
what they're getting, knows
BLACK & VEATCH
Digital twins do away with “first- contractors having to make allowances

come, first-served” approach around the first to start work.
A fully coordinated model provides a clear Clients in different regions may also have
understanding of where systems should be very different requirements – for example,
placed, says Greg Zalewski, Preconstruction Black & Veatch has carried out studies to
Manager at Black & Veatch, which didn’t explore options to recycle data centre cooling
always happen in a time before digital water for irrigation or other purposes.
twin technology. “When people weren't “This is designing twice and building once,
coordinating their work, they may not because you can coordinate all those systems
know how they're going to arrange their in the virtual world before you actually get into
systems, whether it's electrical conduits or the field, and then your contractors can build
mechanical piping, or sprinklers.” from the model. They know exactly down to
Digital twin technology does away with the inch where they need to be and how close
this “first-come, first-served” approach, they should be from one system to the next,
replacing the need for subsequent and this saves a lot of time in the field.”
42 February 2023
BLACK & VEATCH
What We Do - Black & Veatch
BLACK & VEATCH
OPERATIONAL INTELLIGENCE via the cloud. Adaptive planning focuses

on the future, using scenario analysis
BOOSTS RELIABILITY AND
and predictive analytics to better inform
EFFICIENCY asset management, long-term capital
expenditures and other planning decisions.
Digital twin technology leverages drones Black & Veatch also prepares clients with
and specialist software to give an overview well-defined procedures, such as lock out/
of operations, says Black & Veatch’s tag out and confined space instructions,
Julia Guerra and Anthony Taylor to optimise day-to-day operations and
Operational intelligence provides insights maintenance. Other services include:
that help optimise day-to-day operating preparation of facility-specific operations
and maintenance practices to boost manuals; process control optimisation
reliability and efficiency. This can include and troubleshooting; onsite technical
important monitoring and diagnosis support for completion of facility start-up
services that provide a dashboard for and commissioning; assessments,
clients to see deeply into their systems including facility operations, of staffing
44 February 2023
BLACK & VEATCH
JULIA CAROL GUERRA

TITLE: BIM COORDINATOR
INDUSTRY: ENGINEERING
Julia Guerra works in

technology construction for
Black & Veatch. Her background
includes reality capture technology
including Drone services, 360
cameras and laser scanning.
Julia has extensive experience in BIM
technology, including 3D modelling,
and model management for field
teams. She has previous experience
in founding a drone programme that
accelerated to 10 pilots in under
a year. Her experience in reality
capture includes execution and
strategy of laser scanning, and 360
capture walks. Julia can help provide
a clear picture for communication
between all teams, and client
to ensure quality, clarity, and
and maintenance; laboratory design and consistency.
onsite laboratory reviews; and equipment
specification development.
“Recently, we've been leaning towards
something called DroneDeploy,” says Black
& Veatch BIM coordinator Julia Guerra. “This
is a very exciting piece of software that very
EXECUTIVE BIO
easily shows with one click that a client

representative in the field doesn’t need to
be an engineer to be able to use a drone.
It's about simplicity, scalability, and how
everybody can get their hands on it – from
the owner to the surveyor or an engineer,
it doesn't matter, everybody can use the
same data. We’re taking the fear away from
drones and simply making it a tool like
BLACK & VEATCH
ANTHONY TAYLOR the use of BIM on complex regional and

TITLE: BIM COORDINATOR & global BIM projects including setup,
TECHNOLOGY MANAGER establishing objectives, providing
INDUSTRY: ENGINEERING technical direction and support. Anthony
has design capabilities in multiple
software applications including Globally
Positioning for projects and Global
EXECUTIVE BIO
Anthony Taylor is BIM Coordinator Mapper, AutoTurn for vehicle

& Technology Manager for specific space control, grading
Black & Veatch. He is responsible and drainage design through
for the strategic development and Civil 3D and/or OpenRoads
implementation of Black & Veatch’s (Power Inroads SS4), and
BIM initiative using BIM related mission-critical facilities
tools and platforms including utilizing BIM 360, Revit,
BIM 360. Anthony specialises in VEO, CADworx, NavisWorks.
46 February 2023
BLACK & VEATCH
“We’re making it
so people in the
field are just as
comfortable using
a drone as they
might be using a
hammer”
JULIA GUERRA
BIM COORDINATOR,
BLACK & VEATCH
quality, and helps deliver projects on time

and on budget by predicting safety hazards,
proactively managing quality, automating
tasks, and reducing rework so that clients
can control costs and stay on schedule.
“With BIM 360, not only are you able
to have your team on a single platform,
you're seeing data throughout the project
lifecycle from design to construction,”
says Anthony Taylor, BIM Coordinator &
everything else so that people in the field Technology Manager in Black & Veatch’s
are just as comfortable using a drone as Data Center Group.
they might be using a hammer.” “You have the ability for your clients to
see the same data from any device that has
BIM 360 connects workflows, teams, Internet service. That could be a computer
and data for clients and contractor or a tablet or a phone – as long as there is
Black & Veatch’s digital-twin work makes Internet access, you can access these files
extensive use of BIM 360, part of the anywhere in the world.
Autodesk Construction Cloud designed “BIM 360 also has security layers, so if
to connect workflows, teams, and data. you only want certain roles like project
This software – along with an extensive managers or admins to have access
line of modules designed to extend and to certain folders, it's really great for
focus functionality – reduces risk, improves management and security,” says Taylor.
BLACK & VEATCH
“With these new technologies, not only

are you able to have your team on a
single platform, but you're seeing data
throughout the project lifecycle”
ANTHONY TAYLOR
BIM COORDINATOR & TECHNOLOGY
MANAGER, BLACK & VEATCH
48 February 2023
BLACK & VEATCH
3D, 4D AND 5D DIGITAL

MODELS SHED NEW LIGHT
ON CONSTRUCTION
Traditional paper plans used by
construction contractors have
been replaced by digital twin
technology, says Black & Veatch’s
Angie Nygren and Greg Zalewski
Black & Veatch has been leading the
construction industry since its earliest
days of building infrastructure in
America’s heartlands and worldwide.
The company delivers the highest
standards of safety, quality and
efficiency and adapts its diverse
construction solutions to mitigate
risk and suit client budgets.
The company’s construction
experience extends across all
industries they serve, benefitting
from a holistic view of infrastructure
lifecycles. Black & Veatch has
experience with multiple contracting
approaches as a prime contractor,
design-builder, construction manager
at-risk (CMAR), major subcontractor,
joint venture partner, or consortium
member. The company also self-
performs construction trades as a
direct hire, as a construction manager of 2D plans and drawings are not enough
multiple subcontractors, or a combination for clients anymore, says the Black &
of both. Veatch team, with clients instead calling for
“I'm seeing a couple of trends in digital 3D and digital twin models. “They want to
twins in construction,” says Black & Veatch see the building in three dimensions before
Architect Angie Nygren. “The first is much we even stick a shovel in the ground,” says
more client interaction. Historically, we Nygren. “The client is going to be the end
used to give 2D plans to the client; they user, so they want to know things like how
would approve the plans, and we would are they going to load the racks? How are
build it, and then it would be something they going to access the cable tray? Will
of a surprise when they saw the end result they have a clear space for a ladder to get
after construction.” to areas that will be required in the future?”
BLACK & VEATCH
Modelling catches issues long opportunities there to either accelerate

before they become problems or – if you're considering phasing – how
Black & Veatch goes further than this you would implement that throughout the
and ensures clients can assess the project by using that 4D aspect,” says Greg
smallest details, which can then attract Zalewski, Preconstruction Manager at Black
interest from other departments such & Veatch
as marketing and brand management. “On top of that, we're starting to see a lot
“Clients can discover how the finishes more focus on the fifth dimension, which
we've chosen interact with their brand,” is adding cost to that,” he says. “While the
says Nygren. “How is the flow of the fourth dimension takes the model through
space from break rooms to offices? time, the fifth dimension adds cost to that
Increased client interaction means time factor. From an owner's perspective,
they’re looking for that 3D fly-through.” you can actually get a very reliable picture
This approach to construction means of what your capital expenses are going to
even the smallest efficiencies can be be throughout the course of that project
identified or discovered in the digital and how you need to finance and fund it.”
twin environment. “We
model everything,” says
Nygren, “so that we know
if there's a picture that's
going to clash with a duct
from our model long
before this is an issue in
the field.”
Beyond the third
dimension, Black & Veatch
is also seeing trends
extend into the fourth
and fifth dimensions of
those digital twin models.
These take into account
not only what the project
or product will look like,
but also how it looks over
time as well as the costs
involved in its operations
and maintenance.
“While you're evaluating
a project, you can look
to custom construction
sequencing to see how
this project is going to be
built, and you can look for
50 February 2023
BLACK & VEATCH
As digital twin technology becomes the tools and technologies to leading-edge

industry standard, data centre owners data centre development. The company
and operators will benefit from more has the capability, scalability, and global
reliable, efficient and sustainable facilities. resources to help clients select sites that
Traditional paper plans used by construction will meet future capacity and sustainability
contractors have been replaced by digital requirements.
twins, which allow clients to design a site This expedites challenging schedules
even before land or buildings are purchased. and gives clients a competitive advantage
Digital models presented in 3D, 4D by leveraging Black & Veatch’s vast global
and 5D will impact not only site due internal resource pool, preferred sub-
diligence and design, but also construction, consultants and long-term relationships
budgeting, modernisation and operations. with utility providers in major markets
Modelling catches issues long before they worldwide.
become problems and Black & Veatch
goes further to ensure clients can assess References:
the smallest details. This can then attract • What is a digital twin?
interest from other departments such as • Mission-critical facilities/data centers
marketing and brand management.
Black & Veatch is ever-evolving and
CONTACT US
leading the industry in applying these
INDUSTRY X.0
DISCO
& IMP
INNOVATIONS DRIVING
Bryan Davies, VP of
Engineering Solutions
at Elsevier, on how data
harnessed by engineers can
help optimise operations
within the energy sector
WRITTEN BY: MARIAM AHMAD
52 February 2023
INDUSTRY X.0
OVERY
PACT:
G SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
T
he global energy sector is facing its
defining moment: rising energy costs
highlight the immediate urgency
of achieving energy security while, at the
same time, the necessity of decarbonising
the global economy grows more urgent.
Addressing the key energy challenges
surrounding achieving net-zero goals
will require collaboration on innovative
solutions between governments
and industry.
Despite the general consensus that
energy security and net-zero goals are at
odds, Bryan Davies, VP at Elsevier, believes
just the opposite – energy security and
net-zero goals now come hand-in-hand,
with engineers playing a critical role in
enabling nations to achieve both.
INDUSTRY X.0
“With the right data, the

industry can overcome
the global energy
challenges of today and
reduce its environmental
impact on tomorrow”
BYRAN DAVIES
VP OF ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS,
ELSEVIER
customers to help them improve their

research and
commercial outcomes through innovation.
Currently, much of this work involves
helping companies along the path to net
As VP of Engineering Solutions, Davies zero; Elsevier’s solutions are being used
oversees the management of the engineering to identify how current operations can be
R&D information solutions portfolio, made more sustainable, as well as how to
which includes geospatial intelligence tool accelerate renewables projects.
Geofacets, as well as the substances and
material database Knovel. Tell us about Elsevier
His role includes working with customers Elsevier is a leader in information and
across energy and natural resources to analytics for customers across the global
understand the issues they are trying to research, health, and engineering ecosystems.
solve, while updating the vision and direction We’ve got a rich history, founded in 1880, and
of Elsevier's products to align with those are currently headquartered in Amsterdam –
needs. Davies leads the Engineering although we have offices globally. While many
Solutions team at Elsevier, developing online will know of Elsevier’s publishing division,
information tools, databases and services for we also have a powerful portfolio of R&D
global academic, corporate and government solutions for corporate and academic users
INDUSTRY X.0
that bring together incomparable data assets,

powerful analytics and technologies. Our
tools help R&D professionals, engineers and
researchers shorten the distance between
discovery and impact, enabling them to make
more confident decisions while managing
costs, regulations, and health and safety risks.
How is Elsevier embracing digital

workforce models for the energy sector?
Recent changes to the workplace have
reiterated the importance of having the
right technologies for many industries, and
engineering is no different. Onsite visits to
existing and prospective sites during the
pandemic were reduced, and what we
saw instead was many energy and natural
resource companies trying to make more
of the desk research phase of projects. This
is where Elsevier enabled them to thrive –
providing technologies that enable scientists
to understand the intricacies of a location and
assess potential risks by taking a virtual tour.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
can be overlayed together with base maps,
allowing researchers to conduct in-depth
virtual field work that’s comparable to walking
around a location without visiting it in person.
Researchers can analyse terrain, rock and critical for screening and developing new
mineral composition, or data on climate offshore renewables sites, which present
and weather, such as wind direction or wind high capital costs and risk due to their limited
speed, using our platforms.Having these supply chains and connectivity. Having access
insights virtually and in a user-friendly format to the right data enables engineers to make
informs strategy for remote researchers, confident decisions about the viability of
saves time and money, and reduces carbon potential sites and ensure energy investments
emissions produced by unnecessary travel deliver results. Some factors they might assess
or failed attempts at developing new sites. include: geology, shallow seismic data, seabed
mobility and obstructions, and meteorology
How is the importance of data enabling data. It’s also important to be aware of
engineers to thrive within the energy sector? existing infrastructure, transport viability and
In the energy industry, data is the environmental impact, especially when setting
foundation on which all projects are safely net-zero opportunities such as geothermal
and successfully built. For example, data is plants and wind turbines.
56 February 2023
INDUSTRY X.0
However, finding and aggregating What countries are leading the way?
the different types of data is often a time- An Elsevier study found that globally, the
consuming and arduous process. Data is amount of NØEnergy (net zero) research
typically stored in inconsistent formats, and has grown rapidly in the last 19 years.
it is a labour-intensive process to normalise Net-zero publications have risen by 13%,
data for analysis. Such challenges mean whilst overall research output only grew by
engineers can spend up to 80% of their time 5%. Leading the way is China, with nearly
searching for and formatting geoscience 400,000 publications between 2001 and
information and data, slowing down projects. 2020, followed by the US with 280,000
To really thrive and keep pace with the publications, then India, Germany and
latest innovations, engineers need data to Japan. Collaboration is key to accelerating
be searchable, interoperable, and in user- timelines to net zero – our study found that
friendly formats to provide better insights Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland and
into the sustainability of various choices, Canada are most likely to collaborate.
commercial feasibility, and mitigate risk. In total, the international collaboration share
INDUSTRY X.0
“It is important to be aware of

existing infrastructure, transport
viability and environmental
impact, especially when setting
net-zero opportunities”
BYRAN DAVIES
VP OF ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS,
ELSEVIER
of net-zero research increased from 31%

in 2011 to almost 50% in 2020.
What do the next 12 months hold

for you and the company?
COP27, the landmark US Climate Bill,
the ongoing war in Ukraine, and shifting
consumer preferences mean governments
and companies’ timelines to net zero have
accelerated rapidly. We’ve already seen
intergovernmental organisations such as the
International Energy Agency seeking to help
sustainability journeys, establishing shared
goals to promote the effective operation
of markets.
But, change doesn’t happen overnight.
2023 will see companies and governments
strategising on their transition period,
including how they can improve their
energy security posture.
At Elsevier, we’ll be providing the
technology and data that will help companies
identify points in their current operations
that can be made more sustainable – for
example, using innovative materials and
better maintaining current infrastructure.
We’ll also be helping customers accelerate
their renewables projects, providing insights
that can mitigate risk and ensure ROI.
We believe that with the right data, the
industry can overcome the global energy
challenges of today and reduce its
environmental impact on tomorrow.
58 February 2023
INDUSTRY X.0
MOTOR OIL OFFERS
SHINING LIGHT
IN NEW WORLD
OF ENERGY ISSUES
60 February 2023
MOTOR OIL
WRITTEN BY:
GEORGE HOPKIN
S PRODUCED BY:
KRISTOFER PALMER
MOTOR OIL
Nick Giannakakis, Group Chief

Information Officer at Motor Oil, on how
technology can help the world transition
to a more sustainable way of using energy
G
reece's Motor Oil is taking
decisive action to address
climate change and help the
world transition to a more
sustainable way of using
energy. With a strong track record in the
energy sector, spanning over 50 years in
Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean
region, the company is well-equipped to
guide the industry towards a brighter future.
Motor Oil's ambitious plan to transition
to a new energy environment includes
dynamic targets and is the largest of its kind
in Southeastern Europe. As the company
looks towards 2030, it is clear that Motor Oil
is committed to driving positive change in
the energy industry.
Founded in 1970 – and marking the
launch of its refinery in Corinth two years
later – Motor Oil has built a Europe-leading
role for itself in the sectors of crude oil
refining and the marketing of petroleum
products in Greece and the greater eastern
Mediterranean region. The company’s
workforce of more than 2,500 supplies
customers with a wide range of high-quality
products and exports to more than 70
countries.
“The question I ask myself when I wake up
is: ‘What makes me feel like I want to jump
out of bed and come to the office?’,” says
Nick Giannakakis, Group Chief Information
Officer at Motor Oil. “And the answer is
that I am driven by the proposition. It’s the
62 February 2023
Example of
an image caption
MOTOR OIL
promise I give to all my colleagues that I will largest industrial operations with solutions
equip them and enable them to do their jobs like predictive maintenance.
with technology and accomplish mission- “There is also a lot to be proud of in the
critical priorities. This commitment then work we’ve done in the retail sector and
cascades down to my direct reports and on how we have launched one of the largest EV
to the entire technology community in this charging solutions in this part of the world,”
large-scale organisation.” says Giannakakis.
A graduate of the International Institute “And last, but certainly not least, we are
for Management Development (IMD) in proud and pleased with the work regarding
Lausanne, Switzerland, Giannakakis has a sustainability. To give you an idea, when I
Bachelor's degree in physics, a postgraduate joined the organisation three years ago, our
degree in industrial systems administration renewable footprint was quite low,” he says.
and over 15 years of experience in executive “Today, we are maybe the second largest
roles in the field of information technology. renewable producer in this part of the world,
He has worked for several well-known and this is also part of our contribution.”
multinational organisations, and, in 2021, he
was recognised as one of the top 100 Chief Industrial complex in
Information Officers. Greece leads the way in Europe
Giannakakis says he and his team take Motor Oil is a publicly traded company,
pride in the way they have helped support listed on the Athens Exchange since 2001.
Motor Oil in its new organisational strategy. It is included in several indices, including
“We’re very proud of how we innovate and the Athex Composite Share Price Index,
what we can digitise at one of Europe’s the FTSE/Athex Large Cap index, the MSCI
64 February 2023
NIKOS GIANNAKAKIS
TITLE: G
ROUP CHIEF
INFORMATION OFFICER
INDUSTRY: OIL AND GAS
LOCATION: UNITED KINGDOM
Nikos Giannakakis holds

a degree in Physics, a Master
of Science (MSc) in Industrial Systems
Management and Administration and is
a graduate of the International Institute
for Management Development - IMD
(Lausanne, Switzerland).
He has 18 years of international
experience in the positions of Director
and General Manager of Informatics in
distinguished Multinational Clubs.
He is also awarded as one of the top
100 Chief Information Officers for 2019.
He is eager on using technology to
drive Digital transformation which
he believes has brought
tremendous cost
savings and process
improvement to
companies across the
world.
He has worked
as CTO to globally
distinguished
brands such as
British American
EXECUTIVE BIO
Tobacco, Coca-
Cola HBC,
Richemont
Int’l (Cartier,
Montblanc,
Van Cleef &
Arpels, Piaget,
SAP etc.
“WE’RE VERY PROUD OF
HOW WE INNOVATE
AND WHAT WE
CAN DIGITISE AT
ONE OF EUROPE’S achieve higher refining margins than other
Mediterranean refineries.
LARGEST INDUSTRIAL Subsidiaries of the company, Avin Oil
OPERATIONS” and Coral (formerly Shell Hellas) also have
a significant presence in the liquid fuel
retail sector, with Coral operating in several
NIKOS GIANNAKAKIS
GROUP CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER,
countries besides Greece.
MOTOR OIL The company's subsidiary LPC is involved
in the industrial production and trade of
Greece Small Cap Index, and the FTSE4Good basic and packaged lubricants and acts as
Index Series. the agent for Valvoline lubricants in Greece.
The company operates a refinery, ancillary Coral Gas – another subsidiary – is involved
plants, and fuel distribution facilities that in storing, packaging, and marketing bottled
form the largest, privately-owned industrial and bulk liquified gas, as well as liquified gas
complex in Greece and are considered for vehicles.
among the most modern in Europe. In 2017, Motor Oil established a
Motor Oil primarily exports its products, subsidiary in Cyprus to expand its activities.
which are made with advanced technology The company's subsidiary NRG Trading
that allows the company to adjust the House Energy is involved in the power and
final product mix to market needs and natural gas market, offering electricity and
68 February 2023
MOTOR OIL
natural gas programmes, in addition to

comprehensive services for residential
and commercial customers.
Motor Oil’s €2.5bn investment in

growth and energy transition
In the face of global challenges, Motor Oil is
making significant investments in the energy
transition in Southeastern Europe as part
of its efforts to transition to a new energy
environment.
These investments reflect the company's
commitment to securing energy supply,
promoting the energy transition, and generating
sustainable returns for shareholders, while also
aligning with the company's strategic priorities.
The plan is being implemented in the context of
geopolitical and economic instability, as well
as significant environmental challenges.
• Commitment to acting responsibly
• Enhancement of energy efficiency
• Acceleration of the renewable

energy penetration
• Investment in new sustainable

technologies
• Provision of energy & mobility

solutions to customers
Motor Oil plans to invest more than

€2.5bn in growth and energy transition
projects, including renewable energy
sources (RES), petrochemical products,
natural gas, biofuels, hydrogen, and
decarbonisation.
Additionally, the company will invest
over €1.5bn to improve infrastructure
and increase resilience through facility
maintenance, logistical improvements,
MOTOR OIL
“COMMITMENT
CASCADES DOWN
TO MY DIRECT
REPORTS AND
ON TO THE ENTIRE
ORGANISATION”
NIKOS GIANNAKAKIS
MOTOR OIL
digitalisation, and projects related goal is to have over 1,000 charging points
to efficiency, health, safety, and the by 2023, with a target of 4,000 by 2030.
environment. The third pillar focuses on the circular
These investments are part of a plan economy and alternative fuels, including
to create jobs, growth, and value for the production of green hydrogen through
stakeholders, while simultaneously being a joint venture with PPC, the construction of
environmentally and socially responsible and a natural gas-fuelled power plant with GEK
contributing to the country's gross domestic TERNA, and investment in solids and waste
product (GDP). management.
Four strategic pillars form the basis of this The fourth pillar involves improving the
plan: the first is expanding the company's resiliency and sustainability of Motor Oil's
renewable energy portfolio through its Corinth refinery, including the construction
subsidiary, MORE; the second is building an of a Naphtha Treatment Complex and the
electromobility network through investments investment in a new propylene unit, as
in e-mobility, strategic partnerships and well as energy upgrades and infrastructure
installing charging points at gas stations. The optimisation at the refinery.
72 February 2023
MOTOR OIL
A combined community of partners 1,500 outlets,” says Giannakakis. “We’ve been

Motor Oil works with a range of partners focused on expanding the services and goods
and service providers, all of which it sees in this area, and this involves scalability and,
as a combined community dedicated to of course, security aspects, which are a key
improving and refining the company's element of everything we do. And Fortinet is
business. It is a high priority for Motor Oil. exactly the partner we need to allow us to
This community includes VMWare, which do that.”
Nick describes as one of the company's most As result of an RFP process during 2022
innovative partners. Motor Oil has worked and a technical evaluation of the best
closely with VMWare on the company's available technologies and vendors globally,
transition to cloud technologies. MOH decided to strategically be partnered
VMWare's work with Motor Oil has become with Fortinet for the implementation of a
a reference case for other companies, wide-range SD-Branch project at MOH,
due to its success. This makes Giannakakis taking advantage of Fortinet Secure SD-WAN
proud. "VMWare is one of the partners solution, multi-factor authentication
that contributed significantly towards our (MFA) & WiFi technologies. There are
expansion strategy execution," enthuses many benefits for MOH from this project
Giannakakis. and Fortinet; however, some of the most
Other key partners include a global prominent ones are the increased availability
leader in broad, integrated and automated and performance of their branches’
cybersecurity solutions, Fortinet, which works communication paths & interaction with
with Motor Oil on security regarding the their central datacentres & applications,
company’s retail outlets. “To give you some increased security at their Edge infrastructure,
context, we are one of the biggest retailers significant reduction at future OpEx and being
in this part of the world, with approximately able to cover the IoT challenges by dynamic
detection, segmentation, and protection! Last
but not least, all provided edge solutions are
“THERE IS ALSO A LOT future-proof ready and easily expandable

and adjustable for zero trust network access
TO BE PROUD OF THE (ZTNA) & secure access service edge (SASE).
WORK WE’VE DONE Motor Oil also lists Microsoft as a key

partner, providing a wide range of services
LAUNCHING ONE including machine learning and cloud
OF THE LARGEST EV
infrastructure, in addition to the Greek
telecoms company Nova, with which Motor
CHARGING SOLUTIONS Oil has a strategic alliance.
“I truly believe that telco companies with
IN THIS PART OF large ICT programs are key partners that will
THE WORLD” enable us to achieve our ambitious goals,”
says Giannakakis.
NIKOS GIANNAKAKIS
MOTOR OIL
SMART ENERGY
BRANCHING O
SOL ARBOTAN
Solar-powered SolarBotanic Trees will
be branching out in the UK later this
year. We caught up with the company’s
Founder and Chairman, Harry Corrigan
A
lready receiving hundreds of
advance orders, the game-changing
SolarBotanic Trees are due to appear
all over the UK in the very near future.
Completely unique to the energy market,
SolarBotanic Trees consist of solar panels
in the shape of tree-like structures.
The design and concept is the result
of five years of research, and features
new photovoltaic 3D leaf-shaped
nanotechnology to harness solar energy
for charging and storage solutions.
SolarBotanic’s energy harvesting technique
is based on three technologies, namely
photovoltaics, thermovoltaics and
piezovoltaic. Equipped with nanotechnology
and a combination of the three major
technologies, Solar Botanic offers a clean
way of generating electricity.
The Energy Trees are also able to calibrate
with wind energy, featuring high-tech
piezoelectric ribbons, which are integrated
into the branches, twigs and leaf stalks.
74 February 2023
SMART ENERGY
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SMART ENERGY
“We are in discussions with

a number of potential
joint venture partners
that can facilitate The development of the project
came about through collaborations
global distribution and with Brunel University London and its
manufacturing” Co-Innovate enterprise programme with
the Manufacturing Technology Centre
in Coventry (MTC) and the University
HARRY CORRIGAN
FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN, of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing
SOLARBOTANIC TREE PROJECT Research Centre (AMRC), all of which
have been fundamental in getting the
These ribbons are able to utilise a large innovation to market.
amount of kinetic energy, due to the fact The first-generation SolarBotanic Tree
that the tree responds to environmental is aiming to be the first step in a range
forces with tension, compression, bending, of renewable products and industries,
shear and torsion. Wind, as well as vibrations primarily aimed at the rapid Electric Vehicle
and raindrops, will all contribute to the charging market for homes, businesses and
energy tree’s gathering of convertible energy. commercial car parks, where solar power can
Designed to offer aesthetically pleasing be captured and stored for charging points.
and sustainable energy, the trees are suited A single tree generates enough electricity
to large-scale commercial environments, to provide the necessary energy for a three-
such as flagship office sites and room house, and any excess energy produced
sports stadiums. can be sold back into the main grid.
SMART ENERGY
SolarBotanic
Trees are aiming
to produce 3,000
trees a year by
2027.
The artifcial trees

can produce
between 2000 and
12,000 of energy
per year.
SMART ENERGY
“We have been

inundated with
requests to host
demonstrator sites”
HARRY CORRIGAN
FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN,
SOLARBOTANIC TREE PROJECT
Solar Botanic claims that its artificial trees

will have the ability to produce between
2,000 and 12,000 KWh of energy per year.
Due to the tree's domed surface area, its
photovoltaic cells are designed to capture
as much light as possible throughout the
seasons, whilst its smart management and
storage system can link trees together, to
form part of a local grid or feed into the
national one.
Founded by its now-Executive Chairman,
Harry Corrigan, a decade ago, the project
took a total of ten years, with Corrigan
designing the 16ft device.
SolarBotanic Trees recently received
its first set of orders, with RAW Charging
initially supplying 200 co-branded solar
trees as part of SolarBotanic Tree’s network
of commercial electric vehicle (EV) charging
sites currently being rolled out across the
UK and Europe. Deliveries will start in
mid-2023 and be completed in 2024.
With an estimated 45% of drivers needing
to charge their EVs away from home, RAW
is one of the largest UK providers of EV
charging solutions.
We caught up with Harry Corrigan to learn
more about his innovative product, and how
it is shaking up the energy sector.
Conceptualising the SolarBotanic Tree

The SolarBotanic Tree as a product concept
was devised over 7 years ago, and has been
SMART ENERGY
designed in collaboration with potential

customers, architects and suppliers to
ensure an aesthetically attractive, functional
and affordable alternative to conventional
solar panels. The project was inspired by
wind turbines, and from Corrigan’s reading
about biomimicry and what can be done
by copying nature.
The tree has been developed in
collaboration with Co-Innovate – a business
support programme which supports SMEs
in London by using academic and innovation
resources at Brunel University London, the
Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC)
in Coventry and the AMRC’s Design and
Prototyping Group – who will be
conducting the prototype testing.
Overseeing all things SolarBotanic

“My role within SolarBotanic is overseeing
R&D. From the start, I have taken the
initial concept through various iterations,
designed the concept by collaborating
with an Innovation and business support
scheme at Brunel University London
called ‘Co-Innovate’ and funded various
educational institutions in order to give
bright engineering graduates the opportunity
to develop something truly ground-breaking
technologically, as well as aesthetically Simulations have been performed to find
pleasing, which will contribute significantly the difference in generation in a typical year
to decarbonisation,” Corrigan explains. and to limit the influence lower-performing
“I would consider myself to be a serial cells have on the higher-performing ones.
entrepreneur, with over 40 years of This will be field-tested in Q1 of 2023 to
experience in business in the US, Europe, validate the simulations.
Africa and Australasia.”
Advantages over other solar-
Challenges in developing SolarBotanic Tree powered energy sources
Using a dome-shaped surface to host Regarding the tree itself, the dome is
solar PV cells is challenging, since all cells designed to capture as much sunlight
receive different energy inputs from the as possible by utilising a 3D surface
sun and therefore have different amounts area which is elevated so that the land
of energy generation. underneath can still be used, for example,
80 February 2023
to park a car, grow shade-resistant crops, we are talking to local and town
or shaded seating for people. The AI-driven councils with a view to find
Energy Management System (EMS) uses AI a high profile site in a large city
to optimise energy generation, conversion centre,” Corrigan adds.
and distribution strategies. “We are also in discussions with
“The battle against climate change, and a number of potential joint venture
the visual impact that distributed renewable partners that can facilitate global
energy technologies have, motivated me to distribution and manufacturing and
come up with a solution that generates clean with President Biden’s recent statement
energy while looking good,” says Corrigan. regarding the need for EV charging
infrastructure, the US is a likely market,
Plans to launch and expand however, we will concentrate
“We have been inundated with requests on the home market in the UK first
to host demonstrator sites and currently and foremost.”
MAKING CUSTOMERS
CENTRAL TO DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION
WRITTEN BY:
ALEX CLERE
PRODUCED BY:
MICHAEL BANYARD
82 February 2023
YBS
YBS
In recent years, Yorkshire Building Society

has undertaken a transformational journey –
one that starts and ends with the customer
W
hen Yorkshire Building
Society’s (YBS) Chief
Commercial Officer,
David Morris, and
Director of Business
Transformation, Ben Sampson, join me to
discuss the seismic change that the mutual
has enjoyed over the last five years, there’s
more than 100 miles between them. Morris
is joining from Oxfordshire in the south of
England, while Sampson is dialling in from
Halifax in the north. It’s a sign of the times
– in business today, it’s not unusual for
colleagues to be separated by postal codes,
time zones or even oceans. But it’s also a
mark of how far Yorkshire Building Society
has come since it was founded in 1864.
YBS can trace its roots back more than
150 years to the Huddersfield Equitable
Permanent Benefit Building Society, whose
members would meet each morning from
5-8am – not on Zoom, but in a single room
in the Yorkshire town. Early directors of the
society included a dentist, a shoemaker and
a plumber. At the end of the first year, there
were just six borrowers and assets of around
£4,000 – over £400,000 in today’s money.
The name itself stems from the West
Yorkshire Building Society, which was
founded two years later in Dewsbury –
a short six-mile hop from the town of
Huddersfield. For over 100 years, the two
building societies operated in separate orbits
– orbits that would rarely stray outside this
small, 10-mile patch of northern England.
In 1982, the West Yorkshire Building Society
84 February 2023
Example of
an image caption
YBS
“I’M A PROUD YORKSHIREMAN. I LOVE COMING TO

WORK BECAUSE, WHILST WE MAKE A NATIONAL
IMPACT, THE CULTURE AND THE ROOTS OF THE
BUSINESS FEEL VERY YORKSHIRE”
BEN SAMPSON, MBA is committed to upholding the traditional
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION,
YBS values that are said to define this beautiful
part of the world: humanity, empathy,
and the Huddersfield Building Society honesty, and a sense of doing the right thing.
merged with another local mutual, the “I’m a proud Yorkshireman. I'm a local lad,”
Bradford Building Society, to create the says Ben Sampson. “I love coming to work
entity that exists today. at the Yorkshire Building Society because
It is a history of consolidation: in the whilst we're national and we make a national
years after the merger, the newly rebranded impact, I think the culture and the roots
Yorkshire Building Society would gradually of the business feel very Yorkshire. If you
accumulate more of its peers from across ask a Yorkshireman what they think about
the UK, slowly increasing its sphere of being from Yorkshire, they'll use words like
influence and growing steadily in size. The openness, integrity, fairness and honesty
Haywards Heath, Barnsley, Chelsea, and – and I think we have a culture that really
Norwich & Peterborough Building Societies thrives on that.”
were all subsumed into YBS and today the
group has a balance book in excess of £55bn.
YORKSHIRE FACT FILE
Is its Yorkshire heritage still important?
Being local and mutually owned means that • Historical area of northern England
Yorkshire Building Society is motivated by its made up today of four counties
members, not by a distant shareholder who
they’ve never met. Everything that YBS does • Nearly 15,000km² ranging from
is for the service of its members. peaks and dales to heritage coastline
“I don't actually think we are local at all
anymore,” Morris says. “We've got a national • Major cities include Leeds, Bradford,
branch network, a sophisticated digital Sheffield, Hull and York
footprint across all our brands and we've
obviously got customers from all over • Renowned for its food and drink
the British Isles. We've got customers in including strong tea, batter puddings,
Northern Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall, and a Wensleydale cheese, Pontefract
huge London presence.” liquorice, and its forced rhubarb
Instead of thinking local, YBS today
thinks about local values. It has expanded • Population according to
far beyond Yorkshire’s borders, but the the 2021 UK census: 5.5mn
organisation is still proud of its heritage and
86 February 2023
BEN SAMPSON, MBA
TITLE: D
IRECTOR OF BUSINESS
TRANSFORMATION
INDUSTRY: FINANCIAL SERVICES
Ben began his career at HBOS

and worked in various business
areas until 2008 when Lloyds TSB took
over during the financial crisis. At the
newly formed Lloyds Banking Group
Ben undertook significant roles in
both the Integration and Verde (TSB
creation) programmes. Since Joining
YBS Ben has led a number of high
profile programmes of work that have
helped transform and modernise
the society, such as the lending
re-platforming work to move
YBS to the IRESS MSO platform.
In his current role as Director
of Business Transformation,
Ben is responsible for the
strategic design, business
EXECUTIVE BIO
case and planning of the YBS
transformation. This includes
overall sponsorship and
ownership of the benefits and
benefits for the programme
and accountability to the
Executive and board.
Learn more
DAVID MORRIS BA, MA
TITLE: C
HIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER
INDUSTRY: FINANCIAL SERVICES
David began his career at

Citigroup and has subsequently
worked at various Financial Services
institutions across the UK and
abroad. He is responsible for the
innovation, development and
on-going management of the Society’s
mortgages and savings products, YBS’s
marketing and its digital channels,
mortgage distribution and the
EXECUTIVE BIO
Society’s branch network. David is also
responsible for our Commercial
Lending and is Chair of Accord
Mortgages Ltd. Prior to joining
YBS David was the Head of
Products at Coventry
Building Society.
YBS
Defining a clear purpose in the world

In every organisation’s history, there
are usually a few executives that have a
defining impact. For YBS, one of the most
influential was Mike Regnier, the erstwhile
chief executive who left to become CEO of
Santander UK at the beginning of 2022.
David Morris says: “What Mike did was
come in and effectively provide quite a
lot of strategic clarity in terms of what we
can and can't be. We need to be a savings
and mortgage business and we need to
get simple, lean, and focused. That's really
been the mantra over the last eight years.
What we've seen since about 2018 is an
acceleration of that vision.”
Yorkshire Building Society focuses
on mortgages, savings products and
commercial lending, shying away from
everyday transactional banking (which is
highly regulated with a lot of competition)
in favour of higher-interest products that
encourage consumers to put some of their The sheer scale that YBS has been able to
money aside. That means YBS has three core achieve is testament to the laser-tight focus
lines of business, which Morris describes as within the business. “We want to make sure
“low-touch but meaningful”. The company is we're doing things purposefully; we want
one of the largest lenders in the UK: “We’re to make sure we've got the capability to
very big but we’re focused,” he explains. execute against that; and critically we only
compete in parts of the market where we
“I FIND MYSELF ENGAGED think we can win,” Morris continues.

On mortgages, this means a higher
BY PEOPLE WHO proportion of its lending goes to first-
ARE ABLE TO BREAK time buyers or customers who are often
overlooked by other providers. This allows
PARADIGMS, THINK them to occupy the underserved space in
DIFFERENTLY AND LIFT between other mainstream lenders, carving
out a competitive advantage for themselves.
THEMSELVES OUT OF “They’re good people but for whatever
THE STATUS QUO” reason other banks are not providing
solutions that help them get on the housing
ladder,” Morris says. YBS still lends to more
DAVID MORRIS BA, MA
CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, affluent customers who have higher equity
YBS in their homes, but they are clear that the
business’ focus is on being purposeful
“WE HAD A GOOD and finding innovative solutions.
PHYSICAL BUSINESS
People underestimate what YBS can do
MODEL, GOOD This incisiveness and clarity of focus,
BRANCHES, BUT coupled with the fact that YBS is “just a
WE WERE REALLY building society”, often leads to people

underestimating their scale or level of
LAGGING BEHIND ON expertise. Morris says: “I think the YBS of
BOTH TECHNOLOGY today is far more capable than people

realise. It's very interesting when you go out
AND DIGITAL into the market and people say, ‘oh you're a
PERFORMANCE” building society, do you know X’ or ‘do you
know Y’? Of course we know it, we're really
very good. It's just we're very, very focused.”
BEN SAMPSON, MBA This clarity of focus is clearly winning: in
DIRECTOR OF
BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION, H1 2022, YBS outperformed some of the
YBS UK’s traditional ‘big six’ banks in terms of
92 February 2023
YBS
cultural shift – but it can also be difficult to

get all your objectives aligned.
When Director of Business Transformation
Ben Sampson joined the business, YBS
had an ageing legacy platform powering its
websites; it didn’t have a consumer app;
and the percentage of customers signing
up through digital was somewhere between
15% and 20%.
It’s not an atypical hangover for a
building society to have; indeed, according
to research from the Building Societies
Association published in 2021, two-
thirds of building societies identify digital
transformation as the main challenge facing
the sector in the next five years.
“We had a good physical business model,
good branches,” Sampson says. “But we were
really lagging behind on both the technology
front and the digital commerce performance
front.”
First, Yorkshire Building Society
established a single vision and ambition
organisation-wide that everybody was
aligned to. Digital transformation has proven
both book growth and yield performance. to be a considerable, long-term investment
It is also highly competitive now on digital. for the business – the single biggest
Morris believes that there are other financial programme of work that YBS has ever done,
institutions who could learn from this as Sampson puts it. “That’s as significant
focused strategy. as the replatforming for me,” he says. “A
business that gets unified behind that single
Ramping up digital transformation goal, which can then lead to all the important
When you think about digital transformation, elements of conditions for success such as
you tend to think about the process of the ability to have razor-sharp prioritisation
replatforming and the multiple legacy discussions. They’re not possible if you’ve
systems that often hold firms back. got different viewpoints, because it just
That is one of the key tenets of digital becomes an argument.”
transformation after all. But, as with any YBS built and launched its first native
sizeable undertaking within a business, the apps for iOS and Android, getting into
most important thing to get right from the the pockets of its customers for the first
outset is strategy. It can be a challenge to get time. The demand has always been there:
everybody within a business subscribed to research shows that a majority of UK
a digital transformation – it requires a huge banking customers want their banks to offer
YBS
mobile apps. It established a partnership

with identity confirmation provider HooYu,
allowing it to elevate its onboarding and
ID verification process. Together, they
developed a programme called “experience-
driven acquisition”, which involved building
a more seamless account opening process.
Alongside the partnership with HooYu, YBS
also redesigned some customer journeys
and replatformed to make this project work.
YBS has also invested heavily in
modernising its mortgage origination system.
A new platform was introduced in 2018
and through the programme this has been
extended, adding the remaining products
one by one. Significant time has also been
spent optimising this tool, working with
technology partner Iress to create innovative
solutions and leverage its capabilities.
Permanent squads were also set up, allowing
technical expertise and strong relationships
with the supplier to develop. The result is that
the speed of change has increased by 300%.
Morris says this has had a huge impact on
the business: “When I started at YBS I saw
our mortgage business had lots of potential.
I think it is easy to overlook the impact of It also transitioned away from waterfall
our transformation here but, for me, this has development, which just wasn’t cutting it
been the spark that enabled the broader with the modern digital technologies, and
transformation. With our mortgage engine created a ‘digital services tribe’ instead. It
firing, we have been able to subsequently was the first time that YBS had attempted
transform our savings proposition and to work in that agile way at scale, so clearly
invest further and faster in our digital the technical undertaking itself was vast.
transformation.” But it all stemmed from a single collective
The results have been staggering, the vision that helped to clearly define the
company says: digital acquisition has gone building society’s priorities, who it was and
from 20% of the mix to over 70% and the who it served as a business, and exactly
online book is over 2.5 times bigger than it how it would take advantage of the digital
was before the transformation began; over opportunity before it.
20% of lending originated utilises the new “As we have learned we have sped up
capabilities the transformation delivered; certain bits, slowed down and reordered
and digital satisfaction has increased by over priorities,” David Morris says. “But we
40% in the last 12 months alone. have done this in a way that is completely
94 February 2023
YBS
consistent with our long-term vision, which

remains unchanged. This has allowed us
to continue to review and improve our
performance in terms of delivery and value
creation. Our modular approach has also
helped enable this.”
Partnership with Johnston Carmichael

At that time, YBS had never undertaken a
digital transformation programme on this
scale before. It needed some support to
mobilise and to get that initial jumpstart,
which is when it partnered with business
consultancy Johnston Carmichael. Their
expertise and knowhow supported YBS
in accelerating and creating pace, but it
also offered a couple of additional edges
– like challenging YBS’ own internal ways
of thinking, and lending an experience
and a pragmatism that firms like Johnston
Carmichael benefit from.
They've got a team of very experienced,
highly professional people that have been
through a number of cycles of both the
external environment and transformations,”
Ben Sampson says. “That experience is
invaluable when you've got a company like
YBS, which has good core capability but
maybe hasn't done this before and is lacking
1864 in that real-world experience. Johnston
YEAR Carmichael certainly brought that. They
FOUNDED came in, they gave us a huge injection of
pace, they gave us some really strong critical
1982 thinking, and they brought a clear view of

design thinking.”
MERGER BETWEEN
The partnership with Johnston
THREE BUILDING
Carmichael is indicative of YBS’ broader
SOCIETIES
thinking around collaboration and
CREATED YBS
partnership, as Sampson explains: “We want
to be more selective about the partnerships
£60bn we have. We can't throw good money after
YEARLY bad if we get that wrong. So we tend to
REVENUE go with trusted partners and longer-term
YBS
relationships. We will often run competitive come in and do the stuff that we can already
processes with people we've worked with do, because we already have some skillful,
before and we look for a cultural match – capable people within the business.”
people that will work well in our business.
It’s vital that we have people who have done The inspiration to succeed
this before. We want to learn from others, we So who inspires them? “I believe in
want to take their experience to help us be the power of people and in creating
successful. environments that allow people to thrive,”
“The thing that's absolutely essential from Sampson says. He is drawn naturally to
any partnership for us is that they must help people who have overcome adversity: to
us to learn, and to be able to do that, they Stephen Hawking, who became the pre-
need to leave a legacy of us being able to do eminent scientist of his generation despite
things ourselves. We don't want transactional battling personal adversity; to Richard
relationships that give us a step change that Branson, who built Virgin from the ground up
then falls away. It's one thing to transform, and who today is quite pioneering about the
but it's another thing to then optimise. way in which he nurtures his teams, giving
And to be able to optimise, we need to be them unlimited time off as an example.
building our capability as we do it.” Sampson also identifies with Steven
David Morris concurs: “We want people Bartlett, the founder of marketing agency
who can augment, people who can do things Social Chain and the youngest investor in the
that we can't or people who can help us history of Dragon’s Den (the UK version of
accelerate. We’re not looking for people to Shark Tank). He also has a podcast charting
96 February 2023
YBS
the highs and lows of being a CEO. Sampson for either of them. They brim with passion
calls him an inspirational figure and likes the about the progress that YBS has made,
fact that Bartlett dropped out of university, the potential it’s unleashing within the
like he did. organisation, and crucially the benefits it
David Morris says that central to his style will bring for customers.
of leadership is a ‘belief in better’. He is
inspired by people – both from within YBS Everything comes back to the customer
and outside the organisation – who are able YBS has spent the better part of eight
to think differently, challenge the ordinary years reorienting its business towards
and strive for something extraordinary. “I customers: giving them the platforms
genuinely find myself engaged by people and digital channels they expect, but also
who are able to break paradigms, think honing its propositions so that it can meet
differently and lift themselves out of the underserved demand in the grey space
status quo. People who are able to say ‘here's between traditional high-street lenders.
a completely different way of doing things’.” David Morris believes that, because
That disruptive mindset has always been business value has played such an integral
rare, but wherever they exist those people role in YBS’ transformation, the customer
are usually invaluable assets. There is clearly has become an inescapable end-goal.
something of a disruptor personality trait Every path that YBS takes now leads to
among Morris and Sampson themselves. the customer. That means the customer
When we first speak, it is just a few days has become a really useful currency for
before Christmas – yet there is no let-up explaining digital initiatives to executive
98 February 2023
YBS
“TO ME, DIGITAL or the most sophisticated architect, but if

you don’t understand the YBS culture then
INHERENTLY MEANS it just doesn’t work,” Morris says.
BEING CUSTOMER- That applies not just to the people

that YBS recruits, but the partners it
CENTRIC. THERE'S NO chooses to work with as well. The building
POINT BUILDING GREAT society partnered early on with Johnston

Carmichael to help them quickly realise
TECHNOLOGY IF IT pace, mobilise the digital transformation
DOESN'T WORK FOR programme and become clearer on the
designs of its digital products. This allowed
THE CUSTOMER” it to remain focused from the outset on the
customer.
DAVID MORRIS BA, MA “What Johnston Carmichael brought to
CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, the table was an acceleration of what we
YBS
were trying to do, [along with] huge amounts
of experience and pragmatism,” Sampson
stakeholders within the business, particularly explains. “They used that to not only help
those that are not digitally confident. us think about what we wanted to do, but
“To me, digital inherently means being to be a critical friend and challenge us in
customer-centric,” Morris says. “So when our thinking, and help us avoid pitfalls that
we're trying to build customer journeys, others might have experienced who went
there's no point building great technology before us.”
if it doesn't work for the customer. We've Looking ahead to the future, Morris
recognised that the solutions we need to continues: “Over the last 2-3 years,
create have to be built with the end-user in we've been able to prove just how much
mind. I think that's just a natural, inherent opportunity there is in the business and
part of this type of transformation.” how digitising parts of our enterprise has
Sampson concurs: “We're building things created huge amounts of value. I think our
that meet customer needs and wants, and vision for the next 12-18 months is about
that's research-based. That's quite powerful.” how we can go from good to great. We think
Customer-centric design permeates our approach can be really quite distinct
every pore at YBS, including recruitment. and unique by taking this best-of-breed
Everybody that has been brought into this approach, using digital and human to create
digital transformation journey has been something that's distinct in the market.
steered by customer demand – from UX And I think a big focus for us over the next
and UI designers through to programme period is going to be about how we create
managers. Much like its namesake region, an operational model that supports this
Yorkshire Building Society has a distinctive powerful acquisition capability
character, a flavour, a non-negotiable way we've built.”
of doing things. It only takes on new people
that fit into this customer-led culture. “You
can be the world’s greatest project manager
R
O
100 February 2023
AI IN ENERGY
FOR T HE
REENER
OOD
Head of Sustainability, Google EMEA,
Adam Elman offers insight into the
integral nature of AI in Google’s fight
against climate change
T
he relevance of Artificial Intelligence Concomitantly to this, Google uses AI for
in today’s business landscape is the social good, supplying countries with
ever-evolving, present in myriad environmental insights, flood forecasting,
forms. And for the world of big tech, wildfire detection, and, of course, Google
the primary form AI takes is in cutting Earth Engine to provide information about
energy consumption. renewable energy possibilities.
AI and its capabilities have been utilised So, what lessons can big tech – and
by many of the biggest tech companies, companies at large – take from Google's
including Google, who operate a carbon innovative utilisation of AI? Google's
intelligence programme to cut energy Sustainability Lead for Europe, the Middle
needs in powering their immense amount East, and Africa, Adam Elman, offers Energy
of data centres. Magazine his insights.
energydigital.com
Magazine.com 101
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AI IN ENERGY
Cutting energy consumption A number of years ago, we started using what

in data centres we call neural networks to take thousands of
Google is totally dependent on their data points and figure out optimisations that
technological infrastructure, and in humans simply can't do," says Adam.
particular, data centres to help facilitate Google's new focus is on becoming
processing mass amounts of information net-zero in their operations and across their
– this includes 63,000 Google searches value chain by 2030, having already made it
per second. Through AI, Google has around two-thirds of the way there. In fact,
reduced energy consumed for cooling the company uses 100% renewable energy,
by 30% through the creation of a more making sure to buy enough renewable
efficient framework. electricity to match usage.
"If you look compared to five years ago,
we produce about five times as much Environmental Insights
computing power for the same amount of One of the solutions Google makes freely
electricity used. But how do we do this? Well, available to cities and regions around
through artificial intelligence and DeepMind, the world is the Environmental Insights
which is an AI/machine learning specialist programme, which is key to developing
organisation within Google. carbon plans, and subsequently, tracking
AI IN ENERGY
ADAM ELMAN
HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY,
GOOGLE EMEA
any progress made. Google EIE runs by

extracting estimates of transport activity
data and then building footprint data,
based on actual measurements of traffic
and buildings.
This data is then multiplied by emission
factors from the World Bank’s Climate
Action for Urban Sustainability (CURB) tool.
Cities account for around 70% of carbon
emissions, and struggle to find the data and
tools needed to create tangible plans to
tackle environmental problems; Google's
Environmental Insights programme is the
solution to this.
"Environmental Insights provides data
– real-time – on transport emissions,
and more on opportunities to deploy
energy sources like solar. More recently,
we've been piloting a solution for cities
around tree canopies, where there are
opportunities for cities to plant more trees.
One example is the city of Dublin and its
set target to increase cycling trips by 20%,"
explains Elman.
Google provided the city of Dublin with
transport data to pinpoint what’s happening
in real-time. This has helped the city develop
their plans for what infrastructure and policy
changes they need to make to improve the
104 February 2023

AI IN ENERGY
volume of cycling, using this data to track

progress to see if it's really having the
impact that they desire.
Extreme weather
In terms of AI for social good, Google is
firmly at the forefront. With communities
around the world facing the immediate,
damaging effects of climate change, key
areas of focus that arise will be looking
towards how people can work together
to implement sustainable solutions.
To achieve this, Google uses AI-powered
platforms alongside partnerships with frontline
emergency workers and organisations.
One of these platforms is called FloodHub.
Available globally, the AI-based flood
forecasting programme offers a map display
of forecasts that shows when and where
floods may occur to help people prepare.
The company sent 115mn flood alerts to 23
million people over Search and Maps in 2021.
The new expansion of flood forecasts adds
18 countries across Africa, Latin America
and Southeast Asia.
"Flood forecasting is made possible using
AI and physics-based modelling, taking data
from historic flood events, river levels, terrain,
elevation data, and many other data points.
We use this in partnership with government
agencies to actually issue millions of alerts
to users to tell them there's a flood coming,
you need to take action. So when we think
about climate mitigation, we also need to
think about climate adaptation and climate
risk – a key area where we can use this type of
technology in the real world," explains Elman.
Google Earth Engine for industrial

sustainability and energy transition
AI-powered Google Earth Engine has the
capabilities to understand big data and
analytics to identify, reduce, and report on
AI IN ENERGY
106 February 2023

AI IN ENERGY
ADAM ELMAN
HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY,
GOOGLE EMEA
emissions, with the platform having access

to 50+ petabytes of analysis-ready data.
The programme remains relevant for
solar project developers or those interested
in designing Massive Solar Distributed
Generation Projects, providing users with
rich, solar-potential data about buildings
throughout the world.
"Google Earth Engine is one of our
solutions that takes multi-petabytes’ worth
of satellite data, geospatial data compliance,
and planetary level data analytics. We've
made this available for a number of years
to scientists and researchers to help them
really understand what's happening at
a planetary scale in terms of changes to
the planet.
“We have another solution called Global
Forest Watch, which again is helping
companies, governments and cities track
monitored deforestation and take action.
So, again, it's using AI and machine
learning in a real-world environment,"
concludes Elman.
This extends into individual
conglomerates and their immediate
sustainability needs. Unilever is currently
utilising Earth Engine's satellite data to
work towards achieving a deforestation-free
supply chain by 2023.
TECHNOLOGY
CAPTURING C
THE ENVIRONMENTALLY
-FRIENDLY VACUUM
T
he research is clear: if we want to The role of carbon capture could be
avoid the disastrous effects of climate instrumental in meeting net-zero
change, we must reduce the amount
goals – we take a look at why
of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.
technology and regulation are key
Even with the mass production of solar-
panels and wind turbines, reaching net-zero WRITTEN BY:
is going to require capturing large amounts MARIAM AHMAD
of emissions from activities that are hard to
decarbonise, such as making cement.
Enter: carbon capture. CCUS (carbon
capture, utilisation and storage) involves the
capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
from industrial processes, such as the
creation of steel, or from the burning of fossil
fuels in power generation, and burying it
deep underground. In some instances, the
captured CO2 can be repurposed to create
products such as synthetic fuels and cement
– an environmental recycling of sorts.
Carbon capture, however, does not
come without its unique set of challenges
– the immense cost of such technologies
being one.
108 February 2023

CARBON:
CREATING BUSINESS
VALUE THROUGH
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Ensuring you have the
best partner at your side.
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TECHNOLOGY
“Our technology is proven leader in point source carbon capture,

developing cost-effective solutions to
at scale across 49 sites accelerate the global deployment of CCUS,
worldwide, including in the especially in hard-to-abate sectors such as
UK, US, Japan, German, India, cement, steel, refineries and energy from
waste. We’ve achieved big things at Carbon
Norway and the Netherlands” Clean since we founded the company in
2009 – relocating to the UK from India
PRATEEK BUMB after we received funding from the UK
CO-FOUNDER, government – launching CycloneCC, the
CARBON CLEAN
world’s smallest industrial carbon capture
Since 2010, dozens of projects have failed solution, in 2021 and raising a record $150mn
to come to fruition because the technology in funding earlier this year.
involved with carbon capture is simply too
costly. At the moment, there are only about
two dozen large-scale facilities that use
CCUS – capturing roughly 40mn tonnes
of carbon, annually.
Amongst the global leaders of the CCUS
industry is Carbon Clean. The company was
awarded a ‘Technology Pioneer’ award by
the World Economic Forum, was recently
selected as one of Cemex Ventures’ Top 50
ConTech Startups, and named a 2021 Global
Cleantech 100 company.
The company recently launched the
world’s smallest carbon capture technology,
CycloneCC. 10-times smaller than the
industry standard, Cyclone CC can be
deployed at most industrial sites in only
eight weeks. It’s predicted to drive down the
cost of carbon capture to $30 per tonne on
average – half the price of the EU’s August
carbon price ($60 per tonne on 30.08.21).
To better understand the role of CCUS,
we talked to the CTO and co-founder of
Carbon Capture, Prateek Bumb.
Carbon Clean’s history

Carbon Clean was founded to solve a critical
climate challenge – decarbonising heavy
industry, which accounts for around 30%
of global emissions. We are an innovation
TECHNOLOGY
Our technology has already captured

1.7mn tonnes of CO2. Now, we’re aiming to
capture a billion tonnes by the mid-2030s.
Which countries are you present in?

Our technology is proven at scale across
49 sites worldwide, including in the UK,
US, Japan, German, India, Norway and the
Netherlands. We have also delivered the
world’s largest industrial-scale carbon
capture and utilisation plant for Tuticorin
Alkali Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd, India,
and are key members of the Acorn Project
in Scotland.
How is CCS integral to the net-zero goal?

Our business is founded on the belief that
achieving net zero isn’t a pipe dream, it’s
a necessity. But getting there will take
much more than a focus on renewables.
Hard-to-abate industries like steel, cement,
energy from waste and refineries are a key
part of the global economy and can play
a crucial part in global carbon reduction.
This year, we’ve seen a marked shift in
decarbonisation commitments by industry,
with many of the companies we’re talking
to aiming for a 30% reduction by 2030.
CCUS, alongside other green technologies,
will play an integral role in helping the
industry achieve those goals. We’re
confident that, with the right investment
and political landscape, the road to
net-zero is clear.
We see the energy transition as imperative,
irrespective of market conditions. The
energy crisis has demonstrated the
continued need for hard-to-abate
sectors and while this remains
the case, the need
for CCUS is clear.
How does the company
raise funding?
To date, Carbon Clean
has raised $195mn through
a combination of public and
private sector investment. Carbon
Clean recently closed a $150mn
Series C round led by Chevron, with
participation from existing investors CEMEX
Ventures, Marubeni Corporation and WAVE
Equity Partners, and new investors AXA
IM Alts, Samsung Ventures, Saudi Aramco
Energy Ventures and TC Energy.
We’ve also been the recipient of British
government funding on three occasions,
including at the SEED stage, prior to private
investment. It was pivotal to our growth.
Tell us about the innovations and

technology driving Carbon Capture?
We know carbon capture is essential to
delivering industrial decarbonisation and
net zero, but the current installed capacity
is way off what’s needed. As an innovation
leader in the sector, with more patents
than any other CCUS technology provider,
Carbon Clean is determined to address
this delivery gap.
Our new generation of standardised, fully
modular, skid-mounted carbon capture
units are vital to accelerating global CCUS
deployment. Prefabricated, delivered on
a truck and installed in around eight weeks,
these units are revolutionising a 50-year-
old technology by overcoming two of the
biggest barriers to deployment
– space and cost.
TECHNOLOGY
“Carbon Clean recently closed a $150mn

Series C round led by Chevron, with
participation from existing investors
and new investors…”
PRATEEK BUMB
CO-FOUNDER,
CARBON CLEAN
114 February 2023

TECHNOLOGY
What’s been your biggest lesson? What comes next?

I’ve learned that risk and reward go hand-in- Our focus over the next 12-18 months is
hand – you can’t be afraid of taking risks if delivering on the promise of our $150mn
you want to succeed, and you need to know Series C funding round. We want to
that failure is part of the process. Take our ramp up the commercial roll-out of our
CDRMax solvent for example, which is a key breakthrough carbon capture solutions,
part of the solutions we offer to our clients expand our team to deliver on our
now; we went through 14 failed chemical growing order book, and develop our
formulas before finally getting it right. An Carbon-Capture-as -a-Service (CCaaS)
equally important lesson I’ve learned since proposition for heavy emitters.
founding the company is that having a team
that believes in your vision is key.
NUCLEAR
ENERGY - PRO
COUNTRIES
As countries swiftly move toward
sustainable energy sources, nuclear
power remains pertinent.
Here, we look at the top 10 nuclear

power-producing countries
S
ustainability, renewable energy,
net zero – these terms, and more,
are at the forefront of our climate
change vernacular, with the conversation
concentrated on how global industries
can move towards clean energy to
combat the climate crisis.
As we seek to rely less on high-emission
energy sources, nuclear energy can serve
as a low-carbon, transitory solution. In fact,
currently, 441 nuclear reactors generate
10% of global electricity already.
Although not renewable, nuclear energy
is still recyclable and produces zero
greenhouse gasses, serving as the second-
largest source of low-carbon energy in
the world behind hydropower.
Here are the world’s top 10 nuclear
energy-producing countries in 2022.
116 February 2023

TOP 10
ODUCING
WRITTEN BY:
MARIAM AHMAD
TOP 10
10
SPAIN
Nuclear Generation: 7.1GW
Recently replacing Sweden in the

number 10 spot, nuclear energy
currently accounts for 22% of
Spain’s electricity. The country
has an installed capacity of 7.1GW,
09
generated by seven reactors.
Nuclear plants are currently UK
essential to the country's energy Nuclear Generation: 8.9GW
grid needs and ministers have thus
lifted limits to their operational
lifespans. In 2020 and 2021, six Coming in at number 9 is the
of the country's seven reactors UK, with a combined net nuclear
renewed their licences. All of energy capacity of 8.9GW from
these would expire before 2035 13 operable nuclear reactors.
– the deadline for the Spanish The country generated a total
Government's planned phaseout of 51TWh of nuclear energy in
of nuclear power. 2019 – 15.6% of the UK’s total
electricity output.
Expected to open in June of
2027, construction has started on
two new nuclear reactors, Hinkley
Point C1 and Hinkley Point C2,
which will supply low-carbon
electricity for 6 million homes.
Approximately half of its existing
nuclear power reactors will be
retired by 2035.
118 February 2023

TOP 10
08
UKRAINE
07
With 15 operable nuclear reactors

and a combined net installed
capacity of 13.1GW, Ukraine is
in the number 8 spot.
Two reactors (Khmelnitski
3 and 4) are currently under CANADA
construction, with heavy Nuclear Generation: 13.6GW
water reactors providing 2GW
net capacity.
Ukraine produced a total of In the number 7 spot is Canada,
78.1 TWh of nuclear energy in with 19 operational nuclear
2019, accounting for 53.9% of reactors that are spread across
the total electricity produced in four power plants, amounting
the country. to a total of 13.6GW net
Due to current geopolitical installed capacity.
instability – and to subsequently Canada generated 94.9TWh of
lessen its reliance on Russian nuclear energy in 2019, accounting
nuclear fuel and services – the for 14.9% of the country’s total
country is proactively purchasing power generation.
fuel from US-based Westinghouse. All the power plants in
Canada utilise Canadian
Deuterium-Uranium (CANDU)
reactors, which are pressurised
heavy water reactors that use
uranium as fuel, and water as
both a coolant and moderator.
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Visit www.automatedlogic.com/datacenters to learn more.
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TOP 10
05
RUSSIA
06
Often touted as the original

frontrunner of nuclear technology
due to the USSR’s industrial
efforts, Russia takes the number
5 spot, with 38 operating reactors
and a net capacity of 29.6GW.
SOUTH KOREA Russia produced 195.5TWh
Nuclear Generation: 24.5GW of nuclear energy in 2019,
which accounted for
approximately 19.7% of the
With 24 nuclear reactors in total electricity generated.
operation – a combined 24.5GW Two reactors – as part of the
capacity – South Korea is in Kursk II project – with a net
number 6. The south-eastern capacity of 2.3GW, are currently
region of the country is a major under construction.
hub for high electricity demand
due to it being home to several
heavy manufacturing plants.
South Korea generated 139TWh
of nuclear energy in 2019, deriving
a total of 26% of its total electricity
from nuclear energy in 2019.
TOP 10
04
03
JAPAN
Nuclear Generation: 32GW
At number 4 is Japan, with a total

of 33 operational nuclear plants
that have 31.7GW net installed
capacity. Two reactors, Ohma
1 and Shimane 3, are currently CHINA
under construction but will, when Nuclear Generation: 50.8GW
finished, account for an additional
net capacity of 2.6GW
Prior to the Fukushima nuclear A net installed capacity of
incident in 2011, 30% of Japan’s 50.8GW via 51 nuclear reactors
energy requirements were makes China the third biggest
derived from nuclear energy. nuclear energy-producing
Now, the country imports 90% country in the world.
of its energy requirements. Though currently under
construction, China is planning
to grow its power system,
with 18 reactors to open soon.
Collectively, this would generate
17.2GW for China’s power
systems. The country is also
planning to build an additional 39
nuclear reactors with a combined
gross capacity of 43GW.
122 February 2023

TOP 10
02
FRANCE
Generating a larger share of nuclear energy than

any of its counterparts on this list, France produces
two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear sources from
56 operational reactors, which collectively generated
338.7TWh in 2020.
Low production costs and general expertise in
this area have allowed the country to generate
approximately 17% of its electricity from recycled
nuclear fuel.
France will build more reactors in years to come,
aiming to decarbonise its power generation by 2050.
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TOP 10
Georgia’s New Nuclear Reactors Plant Vogtle

– Units 3 & 4
126 February 2023

TOP 10
USA
In the number 1 top spot is, perhaps

unsurprisingly, the USA. It boasts a total
nuclear capacity of 91.5GW, which is
generated by 93 reactors that are spread
across 30 of the country’s 50 states.
This capacity currently allows for the
production of 20% of the country’s total
electricity consumption, with the US
– particularly since 2016 – relying more
on coal and gas for power production.
The state of Georgia is to see the
construction of two more reactors,
part of the Vogtle project.
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The ‘UK-US Energy Security and Affordability

Saudi Green Initiative National Environment

“Moving towards clean,

a high level of customer satisfaction. Octopus

I also manage and run our customer

predictive asset maintenance and

major worldwide challenges. There is a level of industry conservatism

“The energy sector

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Black & Veatch provides insights on

DUE DILIGENCE INSIGHTS

& Veatch’s Data Centres Project Manager.

“You can visualise Digital twin tech gives real-time

before you ever

put a shovel in any structural improvements? Are there

opportunities. He considers cost factors

REGIONAL FOCUS: DATA CENTRES IN INDIA FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES

change in legislation is expected to attract retain reliable and high-quality outcomes,

SUSTAINABILITY IS CRUCIAL FOR Together with its clients, partners

ANGIE NYGREN, NCARB, Angie Nygren is a licensed architect

building systems within mission-critical

Digital twins offer real-time

“The city centre

are water, heating and cooling, and

“After you've built it, it’s much more

decision that they want to use cold

redundancy, and single-point

clients to make upfront investments in structural system using different materials,

REGIONAL FOCUS: NEW GROWTH FOR DATA CENTRES IN ASIA PACIFIC

promising demographics and projected ensure long-term viability of projects.

DIGITAL TWINS MEAN that operationally it's going to function

Digital twins do away with “first- contractors having to make allowances

What We Do - Black & Veatch

OPERATIONAL INTELLIGENCE via the cloud. Adaptive planning focuses

JULIA CAROL GUERRA

Julia Guerra works in

easily shows with one click that a client

ANTHONY TAYLOR the use of BIM on complex regional and

Anthony Taylor is BIM Coordinator Mapper, AutoTurn for vehicle

quality, and helps deliver projects on time

“With these new technologies, not only

3D, 4D AND 5D DIGITAL

Modelling catches issues long opportunities there to either accelerate

As digital twin technology becomes the tools and technologies to leading-edge

WRITTEN BY: MARIAM AHMAD

“With the right data, the

customers to help them improve their

“Moving towards clean,

“You can visualise Digital twin tech gives real-time

“The city centre

“With these new technologies, not only

“With the right data, the

“It is important to be aware of

“THERE IS ALSO A LOT future-proof ready and easily expandable

“We are in discussions with

“We have been

“I’M A PROUD YORKSHIREMAN. I LOVE COMING TO

“I FIND MYSELF ENGAGED think we can win,” Morris continues.

“TO ME, DIGITAL or the most sophisticated architect, but if

“Our technology is proven leader in point source carbon capture,