SPECIAL FEATURE: POST-POWERGEN
V
eolia Water has been present in Asia for over 25 years now. Its Business Development Director Carlo Patteri believes Asia is one of the fastest growing markets in the world and that the biggest challenge in the region is how to effectively combine sustainable growth with conservation and access to resources. Patteri reveals that Veolia’s ‘blockbuster’ technology is related to the Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) requirements which are becoming more and more important in Asia. Inevitably, water shortages and increasing concerns for environmental impact from industrial use place a high degree of importance on recycling and reuse of this valuable resource. Hence, management of the entire water cycle for industrial applications drives efficiency and innovation towards ZLD in nearly every major industrial application. Veolia’s experience over a wide range of industries allows for innovations gained from one market to be utilized in other applications. This expertise extends to the fully integrated systems for Zero Liquid Discharge, supported by a total project solution that includes worldwide design-build project execution; state-of-the-art, 50,000 sq. ft. research & development facility; and highly integrated process systems supported by complementary Veolia technologies.
Veolia Water
Paul Coe, Global Power Market Director; Carlo Patteri, Business Development Director for Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies
many countries which allow them toPROFILE have good CO-PUBLISHED CORPORATE local knowledge – a real competitive advantage in the industry. Veolia currently has 132 business units worldwide. “So when the clients are local, we have local water knowledge, technical knowledge, and also we have knowledge of any of the clients may face in treating water. We also have local water supply Veolia’s edge According to Paul Coe, Global Director for Power, chain as well, which is a key advantage in most of Veolia’s biggest edge in the industry is its in-house these projects.” The rapid growth of the Asian market also research and development capabilities. Another Managing Director, Tony Segadelli, shares OWL’s strategic key differentiator, Coe adds, is their presence in means more power challenges and an increase in
water consumption. While each country has different needs and developments in terms of access for water, Veolia is constantly finding new ways to treat wastewater and to adapt the solution to the client’s needs.
OWL Group swoops across the Asian Region
South East Asia under its wings.
The OWL Group
“Veolia’s ‘blockbuster’ technology is related to the Zero Liquid Discharge which is becoming more plans to take important in Asia. nity for companies that are either new to ASEAN orbination want to that expand regionresults. to better unwill around provide the winning derstand the opportunities and the environment inASEAN which they will be operating. is currently following a European UnMr.type Segadelli noted that one isofcalled the main ion integration which the isAEC sues in the ASEAN Community). power industryHow is labor. Sin-ex(Asian Economic do you gapore is reluctant tobusiness have more pect this to affect inimmigrants the region?and theAlthough Philippines desperately people return. it has similaritiesneeds with the EU, to the regional “There’ a labor lessons shortage of skilled labor bankss basically learned difficult from the 1997 ecoinnomic the Philippines. Ashas a company recently set crisis, which resulted that in over $90 billion upinthere, I’veinseen a lot higher wages thanalone. I was As liquidity the Philippines and Thailand expecting. quality is there, but you long as a Although project hasthe strong fundamentals, financing doishave to pay a lot more, ” said Segadelli. typically available. OWL is able to provide assistHe added,“Capital is technical going to viability move more ance on ensuring the of a easproject ilyeither around the region, and that’ s going as Owner’s or Lender’s Engineer. to focus government’ making investThe AECs mentalities will lead totowards a better flow of people ments these countries attractive. ” strategy and in skills, which is partmore of OWL’s growth because we believe in growing ASEAN as a whole,
Tony Segadelli, OWL’s Managing Director
T
he OWL Group is the only truly ASEAN
high end power engineering consultancy Tony Segadelli - Chief Engineer / Managing Director
company having been established in Thailand and intoisthea Philippines. he expanded OWL Group new company in the Although OWL’ s core business is engineering power industry. However, in its three years of consulting it also develops projects in which it existence, it has rapidly grown to become one isofan equity shareholder. This unique approach the largest high-end engineering consultancies in means that OWL understands the risks and conSE Asia. cerns of its clients in more depth than many of its competitors whether they be boutique or global
T
Your competitors named their companies after why did you choose to name yours after a bird?
28 ASIAN POWER their founders;
consulting companies. Issues in ASEAN Tony OWL’ s Managing Director, was termsSegadelli, of structuring contracts (e.g. risk sharing) and one of the speakers at the recently held POWEReven developing projects as equity investors. GEN Asia conference in Bangkok. He spoke on the characteristics of the power industry within Why did you choose the Philippines as your Southeast Asia, from the holistic impact of the latest area of expansion? ASEAN integration, down to the effects on the The Philippines is very much a growing market, but power industry. These insights gave an opportuas we have observed, there are power shortages in many parts of the country. The main fuel in the Philippines is coal and OWL’s engineers have significant
Philippine Project rather than cherry-picking countries. The region has OWL is working 19.6 megawatt solar probeen integratingon theapower industry for more than ject the Philippines. It’s the firsthave utility scale PV a in decade, and our engineers been involved project in the country becausethat the way they feedthis in some of the key projects are enabling inincluding tariff is set up, you have to go commercial first working on Cambodia’s first transmission before you can get your final permit in place to be line, which was supplied from Thailand, plus crossanborder accredited seller. deals. Another regional change hydropower is the emergence of Myanmar from decades of iso-
“Although OWL’s core lation. business is engineering How is OWL positioning for this change? consulting it alsoitself develops We have been discussionsit with projects ininwhich ispotential an clients in Myanmar for quite some time and have recently equity shareholder.” won a project there and are expecting a lot more work to follow. The government is very keen on bringing in foreign direct investment, and we are